Veteran in crisis? Dial 988 then press 1 · Text 838255 Next observance: Navy Birthday · October 13
Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Second Captain of the Top · U.S. Navy

John Smith

Second Captain of the Top John Smith, Navy, received the Medal of Honor for actions on August 5, 1864 at Fort Morgan, Mobile Bay, Alabama during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War August 5, 1864

Second Captain of the Top John Smith was a sailor in the U.S. Navy who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on August 5, 1864 at Fort Morgan, Mobile Bay, Alabama during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Richmond. Smith was about 38 years old.

97 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.

Smith was born in 1826 in Albany, Albany County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York. Smith died on December 31, 1907, at the age of about 81. He is buried at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Smith 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

As captain of a gun on board the U.S.S. Richmond during action against rebel forts and gunboats and against 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, Smith fought his gun with skill and courage throughout a furious two-hour battle, which resulted in the surrender of the 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: Albany — map
  • Died: Philadelphia — map
  • Buried: Mount Moriah Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. 1826
    Born in Albany, Albany County, New York
  2. August 5, 1864
    Act of valor — Fort Morgan, Mobile Bay, Alabama
    Age about 38. U.S.S. Richmond
  3. December 31, 1907
    Died
    Age about 81.
  4. Resting place
    Mount Moriah Cemetery
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Biography

John Smith (February 17, 1826 – December 31, 1907) 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 in Albany, New York, Smith joined the Navy in September 1851. By August 5, 1864, he was serving as a second captain of the top and gun captain on the USS Richmond. On that day, during the Battle of Mobile Bay, Alabama, he continued to man his gun despite heavy fire. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor four months later, on December 31, 1864.

From the Wikipedia article “John Smith (Medal of Honor, born 1826)”, 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

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 New York

TB Terrence Begley Private · Army Civil War · 1864 ✦ William Ludgate Captain · Army Civil War · 1865 Francis Irsch Captain · Army Civil War · 1863 OM Owen McGough Corporal · Army Civil War · 1861 BT Benjamin Thackrah Private · Army Civil War · 1864 Alexander Stewart Webb Brigadier General · Army Civil War · 1863
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.