GARVIN, WILLIAM - Medal of Honor Recipient
Rank and organization: Captain of the Forecastle, U.S. Navy. Born: 1835.
Accredited to: Virginia. G.O. No.: 45, 31 December 1864. Citation: Garvin
served on board the U.S.S. Agawam, as one of a volunteer crew of a powder
boat which was exploded near Fort Fisher, 23 December 1864. The powder
boat, towed in by the Wilderness to prevent detection by the enemy, cast
off and slowly steamed to within 300 yards of the beach. After fuses and
fires had been lit and a second anchor with short scope let go to assure
the boat's tailing inshore, the crew again boarded the Wilderness and proceeded
a distance of 12 miles from shore. Less than 2 hours later the explosion
took place, and the following day fires were observed still burning at
the fort.
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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