William Y. W. Ripley

William Young Warren Ripley (December 31, 1832 – December 16, 1905) was a Union Army officer from Vermont in the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for heroism at the Battle of Malvern Hill.

Early life

William Y. W. Ripley was born in Middlebury, Vermont, on December 31, 1832. He was educated at the Troy Conference Academy in Poultney (now Green Mountain College) and the Lima Institute, in Lima, New York. He then began a career in Rutland at the Ripley family's marble business and the Ripley family-owned Rutland County National Bank.

Military service

Beginning in 1858, Ripley was a lieutenant in the Rutland Light Guards, a volunteer militia unit commanded by Horace Henry Baxter.

Baxter subsequently became adjutant general of the Vermont Militia. In May 1861 Ripley entered the Union Army for the Civil War as captain and commander of the Rutland Light Guards, which was mustered in as Company K, 1st Vermont Volunteer Infantry Regiment. He served with the regiment in Washington, D.C. and Virginia during the entire three months of its service, including taking part in the Battle of Big Bethel.

In the Fall of 1861 Ripley joined the 1st United States Sharpshooters as lieutenant colonel and second in command. He took part in several battles, including the Battle of Malvern Hill in July 1862, at which he was seriously wounded. Ripley's wounds proved serious enough to prevent him from returning to the field.

In August 1862 he was appointed commander of the 10th Vermont Infantry with the rank of colonel, but declined because of the physical disability caused by his wounds.