George H. Harrison

George H. Harrison (April 9, 1841 – January 18, 1919) was an American sailor who received the Medal of Honor for valor in action during the American Civil War.

George H. Harrison
Civil War era Navy Medal of Honor
Born(1841-04-09)April 9, 1841
Middleton, Massachusetts
DiedJanuary 18, 1919(1919-01-18) (aged 76)
Place of burial
Forestdale Cemetery, Malden, Massachusetts
AllegianceUnited States of America
Union
Service/branchUnited States Navy
Union Navy
Years of service1862 - 1864, 1865 - 1867
RankSeaman
UnitUnited States Navy USS Kearsarge
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War
AwardsMedal of Honor

Biography

Harrison was born on April 9, 1841, in Middleton, Massachusetts, and joined the Navy in March 1862. On June 19, 1864, he was serving on the sloop of war USS Kearsarge when she sank the commerce raider CSS Alabama off Cherbourg, France. He was awarded his Medal of Honor for gallantry under fire while crewing the ship's 11 inch pivot gun. He was discharged from the Navy in November 1864, but re-enlisted a few months later, serving until 1867. [1]

Harrison died on January 18, 1919, and was buried in Forestdale Cemetery in Malden, Massachusetts.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1842, Massachusetts. Accredited to: Massachusetts. G.O. No. 45, December 31, 1864.

Citation:

Served on board the U.S.S. Kearsarge when she destroyed the Alabama off Cherbourg, France, 19 June 1864. Acting as sponger and loader of the 11-inch pivot gun during the bitter engagement, Harrison exhibited marked coolness and good conduct and was highly recommended for his gallantry under fire by the divisional officer.

See also

Notes
  1. Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors and Marines in the Civil War

References
  • "Civil War Medal of Honor recipients (A-L)". Retrieved 2007-12-26.
  • Matthews, Franklin (1915). Our Navy in Time of War (1861-1915). New York, NY: D. Appleton and Company. OCLC 940844432.
  • Porter, ADM USN, David Dixon (1886). The Naval History of the Civil War. New York, NY: The Sherman Publishing Company. OCLC 280729.
  • Soley, James Russell (1885). The Blockade and the Cruisers. The Navy in the Civil War. Vol. I. New York, NY: Charles Scribner's Sons. OCLC 166312281.
Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.


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