Coxswain Richard Willis was a sailor in the U.S. Navy who received the Medal of Honor for his actions between January 13 and 15, 1865 at Fort Fisher, North Carolina during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. New Ironsides. Willis was about 39 years old.
16 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. He later rose to the rank of Quartermaster.
Willis was born in 1826 in England — one of 98 recipients born in England. His Medal of Honor is credited to Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.
Willis is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 380 credited to Pennsylvania.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Willis served on board the U.S.S. New Ironsides during action in several attacks on Fort Fisher, 24 and 25 December 1864; and 13, 14 and 15 January 1865. The ship steamed in and took the lead in the ironclad division close inshore and immediately opened its starboard battery in a barrage of well-directed fire to cause several fires and explosions and dismount several guns during the first two days of fighting. Taken under fire as she steamed into position on 13 January, the New Ironsides fought all day and took on ammunition at night, despite severe weather conditions. When the enemy troops came out of their bombproofs to defend the fort against the storming party, the ship's battery disabled nearly every gun on the fort facing the shore before the cease-fire order was given by the flagship.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Civil War.
Life beyond the battlefield
- Occupations: coxswain
Source: Wikidata.
Places
- Born: England — map
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →
Timeline
- 1826Born in England
- January 13 - 15, 1865Act of valor — Fort Fisher, North CarolinaAge about 39. U.S.S. New Ironsides
Biography
Richard Willis (d. 1826 – September 1896) was a sailor in the U.S. Navy during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Second Battle of Fort Fisher on January 15, 1865.
From the Wikipedia article “Richard Willis (Medal of Honor)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
