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

Coxswain · U.S. Navy

Hugh Hamilton

Coxswain Hugh Hamilton, Navy, 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

Coxswain Hugh Hamilton, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on August 5, 1864 at Mobile Bay, Alabama during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Richmond. Hamilton was about 34 years old.

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

Hamilton was born in 1830 in New York, New York. Hamilton died on December 10, 1890 in Brooklyn, New York, at the age of about 60. He is buried at Oak Grove Cemetery in Fall River, Massachusetts.

Hamilton 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 the action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Despite damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked her decks, Hamilton performed his duties with skill and courage throughout the prolonged battle, which resulted in the surrender of the rebel ram Tennessee and in the successful attacks carried out on Fort Morgan.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: New York City — map
  • Died: Brooklyn Navy Yard — map
  • Buried: Oak Grove Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. 1830
    Born in New York, New York
  2. August 5, 1864
    Act of valor — Mobile Bay, Alabama
    Age about 34. U.S.S. Richmond
  3. December 10, 1890
    Died in Brooklyn, New York
    Age about 60.
  4. Resting place
    Oak Grove Cemetery
    Fall River, Massachusetts

Biography

Hugh Hamilton (born 1836 - December 10, 1890) 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 Mobile Bay.

From the Wikipedia article “Hugh Hamilton (sailor)”, 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

Andrew Kuder Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 OM Owen McGough Corporal · Army Civil War · 1861 LC Luman Lewis Cadwell Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 JH John H. Haight Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1861 JC James Coey Major · Army Civil War · 1865 JC James Edwin Cross Corporal · Army Civil War · 1861
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.