Honoring First Lieutenant William H. Appleton

Company H, 4th U.S. Colored Troops – U.S. Army, 1864

A Granite State Hero of the Civil War

William H. Appleton was born on March 24, 1843, in Chichester, New Hampshire. He entered military service in Portsmouth, NH, during the Civil War and was commissioned as a First Lieutenant in Company H of the 4th U.S. Colored Troops, an African American regiment led by Union officers.

Courage in the Face of Danger

Appleton’s military service is remembered for acts of remarkable bravery. On June 15, 1864, during the Siege of Petersburg, Virginia, he was the first man of the Eighteenth Corps to enter the enemy’s fortifications, demonstrating exceptional courage under heavy fire.

Later, on September 29, 1864, at the Battle of New Market Heights, Virginia, Appleton’s valiant leadership inspired Union soldiers during a desperate assault, earning him the respect and admiration of his comrades.

Medal of Honor Citation

Appleton received the Medal of Honor for his actions with the following citation:

“The first man of the Eighteenth Corps to enter the enemy’s works at Petersburg, Va., 15 June 1864. Valiant service in a desperate assault at New Market Heights, Va., inspiring the Union troops with his example of steady courage.”