Serving as a sailor in the U.S. Navy, Seaman Charles Hawkins received the Medal of Honor for his actions on December 23, 1864 at Fort Fisher, North Carolina during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Agawam. Hawkins was about 30 years old.
8 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on May 12, 1865. He later rose to the rank of Boatswain's Mate.
Hawkins was born in 1834 in Scotland — one of 41 recipients born in Scotland. His Medal of Honor is credited to Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire. Hawkins died on February 29, 1908 in Cranston, Rhode Island, at the age of about 74. He is buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in Cranston, Rhode Island. Records also list him as Harkins, Charles.
Hawkins is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 35 credited to New Hampshire.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Hawkins served on board the U.S.S. Agawam as one of a volunteer crew of a powder boat which was exploded near Fort Fisher, 23 December 1864. The powder boat, towed in by the Wilderness, to prevent detection by the enemy, cast off and slowly steamed to within 300 yards of the beach. After fuses and fires had been lit and a second anchor with short scope let go to assure the boat's tailing inshore, the crew again boarded the Wilderness and and proceeded a distance of 12 miles from shore. Less than two hours later the explosion took place, and the following day fires were observed still burning at the forts.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
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Timeline
- 1834Born in Scotland
- December 23, 1864Act of valor — Fort Fisher, North CarolinaAge about 30. U.S.S. Agawam
- May 12, 1865Medal of Honor presented
- February 29, 1908Died in Cranston, Rhode IslandAge about 74.
- Resting placeSt. Mary's CemeteryCranston, Rhode Island
Biography
Charles Hawkins (1834 or 1835 - February 29, 1908) was a Seaman in the Union Navy during the American Civil War, where he was awarded the Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor. Hawkins was born in either 1834 or 1835, depending on the source, in Scotland. He lived in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and enlisted in the Union Navy from New Hampshire. He served on board the USS Agawam, as one of a volunteer crew of a powder boat. He was given his Medal of Honor on December 23, 1864, when his boat exploded on that date near Fort Fisher.
From the Wikipedia article “Charles Hawkins (Medal of Honor)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
