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Contraband · U.S. Navy

Robert Blake

Contraband Robert Blake, Navy, received the Medal of Honor for actions on December 25, 1863 off Legareville, Stono River, John's Island, South Carolina during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War December 25, 1863

Contraband Robert Blake, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on December 25, 1863 off Legareville, Stono River, John's Island, South Carolina during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S. Steam Gunboat Marblehead.

3 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on April 16, 1864. G.O. No. 32.

Blake was born in South Carolina. His Medal of Honor is credited to Port Royal, Beaufort County, South Carolina.

Blake is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 33 credited to South Carolina.

Official Medal of Honor citation

On board the U.S. Steam Gunboat Marblehead off Legareville, Stono River, 25 December 1863, in an engagement with the enemy on John's Island. Serving the rifle gun, Blake, an escaped slave, carried out his duties bravely throughout the engagement, which resulted in the enemy's abandonment of positions, leaving a caisson and one gun behind.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Santee — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in South Carolina →

Timeline

  1. Date unknown
    Born in South Carolina
  2. December 25, 1863
    Act of valor — off Legareville, Stono River, John's Island, South Carolina
    U.S. Steam Gunboat Marblehead
  3. April 16, 1864
    Medal of Honor presented
    G.O. No. 32.

Biography

Robert Blake was a Union Navy sailor during the American Civil War and a recipient of America's highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor. Blake was the second African American to perform a Medal of Honor action; William Harvey Carney was the first. Blake was the first African American to actually receive a Medal of Honor - his was presented to him in 1864, while Carney did not receive his until 1900. But, because Carney's Medal of Honor action occurred first, Carney, not Blake, is usually credited with being the first African American Medal of Honor recipient.

From the Wikipedia article “Robert Blake (Medal of Honor)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Further reading

Also honored for actions on December 25, 1863

WF William Farley Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1863 JM James Miller Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1863 CM Charles Moore Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1863

More Civil War recipients from South Carolina

WW William Henry Walling Captain · 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.