| Honorific Prefix: | Private |
| William Schmidt | |
| Birth Date: | 7 October 1845 |
| Death Date: | 3 June 1905 |
| Birth Place: | Tiffin, Ohio |
| Death Place: | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Placeofburial: | Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Allegiance: | United States |
| Branch: | Army |
| Serviceyears: | 1861-1865 |
| Rank: | Private |
| Unit: | Company G, 37th Ohio Infantry |
| Battles: | Missionary Ridge, Tennessee |
William Schmidt (10 July 1845 - 3 June 1905) was a private in the United States Army who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor for gallantry during the American Civil War. He was awarded the medal on 9 November 1895 for actions performed on 25 November 1863 at the Battle of Missionary Ridge in Tennessee.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
Schmidt was born on 10 July 1845 in Tiffin, Seneca County, Ohio. His home of record was Maumee, Ohio. He died on 3 June 1905 and was buried in Lakewood Cemetery (Section 8, Tier E, Grave 74) in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[6]
Schmidt enlisted in the Army as a private on 12 September 1861 in Maumee and was mustered into Company G, 37th Ohio Infantry on the same day. The company mustered into service on 2 October 1861 at Camp Dennison near Cincinnati, Ohio.[7]
During his unit's attack on Confederate positions at Missionary Ridge and while under heavy fire, Schmidt volunteered to rescue drummer John S. Kountz, who later also won a Medal of Honor. Kountz had been shot in the left leg and was lying in the line of fire. Despite Kountz saying "Save yourself. I am a goner anyhow", Schmidt picked him up and carried him to safety. This was the first instance of a Medal of Honor recipient saving another recipient.[8]
Schmidt's Medal of Honor citation reads: