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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

First Class Fireman · U.S. Navy

Joseph E. Vantine

First Class Fireman Joseph E. Vantine, Navy, received the Medal of Honor for actions on March 14, 1863 in Port Hudson, Louisiana during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War March 14, 1863

First Class Fireman Joseph E. Vantine, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on March 14, 1863 in Port Hudson, Louisiana during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Richmond. Vantine was about 28 years old.

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

Vantine was born in March 1835 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. His Medal of Honor is credited to Pennsylvania. Vantine died on May 5, 1904 in New Castle, Delaware, at the age of about 69. He is buried at Glebe Cemetery in New Castle, Delaware.

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

★ Fire & Explosions at Sea

Official Medal of Honor citation

Served on board the U.S.S. Richmond in the attack on Port Hudson, 14 March 1863. Damaged by a 6-inch solid rifle shot which shattered the starboard safety-valve chamber and also damaged the port safety valve, the fireroom of the Richmond immediately filled with steam, to place it in an extremely critical condition. Acting courageously in this crisis, Vantine persisted in penetrating the steam-filled room in order to haul the hot fires of the furnaces and continued this action until the gravity of the situation had been lessened.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Philadelphia — map
  • Died: New Castle — map
  • Buried: Glebe Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →

Timeline

  1. March 1835
    Born in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
  2. March 14, 1863
    Act of valor — Port Hudson, Louisiana
    Age about 28. U.S.S. Richmond
  3. May 5, 1904
    Died in New Castle, Delaware
    Age about 69.
  4. Resting place
    Glebe Cemetery
    New Castle, Delaware

Biography

Joseph Ebur Vantine (March 20, 1835 – May 5, 1904) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the American Civil War.

From the Wikipedia article “Joseph E. Vantine”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on March 14, 1863

AB Andrew Brinn Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1863 JH John S. Hickman Second Class Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1863 PH Peter Howard Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1863 MM Matthew McClelland First Class Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1863 JR John Rush First Class Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1863 PV Pinkerton Ross Vaughn Sergeant · Marine Corps Civil War · 1863

Same unit

TA Thomas E. Atkinson Yeoman · Navy Civil War · 1864 JB John Brazell Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1864 RB Robert Brown Captain of the Top · Navy Civil War · 1864 WC William M. Carr Master-at-Arms · Navy Civil War · 1864 JC James B. Chandler Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864 TC Thomas H. Cripps Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1864 Cornelius Cronin Chief Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1864 CD Charles Deakin Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1864

More Civil War recipients from Pennsylvania

PD Patrick Delacey First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 JD John A. Davidsizer Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 CL Cyrus B. Lower Private · Army Civil War · 1864 SB Sylvester Bonnaffon Jr. First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 Harvey May Munsell Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 Frank Furness Captain · Army Civil War · 1864
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.