FITZPATRICK, THOMAS - Medal of Honor Recipient
Rank and organization: Coxswain, U.S. Navy. Born: 1837, Canada. G.O.
No.: 45, 31 December 1864. Citation: As captain of the No. 1 gun on board
the flagship U.S.S. Hartford, during action against rebel gunboats, the
ram Tennessee and Fort Morgan in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Although struck
several times in the face by splinters, and with his gun disabled when
a shell burst between the 2 forward 9-inch guns, killing and wounding 15
men, Fitzpatrick, within a few minutes, had the gun in working order again
with new track, breeching and side tackle, had sent the wounded below,
cleared the area of other casualties, and was fighting his gun as before.
He served as an inspiration to the members of his crew and contributed
to the success of the action in which the Tennessee was captured.
This data was extracted from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, U.S. Senate, Medal of Honor Recipients: 1863-1973 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1973)
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