Died 27 July 1846 Name William Graul Rank Corporal | Buried at Reading, Pennsylvania | |
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Allegiance United States of America Unit Company I, 188th Pennsylvania Infantry | ||
Service/branch United States Army | ||
William Graul (July 27, 1846 – September 2, 1909) was a Union Army soldier in the American Civil War who received the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.
Graul was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, where he later entered service. Aged 18, he was awarded the Medal of Honor, for extraordinary heroism shown at Fort Harrison during the Battle of Chaffin's Farm, for placing the American flag on the Confederate Army fortifications, while serving as a corporal with Company I, 188th Pennsylvania Infantry. The flag of Graul's company, the 188th Pennsylvania Infantry, was carried by Cecil Clay, for which he also won the Medal of Honor.
His Medal of Honor was issued on April 6, 1865.
Graul later had five children after his military service.
Medal of Honor citation
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Corporal William L. Graul, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 29 September 1864, while serving with Company I, 188th Pennsylvania Infantry, in action at Fort Harrison, Virginia. Corporal Graul was first to plant the colors of his State on the fortifications.