Quartermaster John Ditzenback was a sailor in the U.S. Navy who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on December 6, 1864 near Nashville, Tennessee during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S. Monitor Neosho. Ditzenback was about 36 years old.
One other service member also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.
Ditzenback was born in 1828 in New York, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to Indiana.
Ditzenback is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 75 credited to Indiana.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Served on board the U.S. Monitor Neosho during the engagement with enemy batteries at Bells Mills, Cumberland River, near Nashville, Tenn., 6 December 1864. Carrying out his duties courageously during the engagement, Ditzenback gallantly left the pilot house after the flag and signal staffs of that vessel had been shot away and, taking the flag which was drooping over the wheelhouse, made it fast to the stump of the highest mast remaining, although the ship was still under a heavy fire from the enemy.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Places
- Born: New York City — map
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Indiana →
Timeline
- 1828Born in New York, New York
- December 6, 1864Act of valor — near Nashville, TennesseeAge about 36. U.S. Monitor Neosho
Biography
Quartermaster John Ditzenback (born c. 1828) was an American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Ditzenback received the country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action aboard the USS Neosho (1863) on 6 December 1864. He was honored with the award on 22 June 1865.
From the Wikipedia article “John Ditzenback”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
Further reading
- CMOHS is the New Home to Four Civil War Medals of Honorcmohs.org · 2024
