Serving as a sailor in the U.S. Navy, Seaman David L. Bass received the Medal of Honor for his actions on January 15, 1865 at Fort Fisher, North Carolina during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Minnesota. Bass was 22 years old.
30 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.
Bass was born on February 3, 1842 in Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York. Bass died on October 14, 1886 in Little Falls, New York, at the age of 44. He is buried at Wilcox Cemetery in Little Falls, New York.
Bass 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. Minnesota in action during the assault on Fort Fisher, 15 January 1865. Landing on the beach with the assaulting party from his ship, Seaman Bass advanced to the top of the sand hill and partly through the breach in the palisades despite enemy fire which killed and wounded many officers and men. When more than two-thirds of the men became seized with panic and retreated on the run, he remained with the party until dark, when it came safely away, bringing its wounded, its arms, and its colors.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Civil War.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →
Timeline
- February 3, 1842Born in Ireland
- January 15, 1865Act of valor — Fort Fisher, North CarolinaAge 22. U.S.S. Minnesota
- October 14, 1886Died in Little Falls, New YorkAge 44.
- Resting placeWilcox CemeteryLittle Falls, New York
Biography
David Lawrence Bass (2 February 1842 – 15 October 1886) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Second Battle of Fort Fisher.
From the Wikipedia article “David L. Bass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
