The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Landsman William (Walter) P. Johnston, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving on board the U.S.S. FORT HINDMAN during the engagement near Harrisonburg, Louisiana, 2 March 1864. Badly wounded in the hand during the action, Landsman Johnston, despite his wound, took the place of another man to sponge and lead one of the guns throughout the entire action in which the Fort Hindman was raked severely with shot and shell from the enemy guns.