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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Seaman · U.S. Navy

James Avery

Seaman James Avery, 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, 1864Born in Scotland

Seaman James Avery was a sailor in the U.S. Navy who 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. Metacomet. Avery was about 39 years old.

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

Avery was born in 1825 in Scotland — one of 41 recipients born in Scotland. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York. Avery died on October 11, 1898, at the age of about 73. He is buried at U.S. Naval Hospital Cemetery in Portsmouth, Virginia.

Avery is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 678 credited to New York.

★ Rescue & Lifesaving

Official Medal of Honor citation

Served on board the U.S.S. Metacomet. As a member of the boat's crew which went to the rescue of the U.S. Monitor Tecumseh when that vessel was struck by a torpedo in passing the enemy forts in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864, Seaman Avery braved the enemy fire which was said by the admiral to be "one of the most galling" he had ever seen, and aided in rescuing from death 10 of the crew of the Tecumseh, eliciting the admiration of both friend and foe.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Scotland — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. 1825
    Born in Scotland
  2. August 5, 1864
    Act of valor — Mobile Bay, Alabama
    Age about 39. U.S.S. Metacomet
  3. October 11, 1898
    Died
    Age about 73.
  4. Resting place
    U.S. Naval Hospital Cemetery
    Portsmouth, Virginia

Biography

James Avery (c. 1825 – October 11, 1898) was an American Civil War Union Navy sailor who received the Medal of Honor while serving aboard USS Metacomet.

From the Wikipedia article “James Avery (Medal of Honor)”, 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 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 JC James B. Chandler Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864

See all 98 recipients for August 5, 1864 →

More Civil War recipients from New York

HM Harry J. Mandy First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 ZN Zachariah C. Neahr Private · Army Civil War · 1865 Newton Martin Curtis Brigadier General · Army Civil War · 1865 FM Frank W. Mills Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862 TK Thomas Kelly Private · Army Civil War · 1864 WW William Westerhold Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864
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.