Thomas English – Medal of Honor, Civil War (1865)

Signal Quartermaster Thomas English 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. English was about 46 years old.

16 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on June 22, 1865.

English was born in 1819 in New York, New York. English died on April 11, 1868 in USS Piscataqua, at sea, at the age of about 49. He is buried at burial at sea. His medal is held by Naval Historical Center, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC.

English 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

English 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 and took on ammunition at night despite severe weather conditions. When the enemy came out of his 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 orders were given by the flagship.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

Born: New York City — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

1819
Born in New York, New York
January 13 - 15, 1865
Act of valor — Fort Fisher, North Carolina
Age about 46. U.S.S. New Ironsides
June 22, 1865
Medal of Honor presented
April 11, 1868
Died in USS Piscataqua, at sea
Age about 49.
Resting place
burial at sea

Biography

Thomas English (c. 1819 – April 11, 1868) was an African-American 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 “Thomas English (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 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 NL Nicholas Lear Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1865

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

Same unit

JW Joseph White Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864

More Civil War recipients from New York

JN John H. Nibbe Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1864 HH Harry Harvey Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 JB John Francis Benjamin Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 AB Augustus Barry Sergeant Major · Army Civil War · 1863

Charles B. Woram Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 MH Michael Hudson Sergeant · Marine Corps 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.