Sponsored by:

Navy Federal Credit Union
William
Pittinger
POW (Civil War)
January 31, 1840

–

April 24, 1904

Cemetery:

Odd Fellows Cemetery

Upon his arrival in Washington, DC with 5 other escaped raiders, Pittinger became the 5th to receive the Medal of Honor. He went into the ministry after his war service, and wrote a book titled “The Daring and the Suffering” to preserve the story of the Andrews Raid. The 1950s Disney movie titled “The Great Locomotive Chase” was based largely on the details of Pittinger’s book.

Awards Received

  • Medal of Honor

    Service:

    United States Army

    Rank:

    Sergeant

    Division:

    2d Ohio Infantry

    Action Date:

    April, 1862
    Date of Issue: March 23, 1863

    The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Sergeant William Pittinger, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on April, 1862, while serving with Company G, 21st Ohio Infantry, in action during the Andrew’s Raid in Georgia. Sergeant Pittinger was one of the 19 of 22 men (including two civilians) who, by direction of General Mitchell (or Buell), penetrated nearly 200 miles south into enemy territory and captured a railroad train at Big Shanty, Georgia, in an attempt to destroy the bridges and tract between Chattanooga and Atlanta.