Civil War
Peter Cotton
Ordinary Seaman · U.S. Navy
U.S. Navy
27 December 1862 · USS Baron
Public domain. https://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/artifacts/uniforms-and-personal-equipment/awards/medals/MedalofHonorCU0/peter-cotton-medal-of-honor.html Source file
- Branch
- U.S. Navy
- Era
- Civil War
- Home state
- New York
- Action
- USS Baron
The citation
Official citation
Cotton served on board the U.S.S. Baron De Kalb in the Yazoo River expedition, 23 to 27 December 1862. Proceeding under orders up the Yazoo River, the Baron De Kalb, with the object of capturing or destroying the enemy's transports, came upon the steamers John Walsh, R. J. Locklan, Golden Age and the Scotland, sunk on a bar where they were ordered to be burned. Continuing up the river, the Baron De Kalb was fired upon but, upon returning the fire, caused the enemy's retreat. Returning down the Yazoo, she destroyed and captured large quantities of enemy equipment and several prisoners. Serving bravely throughout this action, Cotton, as coxswain "distinguished himself in the various actions."
Sources
- U.S. Army Medal of Honor citation index
- Wikipedia. Linked only. The article text is not copied here.