The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Leroy Williams, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 3 June 1864, while serving with Company G, 8th New York Heavy Artillery, in action at Cold Harbor, Virginia. Sergeant Williams voluntarily exposed himself to the fire of the enemy’s sharpshooters and located the body of his colonel who had been killed close to the enemy’s lines. Under cover of darkness, with four companions, he recovered the body and brought it within the Union lines, having approached within a few feet of the Confederate pickets while so engaged.