William H. Mathews (Medal of Honor)

First Sergeant William Henry Mathews (also known as Henry Sivel) (March 3, 1844-February 7, 1928) was a soldier from Maryland who fought in the American Civil War. Mathews received the United States' highest medal for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action during the Battle of the Crater in Petersburg, Virginia on 30 July 1864. He was presented the medal on 10 July 1892.

Biography
Mathews was born March 3, 1844 in Wiltshire, England and at some point before the start of the American Civil War he emigrated to the United States and settled in Baltimore, Maryland. He enlisted into Company E, 2nd Maryland Veteran Infantry from Maryland under the name Henry Sivel.

While fighting in the Battle of the Crater on 30 July 1864, First Sergeant Mathews found himself among a squad of Confederate soldiers. He fired into the group killing one, and although he was also wounded in the process, he was able to capture a sergeant and two men of the 17th South Carolina Regiment as prisoners. For his actions during this battle, he received the United States military's highest, and at that time only, medal for bravery in combat, the Medal of Honor. The medal was presented to him on 10 July 1892. When the medal was originally presented, it was given to him under his wartime name of Henry Sivel. In 1900 he requested a medal under his actual name of William Mathews and the request was granted. Mathews died February 7, 1928 in Baltimore, Maryland and was buried in Green-Wood Cemetery Brooklyn, New York. His grave can be found in Section 185, lot 23377.