Notes on McKinley as a soldier.

Archive

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McKinley Birthplace Museum

Name/Title

Notes on McKinley as a soldier.

Entry/Object ID

2016.2.99o

Scope and Content

William was 15 when he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in Poland. He studied Old Testament Hebrew under Rev. W.F. Day. William remained a strong Methodist all his life. At age 17 he entered Allegheny College in Meadville, PA. He became ill and returned home. To make money for law school he taught school at Kerr District near Poland. The following year he was assistant Postmaster of the Poland Post Office. Soldiers were needed to fight in the Civil War. On June 11, 1861 William enlisted as a private in Company "E" of the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was Regimental Commissary Sergeant on the battlefield at Antietam, Sergeant "Billy" loaded wagons with food and coffee. The battle raged but he delivered the food to his men on the front lines. Can you imagine how surprised they were? No one had ever done that before.

Collection

Blaney

Acquisition

Accession

2016.2.0

Source or Donor

Eileen B. Blaney

Acquisition Method

Gift