Veteran in crisis? Dial 988 then press 1 · Text 838255 Next observance: Navy Birthday · October 13
Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Quartermaster · U.S. Navy

William B. Poole

Quartermaster William B. Poole, Navy, received the Medal of Honor for actions on June 19, 1864 off Cherbourg, France during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War June 19, 1864

Quartermaster William B. Poole was a sailor in the U.S. Navy who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on June 19, 1864 off Cherbourg, France during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Kearsarge. Poole was about 31 years old.

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

Poole was born in 1833 in Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland County, Maine. His Medal of Honor is credited to Maine. Poole died on August 15, 1904 in Lynn, Massachusetts, at the age of about 71. He is buried at Pine Grove Cemetery in Lynn, Massachusetts.

Poole is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 66 credited to Maine.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Served as quartermaster on board the U.S.S. Kearsarge when she destroyed the Alabama off Cherbourg, France, 19 June 1864. Stationed at the helm, Poole steered the ship during the engagement in a cool and most creditable manner and was highly commended by his divisional officer for his gallantry under fire.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Maine — map
  • Buried: Pine Grove Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Maine →

Timeline

  1. 1833
    Born in Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland County, Maine
  2. June 19, 1864
    Act of valor — off Cherbourg, France
    Age about 31. U.S.S. Kearsarge
  3. August 15, 1904
    Died in Lynn, Massachusetts
    Age about 71.
  4. Resting place
    Pine Grove Cemetery
    Lynn, Massachusetts

Biography

William B. Poole (1833–1904) was an American sailor who received the Medal of Honor for valor in action during the American Civil War. Poole was born in Maine in 1833. On June 19, 1864, he was serving as a quartermaster on the sloop of war USS Kearsarge when she sank the commerce raider CSS Alabama off Cherbourg, France. He was awarded his Medal of Honor for gallantry under fire exhibited while steering the ship. Poole died on August 15, 1904 and is buried in Pine Grove Cemetery in Lynn, Massachusetts. Fellow Civil War Medal of Honor recipient John G. B. Adams is buried in the same cemetery.

From the Wikipedia article “William B. Poole”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on June 19, 1864

MA Michael Aheam Paymaster's Steward · Navy Civil War · 1864 John F. Bickford Captain of the Top · Navy Civil War · 1864 WB William S. Bond Boatswain · Navy Civil War · 1864 JH James Haley Captain of the Forecastle · Navy Civil War · 1864 MH Mark G. Ham Carpenter's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1864 GH George H. Harrison Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 JH John Hayes Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864 JL James H. Lee Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 CM Charles Moore Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 Joachim Pease Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 TP Thomas Perry Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1864 CR Charles A. Read Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864

See all 17 recipients for June 19, 1864 →

Same unit

GB George Breeman Seaman · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1906 JD John Dempsey Seaman · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1875 IN Isador A. Nordstrom Chief Boatswain · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1906 RS Robert Augustus Sweeney Ordinary Seaman · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1881

More Civil War recipients from Maine

Albert E. Fernald First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 JA John Angling Cabin Boy · Navy Civil War · 1864 ET Edward Parsons Tobie Jr. Sergeant Major · Army Civil War · 1865 Charles Henry Smith Colonel · Army Civil War · 1864 ST Sidney Warren Thaxter Major · Army Civil War · 1864 RS Richard Henry Seward Paymaster's Steward · Navy 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.