Fireman Charles W. Kenyon, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on May 15, 1862 in Drewry's Bluff, James River, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Galena. Kenyon was about 22 years old.
3 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. He later rose to the rank of Acting Third Assistant Engineer.
Kenyon was born in 1840 in Marcy, Oneida County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York.
Kenyon is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 678 credited to New York.
Official Medal of Honor citation
On board the U.S.S. Galena in the attack upon Drewry's Bluff, 15 May 1862. Severely burned while extricating a priming wire which had become bent and fixed in the bow gun while the ship underwent terrific shelling from the enemy, Kenyon hastily dressed his hands with cotton waste and oil and courageously returned to his gun while enemy sharpshooters in rifle pits along the banks continued to direct their fire at the men at the guns.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Timeline
- 1840Born in Marcy, Oneida County, New York
- May 15, 1862Act of valor — Drewry's Bluff, James River, VirginiaAge about 22. U.S.S. Galena
Biography
Charles Kenyon (born 1840) was an American recipient of the Medal of Honor who received the award for his actions during the American Civil War whilst serving with the Union Navy.
From the Wikipedia article “Charles Kenyon (Medal of Honor)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
