George Prance – Medal of Honor, Civil War (1864)

Captain of the Main Top George Prance, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on December 24, 1864 at Fort Fisher, North Carolina during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Ticonderoga. Prance was about 37 years old.

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

Prance was born in 1827 in France — one of 18 recipients born in France. His Medal of Honor is credited to Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Prance died on April 2, 1885 in Temescal, California, at the age of about 58. He is buried at Mountain View in Oakland, California. His medal is held by Naval Historical Center, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC.

Prance is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 265 credited to Massachusetts.

Official Medal of Honor citation

On board the U.S.S. Ticonderoga during attacks on Fort Fisher, 24 and 25 December 1864; and 13 to 15 January 1865. Despite heavy return fire by the enemy and the explosion of the 100-pounder Parrott rifle which killed eight men and wounded 12 more, Prance, as captain of a gun, performed his duties with skill and courage during the first two days of battle. As his ship again took position on the line on the 13th, he remained steadfast as the Ticonderoga maintained a well-placed fire upon the batteries onshore, and thereafter as she materially lessened the power of guns on the mound which had been turned upon our assaulting columns. During this action the flag was planted on one of the strongest fortifications possessed by the rebels.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

Born: France — map
Died: Temescal — map
Buried: Mountain View Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Massachusetts →

Timeline

1827
Born in France
December 24, 1864
Act of valor — Fort Fisher, North Carolina
Age about 37. U.S.S. Ticonderoga
April 2, 1885
Died in Temescal, California
Age about 58.
Resting place
Mountain View
Oakland, California

Biography

George Prance (c. 1827 – April 3, 1885) was a sailor in the U.S. Navy during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Second Battle of Fort Fisher on January 15, 1865.

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

Also honored for actions on December 24, 1864

JA John Angling Cabin Boy · Navy Civil War · 1864 AB Asa Betham Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864 RB Robert M. Blair Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1864 HC Harrison Collins Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 GM George Washington McWilliams Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864 WT William G. Taylor Captain of the Forecastle · Navy Civil War · 1864 JW Joseph White Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864 AW Anthony Williams Sailmaker's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1864

Same unit

RB Richard Binder Sergeant · Marine Corps Civil War · 1865 EB Edward R. Bowman Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1865 WC William Campbell Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1865

Isaac N. Fry Orderly Sergeant · Marine Corps Civil War · 1865 JH Joseph B. Hayden Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1865 TJ Thomas Jones Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1865

James Jonas Madison Lieutenant Commander · Navy World War I · 1918 WS William Shipman Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1865

More Civil War recipients from Massachusetts

JW John Walsh Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 AB Andrew Symmes Bryant Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 FD Frederick Nelson Deland Private · Army Civil War · 1863 JM John McDonald Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1862 JD John Duffey Private · Army Civil War · 1864 FB Frank Bois Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1863

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.