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Boatswain's Mate · U.S. Navy

Peter Howard

Boatswain's Mate Peter Howard, 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, 1863Born in France

Serving as a sailor in the U.S. Navy, Boatswain's Mate Peter Howard received the Medal of Honor for his actions on March 14, 1863 in Port Hudson, Louisiana during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Mississippi. Howard was about 34 years old.

6 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. He later rose to the rank of Acting Ensign.

Howard was born in 1829 in France — one of 18 recipients born in France. His Medal of Honor is credited to Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Howard died on March 25, 1875 in Brooklyn, New York, at the age of about 46.

Howard 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. Mississippi during the action against Port Hudson, 14 March 1863. Running aground during the darkness and in the midst of battle while exposed to a devastating fire from enemy shore batteries, the Mississippi was ordered abandoned after a long and desperate attempt to free her. Serving courageously throughout this period in which a steady fire was kept up against the enemy until the ship was enveloped in flames and abandoned, Howard acted gallantly in his duties as boatswain's mate. Soon after the firing of the Mississippi and its abandonment, it was seen to slide off the shoal, drift downstream, and explode, leaving no possibility of its falling into enemy hands.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: France — map
  • Died: Brooklyn — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Massachusetts →

Timeline

  1. 1829
    Born in France
  2. March 14, 1863
    Act of valor — Port Hudson, Louisiana
    Age about 34. U.S.S. Mississippi
  3. March 25, 1875
    Died in Brooklyn, New York
    Age about 46.

Biography

Peter Howard (c. 1829 – March 25, 1875) was a United States Navy boatswain's mate, who earned the Medal of Honor for his actions while serving on board the USS Mississippi during the American Civil War. Howard joined the Navy from Boston in May 1861. Following his MOH action, he was promoted to Acting ensign in November 1863, and discharged in November 1867.

From the Wikipedia article “Peter Howard (Medal of Honor)”, 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 MM Matthew McClelland First Class Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1863 JR John Rush First Class Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1863 Joseph E. Vantine First Class Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1863 PV Pinkerton Ross Vaughn Sergeant · Marine Corps Civil War · 1863

More Civil War recipients from Massachusetts

Nelson Appleton Miles Colonel · Army Civil War · 1863 AS Auzella Savage Ordinary Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1865 PB Philip Bazaar Ordinary Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1865 Marcus A. Hanna Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 JJ John Jones Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1862 JL James Hezikiah Luther Private · 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.