Quartermaster James Brown was a sailor in the U.S. Navy who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on May 4, 1863 at Fort De Russy, Red River, Louisiana during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Albatross. Brown was about 37 years old.
6 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.
Brown was born in 1826 in Rochester, Monroe County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York.
Brown 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
Served on board the U.S.S. Albatross during action against Fort De Russy in the Red River area on 4 May 1863. After the steering wheel and wheel ropes had been shot away by rebel fire, Brown stood on the gun platform of the quarterdeck, exposing himself to a close fire of musketry from the shore, and rendered invaluable assistance by his expert management of the relieving tackles in extricating the vessel from a perilous position, and thereby aided in the capture of Fort De Russy's heavyworks.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Places
- Born: Rochester — map
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →
Timeline
- 1826Born in Rochester, Monroe County, New York
- May 4, 1863Act of valor — Fort De Russy, Red River, LouisianaAge about 37. U.S.S. Albatross
Biography
James Brown (c. 1826 – ) was an officer in the United States Navy who served as quartermaster aboard the USS Albatross during the American Civil War. He received his nation's highest award for bravery during combat, the U.S. Medal of Honor, for his actions aboard ship during the Union Navy's May 4, 1863 attack on Fort DeRussy in an attempt to disrupt the hold by Confederates over the Red River region of Louisiana. That award was conferred on April 16, 1864.
From the Wikipedia article “James Brown (sailor)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
