Veteran in crisis? Dial 988 then press 1 · Text 838255 Next observance: Navy Birthday · October 13
Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Orderly Sergeant · U.S. Marine Corps

David Sprowle

Orderly Sergeant David Sprowle, Marine Corps, received the Medal of Honor for actions on August 5, 1864 at Mobile Bay, Alabama during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War August 5, 1864

Serving as a Marine in the U.S. Marine Corps, Orderly Sergeant David Sprowle received the Medal of Honor for his actions on August 5, 1864 at Mobile Bay, Alabama during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Richmond. Sprowle was about 53 years old.

97 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.

Sprowle was born in 1811 in Lisbon, St. Lawrence County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York. Records also list him as Sprowls, David.

Sprowle 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. Richmond during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram Tennessee in Moblie Bay, 5 August 1864. Despite damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked her decks, Orderly Sgt. Sprowle inspired the men of the marine guard and directed a division of great guns throughout the furious 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.

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Lisbon — map
  • Buried: Massachusetts — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. 1811
    Born in Lisbon, St. Lawrence County, New York
  2. August 5, 1864
    Act of valor — Mobile Bay, Alabama
    Age about 53. U.S.S. Richmond

Biography

David Sprowle (born c. 1811) was an orderly sergeant serving in the United States Marine Corps during the American Civil War who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Battle of Mobile Bay.

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

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 New York

WD Warren C. Dockum Private · Army Civil War · 1865 JL John W. Lloyd Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864 James Lemuel Carey Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 HH Harris Smith Hawthorne Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 MH Michael Huskey Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1863 DK Daniel Armer Kelly Sergeant · 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.