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Coal Heaver · U.S. Navy

Richard D. Dunphy

Coal Heaver Richard D. Dunphy, Navy, 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, 1864Born in Ireland

Coal Heaver Richard D. Dunphy was a sailor in the U.S. Navy 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. Hartford. Dunphy was 22 years old.

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

Dunphy was born on December 12, 1841 in Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York. Dunphy died on November 23, 1904 in San Francisco, California, at the age of 62. He is buried at St. Vincent's Cemetery in Vallejo, California.

Dunphy 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 flagship U.S.S. Hartford, during successful attacks against Fort Morgan, rebel gunboats, and the rebel ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. With his ship under a terrific enemy shellfire, Dunphy performed his duties with skill and courage throughout this fierce engagement which resulted in the capture of the rebel ram Tennessee

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Ireland — map
  • Died: San Francisco — map
  • Buried: Vallejo — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. December 12, 1841
    Born in Ireland
  2. August 5, 1864
    Act of valor — Mobile Bay, Alabama
    Age 22. U.S.S. Hartford
  3. November 23, 1904
    Died in San Francisco, California
    Age 62.
  4. Resting place
    St. Vincent's Cemetery
    Vallejo, California

Biography

Richard D. Dunphy (December 12, 1841 – November 23, 1904) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Mobile Bay.

From the Wikipedia article “Richard D. Dunphy”, 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

JC John Costello Ordinary Seaman · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1876 RR Richard Ryan Ordinary Seaman · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1876

More Civil War recipients from New York

Isaac Swartwood Catlin Colonel · Army Civil War · 1864 RW Robert Williams Signal Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1862 Philip Goettel Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Robert Henry King Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864 Theodore Schwan First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 CT Clifford Thomson First Lieutenant · 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.