Peter Williams (born 1831, date of death unknown) was a

Union Navy ), (official) , colors = Blue and gold , colors_label = Colors , march = , mascot = , equipment = , equipment_label ...

sailor in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

who received the U.S. military's highest decoration, the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

. He earned the award for steering throughout the

Battle of Hampton Roads The Battle of Hampton Roads, also referred to as the Battle of the ''Monitor'' and ''Virginia'' (rebuilt and renamed from the USS ''Merrimack'') or the Battle of Ironclads, was a naval battle during the American Civil War. It was fought over t ...

, the first combat between

ironclad warship An ironclad is a steam-propelled warship protected by iron or steel armor plates, constructed from 1859 to the early 1890s. The ironclad was developed as a result of the vulnerability of wooden warships to explosive or incendiary shells. T ...

s in history.

Biography

Born in 1831 in Norway, Williams immigrated to the United States and lived in California. He worked as a civilian sailor for nine years before joining the U.S. Navy in New York on January 27, 1862, for a three-year term of service. His enlistment papers record him as being 5 feet 4 inches tall with blue eyes, brown hair, and a "florid" complexion. Following brief assignments to and the

receiving ship A hulk is a ship that is afloat, but incapable of going to sea. Hulk may be used to describe a ship that has been launched but not completed, an abandoned wreck or shell, or to refer to an old ship that has had its rigging or internal equipmen ...

, Williams was transferred to the newly built , the first

of the Union Navy, by March 6, 1862. He served on ''Monitor'' as a

seaman Seaman may refer to: * Sailor, a member of a marine watercraft's crew * Seaman (rank), a military rank in some navies * Seaman (name) (including a list of people with the name) * ''Seaman'' (video game), a 1999 simulation video game for the Seg ...

and

quartermaster Quartermaster is a military term, the meaning of which depends on the country and service. In land armies, a quartermaster is generally a relatively senior soldier who supervises stores or barracks and distributes supplies and provisions. In m ...

, a position responsible for navigation of the ship. The Monitor and Merrimac

At the

on March 9, 1862, Williams stood at the

ship's wheel A ship's wheel or boat's wheel is a device used aboard a water vessel to steer that vessel and control its course. Together with the rest of the steering mechanism, it forms part of the helm. It is connected to a mechanical, electric servo, or h ...

and steered ''Monitor'' throughout an engagement with the Confederate ironclad CSS ''Virginia'' (formerly known as ''Merrimack''). This battle represented the first meeting in combat of two ironclad warships. Williams was particularly noted for moving ''Monitor'' away from ''Virginia'' when the latter attempted to ram ''Monitor'' and again when ''Monitor's'' Captain

John Lorimer Worden John Lorimer Worden (March 12, 1818 – October 19, 1897) was a U.S. Navy officer in the American Civil War, who took part in the Battle of Hampton Roads, the first-ever engagement between ironclad steamships at Hampton Roads, Virginia, on 9 M ...

was wounded. Shipmate John Driscoll recalled of Williams: "Peter saw more of her he ''Virginia''than anyone else. He say right into the bore of the gun ... Pete says, 'Captain, that is for us,' and rip! she came." For his actions during the battle, Williams was awarded the Medal of Honor a year later on April 3, 1863. He was the only person to receive the Medal of Honor for service on ''Monitor''. Weeks after the battle, Williams was promoted to mate (March 25) and then to

master's mate Master's mate is an obsolete rating which was used by the Royal Navy, United States Navy and merchant services in both countries for a senior petty officer who assisted the master. Master's mates evolved into the modern rank of Sub-Lieutenant in t ...

(March 28) for his "heroic service" at Hampton Roads. On December 31, 1862, he survived the sinking of ''Monitor'' in rough seas. He and fellow quartermaster Richard Anjier were applauded by their captain, Commander John P. Bankhead, for showing "the highest quality of men and seamen" during the incident. Williams entered the

commissioned officer An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent context ...

ranks on January 10, 1863, with his assignment to as an acting

ensign An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...

, a position he held through the end of the war. In December 1865, he was placed in command of , a steam tugboat in the

West Gulf Blockading Squadron The Union blockade in the American Civil War was a naval strategy by the United States to prevent the Confederate States of America, Confederacy from trading. The blockade was proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln in April 1861, and required ...

. Williams was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy on November 9, 1867, after nearly six years of service. Williams is one of the hundreds of Medal of Honor recipients who are considered "lost to history", as his place of burial and other biographical details outside of his naval service are unknown.

Medal of Honor citation

Williams's official Medal of Honor citation reads: * Rank and organization: Seaman, U.S. Navy * Accredited to: Pennsylvania * G.O. No.: 11, 3 April 1863

Serving on board the U.S.S. Ironclad Steamer ''Monitor'', Hampton Roads, 9 March 1862. During the engagement between the U.S.S. ''Monitor'' and the C.S.S. ''Merrimack'', Williams gallantly served throughout the engagement as quartermaster, piloting the ''Monitor'' throughout the battle in which the ''Merrimack'', after being damaged, retired from the scene of the battle.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Peter 1831 births Year of death unknown Norwegian emigrants to the United States People of California in the American Civil War Union Navy sailors United States Navy Medal of Honor recipients American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor Norwegian-born Medal of Honor recipients