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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Landsman · U.S. Navy

William H. Brown

Landsman William H. Brown, Navy, received the Medal of Honor for actions on August 5, 1864 at Fort Morgan, Mobile Bay, Alabama during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War August 5, 1864

Landsman William H. Brown, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on August 5, 1864 at Fort Morgan, Mobile Bay, Alabama during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Brooklyn. Brown was about 28 years old.

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

Brown was born in 1836 in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland. His Medal of Honor is credited to Maryland. His medal is held by National Museum of the American Sailor, Great Lakes, IL.

Brown is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 85 credited to Maryland.

Official Medal of Honor citation

On board the U.S.S. Brooklyn during successful attacks against Fort Morgan rebel gunboats and the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, on 5 August 1864. Stationed in the immediate vicinity of the shell whips which were twice cleared of men by bursting shells, Brown remained steadfast at his post and performed his duties in the powder division throughout the furious action, which resulted in the surrender of the prize 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

  • Born: Baltimore — map
  • Buried: Arlington National Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Maryland →

From the archives

For many years, Medal of Honor Recipient William H. Brown was believed to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA, with a death date of November 5, 1896. Further research shows that there were two men by the name "William H. Brown" serving on the U.S.S. Brooklyn at the same time. The incorrect man was erroneously supplied a Medal of Honor headstone.

Timeline

  1. 1836
    Born in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland
  2. August 5, 1864
    Act of valor — Fort Morgan, Mobile Bay, Alabama
    Age about 28. U.S.S. Brooklyn

Biography

William H. Brown (c. 1836 – November 5, 1896) was a United States Navy sailor during the American Civil War and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor.

From the Wikipedia article “William H. Brown (Medal of Honor)”, 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 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 JC James B. Chandler Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864

See all 98 recipients for August 5, 1864 →

Same unit

JB James Buck Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1862 HM Harry Lewis MacNeal Private · Marine Corps Spanish-American War · 1898

More Civil War recipients from Maryland

Charles Edward Phelps Colonel · Army Civil War · 1864 CM Charles W. Morton Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1863 JH Joseph B. Hayden Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1865 William Henry Mathews First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 FS Francis M. Smith First Lieutenant & Adjutant · Army Civil War · 1865 George Schneider Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864
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.