DOB/DOD: 1835 (Canada) * – unknown
* One of 30 Canadians who received the Medal of Honor.
ENLISTMENT: February 24, 1864, in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
UNIT: Assigned to the Connecticut, 8th Infantry, Company H.
NAVY ENLISTMENT: Transferred to the Navy on May 4, 1864, in Plymouth, Connecticut.
DISCHARGE: January 29, 1866, in Fair Oaks, Virginia.
OTHER: As “Captain of the Forecastle” on the U.S.S. Agawam, William Garvin was in charge of the anchors as well as the head sails.
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: 28 of 29
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Captain of the Forecastle William Garvin, 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.
WEBMASTER NOTE: One of five recipients of the Medal of Honor from Connecticut who were aboard the U.S.S. Agawam. The others were Robert Montgomery, John Neil, James Roberts, and James Sullivan.
No other information is known about William Garvin’s life.
END