Ordinary Seaman Hugh Molloy was a sailor in the U.S. Navy who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on March 2, 1864 near Harrisonburg, Louisiana during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Fort Hindman. Molloy was 22 years old.
2 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.
Molloy was born on September 25, 1841 in County Wexford, Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to Joliet, Will County, Illinois. Molloy died on March 8, 1922 in Chicago, Illinois, at the age of 80. He is buried at Calvary Cemetery in Evanston, Illinois.
Molloy is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 210 credited to Illinois.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Served on board the U.S.S. Fort Hindman during the engagement near Harrisonburg, La., 2 March 1864. Following a shellburst which mortally wounded the first sponger, who dropped the sponge out of the forecastle port, Molloy jumped out of the port to the forecastle, recovered the sponge and sponged and loaded the gun for the remainder of the action from his exposed position, despite the extreme danger to his person from the raking fire of enemy musketry.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Civil War.
Places
- Buried: Calvary Cemetery — map
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Illinois →
Timeline
- September 25, 1841Born in County Wexford, Ireland
- March 2, 1864Act of valor — near Harrisonburg, LouisianaAge 22. U.S.S. Fort Hindman
- March 8, 1922Died in Chicago, IllinoisAge 80.
- Resting placeCalvary CemeteryEvanston, Illinois
Biography
Hugh Molloy (September 25, 1841 – March 8, 1922) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of America's highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in the American Civil War.
From the Wikipedia article “Hugh Molloy”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
