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Boy · U.S. Navy

James MacHon

Boy James MacHon, 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 England

Boy James MacHon, 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. Brooklyn. MacHon was about 16 years old.

97 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. He later rose to the rank of Boy First Class.

MacHon was born in 1848 in Derby, England — one of 98 recipients born in England. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York.

MacHon 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. Brooklyn during successful attacks against Fort Morgan, rebel gunboats, and the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, on 5 August 1864. Stationed in the immediate vicinity of the shell whips which were twice cleared of men by bursting shells, Machon remained steadfast at his post and performed his duties in the powder division throughout the furious action which resulted in the surrender of the prize rebel ram Tennessee and in the damaging and destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: England — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. 1848
    Born in Derby, England
  2. August 5, 1864
    Act of valor — Mobile Bay, Alabama
    Age about 16. U.S.S. Brooklyn

Biography

James Machon (born c. 1848) was a cabin boy in the United States Navy and a Medal of Honor recipient for his role in the Union Navy during the American Civil War.

From the Wikipedia article “James Machon”, 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

JB James Buck Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1862 HM Harry Lewis MacNeal Private · Marine Corps Spanish-American War · 1898

More Civil War recipients from New York

WN William Henry Newman Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 GM George E. Meach Farrier · Army Civil War · 1864 DS David Lafayette Smith Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862 Theodore Schwan First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 William P. Hogarty Private · Army Civil War · 1862 AK August Kauss Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865
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.