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Boatswain's Mate · U.S. Navy

James Barnum

Boatswain's Mate James Barnum, Navy, received the Medal of Honor for actions between January 13 and 15, 1865 at Fort Fisher, North Carolina during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War January 13 - 15, 1865

Serving as a sailor in the U.S. Navy, Boatswain's Mate James Barnum received the Medal of Honor for his actions between January 13 and 15, 1865 at Fort Fisher, North Carolina during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. New Ironsides. Barnum was about 49 years old.

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

Barnum was born in 1816 in Massachusetts. Records also list him as Bauman, James.

Barnum 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

Barnum served on board the U.S.S. New Ironsides during action in several attacks on Fort Fisher, 24 and 25 December 1864; and on 13, 14, and 15 January 1865. The ship steamed in and took the lead in the ironclad division close inshore and immediately opened its starboard battery in a barrage of well-directed fire to cause several fires and explosions and dismount several guns during the first two days of fighting. Taken under fire as she steamed into position on 13 January, the New Ironsides fought all day and took on ammunition at night despite severe weather conditions. When the enemy came out of his bombproofs to defend the fort against the storming party, the ship's battery disabled nearly every gun on the fort facing the shore before the cease-fire orders were given by the flagship. Barnum was commended for highly meritorious conduct during this period.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Massachusetts — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Massachusetts →

Timeline

  1. 1816
    Born in Massachusetts
  2. January 13 - 15, 1865
    Act of valor — Fort Fisher, North Carolina
    Age about 49. U.S.S. New Ironsides

Biography

James Barnum (c. 1816 – unknown) was a boatswain’s mate in the United States Navy stationed aboard the Union ironclad USS New Ironsides during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the First and Second Battle of Fort Fisher in December 1864 and January 1865.

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

Also honored for actions on January 13 - 15, 1865

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 JD John Dempster Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1865 WD William Dunn Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1865 TE Thomas English Signal Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1865 CF Charles H. Foy Signal Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1865 Isaac N. Fry Orderly Sergeant · Marine Corps Civil War · 1865 EH Edmund Haffee Quarter Gunner · Navy Civil War · 1865 JH Joseph B. Hayden Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1865 TJ Thomas Jones Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1865 NL Nicholas Lear Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1865

See all 17 recipients for January 13 - 15, 1865 →

Same unit

JW Joseph White Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864

More Civil War recipients from Massachusetts

William Lord Musician · Army Civil War · 1864 WS William A. Stanley Shell Man · Navy Civil War · 1864 JP John Preston Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864 Lewis Augustine Horton Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1862 Charles H. Pinkham Sergeant Major · Army Civil War · 1865 JM James Miller 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.