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Coxswain · U.S. Navy

Alexander H. Truett

Coxswain Alexander H. Truett, Navy, received the Medal of Honor for actions on August 5, 1864 at Fort Morgan, Mobile Bay, Alabama during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War August 5, 1864

Serving as a sailor in the U.S. Navy, Coxswain Alexander H. Truett received the Medal of Honor for his actions on August 5, 1864 at Fort Morgan, Mobile Bay, Alabama during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Richmond. Truett was 31 years old.

97 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on October 24, 1865.

Truett was born on July 4, 1833 in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland. His Medal of Honor is credited to Maryland. Truett died on December 5, 1898 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the age of 65. He is buried at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Truett is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 85 credited to Maryland.

Official Medal of Honor citation

On board the U.S.S. Richmond during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Despite damage to his ship the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked her decks, Truett performed his duties with skill and courage throughout a furious two-hour battle which resulted in the surrender of the rebel ram Tennessee and in the damaging and destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Timeline

  1. July 4, 1833
    Born in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland
  2. August 5, 1864
    Act of valor — Fort Morgan, Mobile Bay, Alabama
    Age 31. U.S.S. Richmond
  3. October 24, 1865
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. December 5, 1898
    Died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    Age 65.
  5. Resting place
    Mount Moriah Cemetery
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Also honored for actions on August 5, 1864

TA Thomas E. Atkinson Yeoman · Navy Civil War · 1864 JA James Avery Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 CB Charles Baker Quarter Gunner · Navy Civil War · 1864 WB William Blagheen Ship's Cook · Navy Civil War · 1864 JB John Brazell Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1864 JB John Brown Captain of the Forecastle · Navy Civil War · 1864 RB Robert Brown Captain of the Top · Navy Civil War · 1864 WB William H. Brown Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864 WB Wilson Brown Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864 JB John M. Burns Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 WC William M. Carr Master-at-Arms · Navy Civil War · 1864 MC Michael Cassidy Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864

See all 98 recipients for August 5, 1864 →

Same unit

JH John S. Hickman Second Class Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1863 MM Matthew McClelland First Class Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1863 TM Thomas Mitchell Landsman · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1879 JR John Rush First Class Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1863 Joseph E. Vantine First Class Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1863

More Civil War recipients from Maryland

JH John William Hart Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 JS Joseph Stewart Private · Army Civil War · 1865 JT James Tallentine Quarter Gunner · Navy Civil War · 1864 Christian A. Fleetwood Sergeant Major · Army Civil War · 1864 TC Thomas Connor Ordinary Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1865 CV Charles Veal Private · Army Civil War · 1864
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.