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Civil War

William Halstead

Coxswain · U.S. Navy

U.S. Navy

5 August 1864 · USS Brooklyn

Branch
U.S. Navy
Era
Civil War
Home state
New York
Action
USS Brooklyn

The citation

Official citation

On board the U.S.S. Brooklyn during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram Tennessee, in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Despite severe damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked her decks from stem to stern, Halstead fought his gun with skill and courage throughout the furious battle which resulted in the surrender of the prize rebel ram Tennessee and in the damaging and destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan.

Sources

More from this battle

Ready I Left My Home — Staff Sgt. Anisha Johnson

Audio credits