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Ordinary Seaman · U.S. Navy

William D. Newland

Ordinary Seaman William D. Newland, 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, 1864

Serving as a sailor in the U.S. Navy, Ordinary Seaman William D. Newland received the Medal of Honor for his actions on August 5, 1864 at Mobile Bay, Alabama during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Oneida. Newland was 23 years old.

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

Newland was born on January 5, 1841 in Medway, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. His Medal of Honor is credited to Massachusetts. Newland died in 1914, at the age of about 73. He is buried at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Millis, Massachusetts.

Newland 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

Served on board the U.S.S. Oneida in the engagement at Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Carrying out his duties as loader of the after 11-inch gun, Newland distinguished himself on board for his good conduct and faithful discharge of his station, behaving spendidly under the fire of the enemy and throughout the battle, which resulted in the capture of the rebel ram Tennessee and the damaging of Fort Morgan.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Medway — map
  • Buried: Prospect Hill Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Massachusetts →

Timeline

  1. January 5, 1841
    Born in Medway, Norfolk County, Massachusetts
  2. August 5, 1864
    Act of valor — Mobile Bay, Alabama
    Age 23. U.S.S. Oneida
  3. 1914
    Died
    Age about 73.
  4. Resting place
    Prospect Hill Cemetery
    Millis, Massachusetts

Biography

William D. Newland (January 5, 1841 – 1914) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the American Civil War.

From the Wikipedia article “William D. Newland”, 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 →

More Civil War recipients from Massachusetts

JL James Hezikiah Luther Private · Army Civil War · 1863 JH John H. Harbourne Private · Army Civil War · 1864 GP George Prance Captain of the Main Top · Navy Civil War · 1864 John F. Bickford Captain of the Top · Navy Civil War · 1864 WM William Moore Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1862 George Mason Lovering First Sergeant · 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.