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Coxswain · U.S. Navy

Thomas Fitzpatrick

Coxswain Thomas Fitzpatrick, Navy, received the Medal of Honor for actions on August 5, 1864 at Mobile Bay, Alabama during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War August 5, 1864Born in Canada

Coxswain Thomas Fitzpatrick, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on August 5, 1864 at Mobile Bay, Alabama during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Hartford. Fitzpatrick was about 27 years old.

97 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.

Fitzpatrick was born in 1837 in Canada — one of 60 recipients born in Canada. His Medal of Honor is credited to Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts.

Fitzpatrick is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 265 credited to Massachusetts.

Official Medal of Honor citation

As captain of the No. 1 gun on board the flagship U.S.S. Hartford, during action against rebel gunboats, the ram Tennessee and Fort Morgan in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Although struck several times in the face by splinters, and with his gun disabled when a shell burst between the two forward 9-inch guns, killing and wounding 15 men, Fitzpatrick, within a few minutes, had the gun in working order again with new track, breeching, and side tackle, had sent the wounded below, cleared the area of other casualties, and was fighting his gun as before. He served as an inspiration to the members of his crew and contributed to the success of the action in which the Tennessee was captured.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Canada — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Massachusetts →

Timeline

  1. 1837
    Born in Canada
  2. August 5, 1864
    Act of valor — Mobile Bay, Alabama
    Age about 27. U.S.S. Hartford

Biography

Thomas Fitzpatrick (born 1837, date of death unknown) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Mobile Bay. Born in 1837 in Canada, Fitzpatrick, joined the US Navy from Taunton, Massachusetts in December 1861. He served during the Civil War as a coxswain on Admiral David Farragut's flagship, the USS Hartford. Acting as a gun captain at the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864, Fitzpatrick was wounded in the face by splinters and his artillery piece was disabled by hostile fire.

From the Wikipedia article “Thomas Fitzpatrick (American sailor)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on August 5, 1864

TA Thomas E. Atkinson Yeoman · Navy Civil War · 1864 JA James Avery Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 CB Charles Baker Quarter Gunner · Navy Civil War · 1864 WB William Blagheen Ship's Cook · Navy Civil War · 1864 JB John Brazell Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1864 JB John Brown Captain of the Forecastle · Navy Civil War · 1864 RB Robert Brown Captain of the Top · Navy Civil War · 1864 WB William H. Brown Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864 WB Wilson Brown Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864 JB John M. Burns Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 WC William M. Carr Master-at-Arms · Navy Civil War · 1864 MC Michael Cassidy Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864

See all 98 recipients for August 5, 1864 →

Same unit

JC John Costello Ordinary Seaman · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1876 RR Richard Ryan Ordinary Seaman · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1876

More Civil War recipients from Massachusetts

JS Joseph Alton Sladen Private · Army Civil War · 1864 JR John Rountry First Class Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1864 HL Hugh Logan Captain of the Afterguard · Navy Civil War · 1862 GH George White Hooker First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 Thomas Plunkett Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862 Edmund Rice Major · Army Civil War · 1863
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.