Seaman Lewis Augustine Horton, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on December 30, 1862 off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Rhode Island. Horton was 20 years old.
5 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.
Horton was born on May 26, 1842 in Bristol County, Massachusetts. His Medal of Honor is credited to Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts. Horton died on June 8, 1916 in Boston, Massachusetts, at the age of 74. He is buried at Forest Hill Cemetery in Boston, Massachusetts.
Horton is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 265 credited to Massachusetts.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Served on board the U.S.S. Rhode Island which was engaged in saving the lives of the officers and crew of the Monitor, 30 December 1862. Participating in the hazardous rescue of the officers and crew of the sinking Monitor, Horton, after rescuing several of the men, became separated in a heavy gale with other members of the cutter that had set out from the Rhode Island, and spent many hours in the small boat at the mercy of the weather and the high seas until finally picked up by a schooner 50 miles east of Cape Hatteras.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Civil War.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Massachusetts →
Timeline
- May 26, 1842Born in Bristol County, Massachusetts
- December 30, 1862Act of valor — off Cape Hatteras, North CarolinaAge 20. U.S.S. Rhode Island
- June 8, 1916Died in Boston, MassachusettsAge 74.
- Resting placeForest Hill CemeteryBoston, Massachusetts
Biography
Lewis Augustine Horton (May 26, 1842 — June 8, 1916) was an American sailor in the Union Navy during the American Civil War and recipient of the Medal of Honor.
From the Wikipedia article “Lewis A. Horton”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
