Seaman Thomas Barton was a sailor in the U.S. Navy who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on October 3, 1862 in Franklin, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Hunchback. Barton was about 31 years old.
8 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.
Barton was born in 1831 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. His Medal of Honor is credited to Ohio. Barton died on October 24, 1888, at the age of about 57. He is buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland, California.
Barton is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 256 credited to Ohio.
Official Medal of Honor citation
On board the U.S.S. Hunchback in the attack on Franklin, Va., 3 October 1862. When an ignited shell, with cartridge attached, fell out of the howitzer upon the deck, Seaman Barton promptly seized a pail of water and threw it upon the missle, thereby preventing it from exploding.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Civil War.
Places
- Born: Cleveland — map
Timeline
- 1831Born in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
- October 3, 1862Act of valor — Franklin, VirginiaAge about 31. U.S.S. Hunchback
- October 24, 1888DiedAge about 57.
- Resting placeMountain View CemeteryOakland, California
Biography
Thomas C. Barton (born c. 1831 in Cleveland, Ohio) was an American seaman who served in the Union Navy during the American Civil War. Barton enlisted in the Navy in June 1861, and resigned in April 1864. While serving aboard the USS Hunchback during the Joint Expedition Against Franklin, Barton extinguished an ignited howitzer shell which had fallen onto the deck. For this action, Barton was promoted to acting master's mate and awarded the Medal of Honor on 3 April 1863; the citation for the latter read:On board the U.S.S. Hunchback in the attack on Franklin, Va., 3 October 1862.
From the Wikipedia article “Thomas Barton (Medal of Honor)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
