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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Quartermaster · U.S. Navy

John Brazell

Quartermaster John Brazell, 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, 1864

Quartermaster John Brazell, 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. Richmond. Brazell was about 27 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 Chief Quartermaster.

Brazell was born in 1837 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. His Medal of Honor is credited to Pennsylvania. Brazell died on August 12, 1866 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the age of about 29. His medal is held by Naval Historical Center, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC.

Brazell is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 380 credited to Pennsylvania.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Served on board the U.S.S. Richmond in the action at Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864, where he was recommended for coolness and good conduct as a gun captain during that engagement, which resulted in the capture of the rebel ram Tennessee and in the destruction of Fort Morgan. Brazell served gallantly throughout the actions with Forts Jackson and St. Philip, the Chalmettes, batteries below Vicksburg, and was present at the surrender of New Orleans while on board the U.S.S. Brooklyn.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Philadelphia — map
  • Died: Philadelphia — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →

Timeline

  1. 1837
    Born in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
  2. August 5, 1864
    Act of valor — Mobile Bay, Alabama
    Age about 27. U.S.S. Richmond
  3. August 12, 1866
    Died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    Age about 29.

Biography

John Brazell (1837 – August 12, 1866) 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.

From the Wikipedia article “John Brazell”, 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 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 JC James B. Chandler Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864

See all 98 recipients for August 5, 1864 →

Same unit

JH John S. Hickman Second Class Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1863 MM Matthew McClelland First Class Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1863 TM Thomas Mitchell Landsman · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1879 JR John Rush First Class Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1863 Joseph E. Vantine First Class Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1863

More Civil War recipients from Pennsylvania

Alexander Elliott Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 JR Jacob F. Raub Assistant Surgeon · Army Civil War · 1865 William Henry harrison Benyaurd First Lieutenant, Engineers · Army Civil War · 1865 CB Charles H. Baldwin Coal Heaver · Navy Civil War · 1864 James Jackson Purman Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863 JS John Shiel Corporal · Army Civil War · 1862
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.