Ordinary Seaman Walter B. Smith was a sailor in the U.S. Navy who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on August 5, 1864 at Fort Morgan, Mobile Bay, Alabama during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Richmond. Smith was about 37 years old.
97 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.
Smith was born in 1827 in New York.
Smith 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
On board the U.S.S. Richmond during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Cool and courageous at his station throughout the prolonged action, Smith rendered outstanding service at the 100-pounder rifle on the topgallant forecastle and while firing his musket into the gun ports of the rebel Tennessee.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Civil War.
Places
- Born: New York — map
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →
Timeline
- 1827Born in New York
- August 5, 1864Act of valor — Fort Morgan, Mobile Bay, AlabamaAge about 37. U.S.S. Richmond
Biography
Walter B. Smith (born 1827, 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 1827, in New York, Smith joined the Navy from that state. He served in the Civil War as an ordinary seaman on the USS Richmond. During the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864, he manned an artillery gun on the topgallant forecastle (a deck at the top of the ship's forecastle). When Richmond became engaged with the CSS Tennessee, Smith fired his musket into the Confederate ship's gun ports.
From the Wikipedia article “Walter B. Smith (Medal of Honor)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
