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Carpenter's Mate · U.S. Navy

Mark G. Ham

Carpenter's Mate Mark G. Ham, Navy, received the Medal of Honor for actions on June 19, 1864 off Cherbourg, France during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War June 19, 1864

Carpenter's Mate Mark G. Ham, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on June 19, 1864 off Cherbourg, France during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Kearsarge. Ham was about 44 years old.

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

Ham was born in 1820 in Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire. Ham died on March 11, 1869 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, at the age of about 49. He is buried at Harmony Grove Cemetery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Ham is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 35 credited to New Hampshire.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Served on board the U.S.S. Kearsarge when she destroyed the Alabama off Cherbourg, France, 19 June 1864. Performing his duties intelligently and faithfully, Ham distinguished himself in the face of the bitter enemy fire and was highly commended by his divisional officer.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Portsmouth — map
  • Buried: Harmony Grove Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New Hampshire →

Timeline

  1. 1820
    Born in Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
  2. June 19, 1864
    Act of valor — off Cherbourg, France
    Age about 44. U.S.S. Kearsarge
  3. March 11, 1869
    Died in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
    Age about 49.
  4. Resting place
    Harmony Grove Cemetery
    Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Biography

Mark G. Ham (c. 1820 – 1869) was an American sailor who received the Medal of Honor for valor in action during the American Civil War.

From the Wikipedia article “Mark G. Ham”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on June 19, 1864

MA Michael Aheam Paymaster's Steward · Navy Civil War · 1864 John F. Bickford Captain of the Top · Navy Civil War · 1864 WB William S. Bond Boatswain · Navy Civil War · 1864 JH James Haley Captain of the Forecastle · Navy Civil War · 1864 GH George H. Harrison Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 JH John Hayes Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864 JL James H. Lee Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 CM Charles Moore Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 Joachim Pease Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 TP Thomas Perry Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1864 WP William B. Poole Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1864 CR Charles A. Read Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864

See all 17 recipients for June 19, 1864 →

Same unit

GB George Breeman Seaman · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1906 JD John Dempsey Seaman · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1875 IN Isador A. Nordstrom Chief Boatswain · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1906 RS Robert Augustus Sweeney Ordinary Seaman · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1881

More Civil War recipients from New Hampshire

Richard Napoleon Batchelder Lieutenant Colonel and Chief Quartermaster · Army Civil War · 1863 JB James Brady Private · Army Civil War · 1864 WW William H. Wilcox Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 WA William H. Appleton First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 JB John W. Boutwell Private · Army Civil War · 1865 ST Samuel Todd Quartermaster · Navy 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.