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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Chief Quartermaster · U.S. Navy

Cornelius Cronin

Chief Quartermaster Cornelius Cronin, Navy, received the Medal of Honor for actions on August 5, 1864 at Mobile Bay; Forts Jackson & St. Philip; New Orleans; & below Vicksburg, Alabama; Louisiana; & Mississippi during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War August 5, 1864

Chief Quartermaster Cornelius Cronin, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on August 5, 1864 at Mobile Bay; Forts Jackson & St. Philip; New Orleans; & below Vicksburg, Alabama; Louisiana; & Mississippi during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Richmond. Cronin was 26 years old.

97 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. He later rose to the rank of Ensign, Ret..

Cronin was born on March 10, 1838 in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. His Medal of Honor is credited to Michigan. Cronin died on August 18, 1912 in Brooklyn, New York, at the age of 74. He is buried at Calvary Cemetery in Woodside, New York. His medal is held by Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Mount Pleasant, SC.

Cronin is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 112 credited to Michigan.

Official Medal of Honor citation

On board the U.S.S. Richmond in action at Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Cool and vigilant at his station throughout the prolonged action, Cronin watched for signals and skillfully steered the ship as she trained her guns on Fort Morgan and on other ships of the Confederacy despite extremely heavy return fire. He participated in the actions at Forts Jackson and St. Philip, with the Chalmette batteries, at the surrender of New Orleans, and in the attacks on batteries below Vicksburg.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Detroit — map
  • Died: Brooklyn — map
  • Buried: Calvary Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Michigan →

Timeline

  1. March 10, 1838
    Born in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
  2. August 5, 1864
    Act of valor — Mobile Bay; Forts Jackson & St. Philip; New Orleans; & below Vicksburg, Alabama; Louisiana; & Mississippi
    Age 26. U.S.S. Richmond
  3. August 18, 1912
    Died in Brooklyn, New York
    Age 74.
  4. Resting place
    Calvary Cemetery
    Woodside, New York

Biography

Cornelius Cronin (March 10, 1838 – August 18, 1912) was a sailor in the United States Navy who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the American Civil War.

From the Wikipedia article “Cornelius Cronin”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Named in his honor

Further reading

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 Michigan

CF Charles S. Fall Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 AF Alexander A. Forman Corporal · Army Civil War · 1862 Joseph Bell Kemp First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 GC George Washington Clute Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 RD Robert Fulton Dodd Private · Army Civil War · 1864 WM Walter L. Mundell Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.