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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Corporal · U.S. Marine Corps

Miles M. Oviatt

Corporal Miles M. Oviatt, Marine Corps, received the Medal of Honor for actions on August 5, 1864 at Mobile Bay, Alabama during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War August 5, 1864

Corporal Miles M. Oviatt was a Marine in the U.S. Marine Corps who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on August 5, 1864 at Mobile Bay, Alabama during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Brooklyn. Oviatt was 23 years old.

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

Oviatt was born on December 1, 1840 in Olean, Cattaraugus County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York. Oviatt died on November 1, 1880, at the age of 39. He is buried at Pleasant Valley Cemetery in Orlean, New York. His medal is held by National Museum of the US Marine Corps, Quantico, VA.

Oviatt 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

On board the U.S.S. Brooklyn during action against rebel forts and gunboat and with the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Despite severe damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked the deck, Cpl. Oviatt fought his gun with skill and courage throughout the furious two-hour battle which resulted in the surrender of the rebel ram Tennessee.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: New York — map
  • Died: New York — map
  • Buried: New York — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. December 1, 1840
    Born in Olean, Cattaraugus County, New York
  2. August 5, 1864
    Act of valor — Mobile Bay, Alabama
    Age 23. U.S.S. Brooklyn
  3. November 1, 1880
    Died
    Age 39.
  4. Resting place
    Pleasant Valley Cemetery
    Orlean, New York

Biography

Miles Mason Oviatt (December 1, 1840 – November 1, 1880) was a Corporal serving in the Marine Corps aboard the USS Brooklyn (1858) who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the American Civil War.

From the Wikipedia article “Miles M. Oviatt”, 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

JB James Buck Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1862 HM Harry Lewis MacNeal Private · Marine Corps Spanish-American War · 1898

More Civil War recipients from New York

WJ Walter Jamieson First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 JW John Henry Weeks Private · Army Civil War · 1864 TS Thomas Smith Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1865 BG Benjamin Gifford Private · Army Civil War · 1865 John Kiggins Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 Henry Jeremiah Parks Private · 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.