Quartermaster Edward Farrell, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on April 24, 1862 in Forts Jackson & St. Philip, Louisiana during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Owasco. Farrell was about 29 years old.
18 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.
Farrell was born in 1833 in Saratoga, Saratoga County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York. Farrell died on March 23, 1902 in Palmyra, Portage County, Ohio, at the age of about 69. He is buried at Edinburg Cemetery in Edinburg, Ohio.
Farrell 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
Served on board the U.S.S. Owasco during the attack upon Forts Jackson and St. Philip, 24 April 1862. Stationed at the masthead during these operations, Farrell observed and reported the effect of the fire of our guns in such a manner as to make his intelligence, coolness, and capacity conspicuous.
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
- 1833Born in Saratoga, Saratoga County, New York
- April 24, 1862Act of valor — Forts Jackson & St. Philip, LouisianaAge about 29. U.S.S. Owasco
- March 23, 1902Died in Palmyra, Portage County, OhioAge about 69.
- Resting placeEdinburg CemeteryEdinburg, Ohio
Biography
Edward Farrell (c. 1833–1902) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip. Born in about 1833 in Saratoga, New York, Farrell was still living in that state when he joined the Navy. He served during the Civil War as a quartermaster on the USS Owasco. At the Battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip near New Orleans on April 24, 1862, he stood atop the mast and showed "intelligence, coolness and capacity" while acting as an artillery observer for Owasco's guns. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor a year later, on April 3, 1863.
From the Wikipedia article “Edward Farrell (Medal of Honor)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
