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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Chief Quartermaster · U.S. Navy

Robert Summers

Chief Quartermaster Robert Summers, Navy, received the Medal of Honor for actions between January 13 and 15, 1865 at Fort Fisher, North Carolina during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War January 13 - 15, 1865Born in Germany

Chief Quartermaster Robert Summers, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry 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. Ticonderoga. Summers was 27 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 Chief Gunner.

Summers was born on December 17, 1837 in Prussia — one of 130 recipients born in Germany. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York. Summers died on December 1, 1919, at the age of 81. He is buried at U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland. Records also list him as Sommers, Robert.

Summers 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

Summers served on board the U.S.S. Ticonderoga in the attacks on Fort Fisher, 13 to 15 January 1865. The ship took position in the line of battle and maintained a well-directed fire upon the batteries to the left of the palisades during the initial phase of the engagement. Although several of the enemy's shots fell over and around the vessel, the Ticonderoga fought her guns gallantly throughout three consecutive days of battle until the flag was planted on one of the strongest fortifications possessed by the rebels.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Buried: United States Naval Academy Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. December 17, 1837
    Born in Prussia
  2. January 13 - 15, 1865
    Act of valor — Fort Fisher, North Carolina
    Age 27. U.S.S. Ticonderoga
  3. December 1, 1919
    Died
    Age 81.
  4. Resting place
    U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery
    Annapolis, Maryland

Biography

Robert Emil Sommers (December 17, 1837 – December 1, 1919) (later anglicized to Summers) 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 “Robert Sommers (Medal of Honor)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on January 13 - 15, 1865

JB James Barnum Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1865 RB Richard Binder Sergeant · Marine Corps Civil War · 1865 EB Edward R. Bowman Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1865 WC William Campbell Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1865 JD John Dempster Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1865 WD William Dunn Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1865 TE Thomas English Signal Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1865 CF Charles H. Foy Signal Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1865 Isaac N. Fry Orderly Sergeant · Marine Corps Civil War · 1865 EH Edmund Haffee Quarter Gunner · Navy Civil War · 1865 JH Joseph B. Hayden Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1865 TJ Thomas Jones Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1865

See all 17 recipients for January 13 - 15, 1865 →

Same unit

James Jonas Madison Lieutenant Commander · Navy World War I · 1918 GP George Prance Captain of the Main Top · Navy Civil War · 1864 WS William Shipman Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1865 WT William G. Taylor Captain of the Forecastle · Navy Civil War · 1864

More Civil War recipients from New York

Robert Stoddart Robertson First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 MH Michael Huskey Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1863 Harrison Clark Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 TG Theodore W. Greig Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 AH Abram Pye Haring First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 LC Luman Lewis Cadwell Sergeant · 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.