Serving as a sailor in the U.S. Navy, Chief Boatswain's Mate William Densmore 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. Richmond. Densmore was about 21 years old.
97 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.
Densmore was born in 1843 in New York. Densmore died on June 17, 1865 in Philadelphia (Naval Hospital), Pennsylvania, at the age of about 22. He is buried at New Cathedral Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His medal is held by U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD.
Densmore 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
As captain of a gun 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. Despite damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked her decks, Densmore fought his gun with skill and courage throughout a furious two-hour battle, which resulted in the surrender of the rebel ram Tennessee and in the damaging and destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Civil War.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →
Timeline
- 1843Born in New York
- August 5, 1864Act of valor — Mobile Bay, AlabamaAge about 21. U.S.S. Richmond
- June 17, 1865Died in Philadelphia (Naval Hospital), PennsylvaniaAge about 22.
- Resting placeNew Cathedral CemeteryPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Biography
Chief Boatswain's Mate William Densmore (c. 1833 – June 17, 1865) 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.
From the Wikipedia article “William Densmore”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
