Serving as a sailor in the U.S. Navy, Ordinary Seaman James Sullivan received the Medal of Honor for his actions on December 2, 1864 at Fort Fisher, North Carolina during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Agawam. Sullivan was about 31 years old.
The medal was presented on May 12, 1865.
Sullivan was born in 1833 in New York, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to Danbury, Fairfield County, Connecticut. Sullivan died on May 9, 1918 in South Bethlehem, New York, at the age of about 85. He is buried at Coeymans Hollow Cemetery in Coeymans Hollow, New York. Records also list him as Van Hoesen, Peter.
Sullivan is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 57 credited to Connecticut.
Official Medal of Honor citation
On board the U.S.S. Agawam as one of a volunteer crew of a powder boat which was exploded near Fort Fisher, 2 December 1864. The powder boat, towed in by the Wilderness to prevent detection by the enemy, cast off and slowly steamed to within 300 yards of the beach. After fuses and fires had been lit and a second anchor with short scope let go to assure the boat's tailing inshore, the crew boarded the Wilderness and proceeded a distance of 12 miles from shore. Less than two hours later the explosion took place, and the following day fires were observed still burning at the forts.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Timeline
- 1833Born in New York, New York
- December 2, 1864Act of valor — Fort Fisher, North CarolinaAge about 31. U.S.S. Agawam
- May 12, 1865Medal of Honor presented
- May 9, 1918Died in South Bethlehem, New YorkAge about 85.
- Resting placeCoeymans Hollow CemeteryCoeymans Hollow, New York
