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Civil War

John Hickman

Second Class Fireman · U.S. Navy

U.S. Navy

14 March 1863 · USS Richmond

Branch
U.S. Navy
Era
Civil War
Home state
Virginia
Action
USS Richmond

The citation

Official citation

Served on board the U.S.S. Richmond in the attack on Port Hudson, 14 March 1863. Damaged by a 6-inch solid rifle shot which shattered the starboard safety-valve chamber and also damaged the port safety-valve, the fireroom of the U.S.S. Richmond immediately became filled with steam to place it in an extremely critical condition. Acting courageously in this crisis, Hickman persisted in penetrating the steam-filled room in order to haul the hot fires of the furnaces and continued this action until the gravity of the situation had been lessened.

Sources

More from this battle

Ready I Left My Home — Staff Sgt. Anisha Johnson

Audio credits