* Quarter gunners were supervised by the gunner’s mates. Most ships carried one quarter gunner for every four guns. Their duties were similar to those of the gunner’s mates, but they were also considered prime seamen and often found themselves keeping watch and supervising tricky sail handling maneuvers.
DOB/DOD: 1837 # (Newfoundland, Canada) – unknown Date of Death #
ENLISTMENT: Enlisted on September 5, 1863, in Norwich, Connecticut. Transferred to the Navy on May 4, 1864, in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Discharged on January 26, 1866
# The exact Dates of Birth and Death are unknown.
FAMILY: Parent and sibling information are unknown.
MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION
AWARDED FOR ACTIONS DURING: Civil War
BRANCH OF SERVICE: Navy
ASSIGNED TO: U.S.S. Agawam
GENERAL ORDERS: War Department, General Orders No. 45 (December 31, 1864)
AGE ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT: 24
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Quarter Gunner John Neil, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving on board the U.S.S. Agawam, as one of a volunteer crew of a powder boat which was exploded near Fort Fisher, North Carolina, 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 two hours later, the explosion took place, and the following day fires were observed still burning at the fort.
Presentation Date and Details: May 12, 1865, off New Bern, NC, on board the U.S.S. Agawam
WEBMASTER NOTE NOTE: One of five recipients of the Medal of Honor from Connecticut who were aboard the U.S.S. Agawam. The others were William Garvin, Robert Montgomery, James Roberts, and James Sullivan.
John Neil was born in Newfoundland. It is believed by some, and disputed by others (including the Congressional Medal of Honor Society), that his grave and final resting place is at the Mare Island Cemetery in Vallejo, California. The next article shows some inconsistencies (italics and underlined) in that it says Neil was born in Ireland; however, the article does say he received a Congressional Medal of Honor. There was only one John Neil who received the medal.
From the San Francisco Examiner October 18, 1893
SUICIDE OF JOHN NEIL ON THE INDEPENDENCE
VALLEJO, October 17 – John Neil, a seaman of the United States Navy serving on board the receiving ship Independence at Mare Island, committed suicide this morning between 11:15 a.m. and 12 noon in the bag room on board the receiving ship. The cause which led Neil to take his life is said to be despondency. Some days ago, Neil was granted a leave of absence, going to Vallejo, where he indulged rather freely, causing him to overstay his leave. Yesterday, Captain Cotton sent some of Neil’s shipmates on shore to bring him off to the ship. This morning, Neil was summoned to the mast before Captain Cotton, who reduced Neil in classification and restricted him to the ship for a period of forty days.
Nothing unusual was observed in his appearance, and he was allowed the freedom of the ship.
Evidently, he went below and, taking a pistol, placed the muzzle to his right temple, pulled the trigger, and ended his life. When found, the deceased was seated in an easy chair in the bag room while by his side lay the revolver.
Neil was a native of Ireland and sixty years of age. He entered the service in 1861, serving with meritorious distinction with Admiral Farragut at Mobile Bay and numerous other naval engagements, for which he received a Medal of Honor from Congress. He was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and an officer of the local garrison of the Army and Navy Union. Officers at the Navy yard speak in the highest terms of his bravery and mourn his death. He will be buried with full naval honors at the Naval Cemetery.
One of 314 Medal of Honor recipients whose final resting place is a mystery.
END