Medal of Honor: William Peterkin Upshur, Peterkin Usphur, October 24, 1915
Surrounded by 400 Haitian rebels in a moonlit ravine, Captain William P. Upshur refused to retreat — instead, he led his Marines through the jungle at dawn, shattering the enemy lines and capturing their stronghold.
October 24, 2025
Name: William Peterkin Upshur
Rank: Captain
War: U.S. Intervention in Haiti (Banana Wars)
Date of Action: October 24, 1915
Unit: 15th Company (Mounted), U.S. Marine Corps
Born: October 28, 1881 – Richmond, Virginia
Entered Service From: Virginia
Summary of Action
In the rugged hills of northern Haiti, Captain William P. Upshur led a mounted Marine detachment on a dangerous six-day reconnaissance from Fort Liberté in October 1915. As night fell on October 24, his column crossed a river at the bottom of a deep ravine — straight into a deadly ambush. From three sides, roughly 400 Cacos insurgents opened fire from concealed positions just a hundred yards away, trapping the Marines in a storm of gunfire.
Upshur immediately organized his men into a defensive perimeter, returning fire through the night. At dawn, he took command of one of three squads ordered to counterattack. Advancing with calm precision and fearless resolve, Upshur led his Marines up the slopes into the teeth of the ambush, routing the enemy and helping to capture the fortified rebel position at Fort Dipitie.
His leadership under fire turned near-disaster into victory. For his extraordinary courage and decisive command in the face of overwhelming odds, Captain Upshur received the Medal of Honor — one of four Marines decorated for valor that night in Haiti.
Medal of Honor Citation
UPSHUR, WILLIAM PETERKIN
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 28 October 1881, Richmond, Va. Appointed from: Virginia.
Citation: In company with members of the 15th Company of Marines, all mounted, Capt. Upshur left Fort Liberte, Haiti, for a 6-day reconnaissance. After dark on the evening of 24 October 1915, while crossing the river in a deep ravine, the detachment was suddenly fired upon from 3 sides by about 400 Cacos concealed in bushes about 100 yards from the fort. The marine detachment fought its way forward to a good position which it maintained during the night, although subjected to a continuous fire from the Cacos. At daybreak, Capt. Upshur, in command of one of the 3 squads which advanced in 3 different directions, led his men forward, surprising and scattering the Cacos, and aiding in the capture of Fort Dipitie.
Would you like me to format this next to Daly and Ostermann’s entries for a “Fort Dipitie – Haiti, 1915” joint display or post? That would let visitors see how three Marines earned the Medal of Honor for the same firefight, each from a different command position.
