Captain of the Top James McIntosh 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. Richmond. McIntosh was 34 years old.
97 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.
McIntosh was born on November 17, 1829 in Canada — one of 60 recipients born in Canada. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York. McIntosh died on May 28, 1908 in Kearney, New Jersey, at the age of 78. He is buried at Arlington Cemetery in Kearney, New Jersey.
McIntosh 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. Richmond during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Despite damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked her decks, McIntosh performed his duties with skill and courage throughout the prolonged battle, which resulted in the surrender of the rebel ram Tennessee and in the successful attacks carried out on Fort Morgan.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Civil War.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →
Timeline
- November 17, 1829Born in Canada
- August 5, 1864Act of valor — Mobile Bay, AlabamaAge 34. U.S.S. Richmond
- May 28, 1908Died in Kearney, New JerseyAge 78.
- Resting placeArlington CemeteryKearney, New Jersey
Biography
James McIntosh (November 17, 1829 – May 28, 1908) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Mobile Bay. Born on November 17, 1829, in Canada, McIntosh immigrated to the United States and was living in New York when he joined the U.S. Navy. He served during the Civil War as a captain of the top on the USS Richmond. At the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864, he "performed his duties with skill and courage" despite heavy fire. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor four months later, on December 31, 1864.
From the Wikipedia article “James McIntosh (Medal of Honor)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
