Congressional Medal of Honor Society
Stories of Sacrifice
U.S. Civil War - U.S. Navy
Andrew Brinn
- Also Known As: Andrew Brynn
- Rank: Seaman
- Conflict/Era: U.S. Civil War
- Unit/Command:
U.S.S. Mississippi - Military Service Branch: U.S. Navy
- Medal of Honor Action Date: March 14, 1863
- Medal of Honor Action Place: Port Hudson, Louisiana, USA
Served on board the U.S.S. Mississippi during her abandonment and firing in the engagement at Port Hudson, 14 March 1863. Remaining under enemy fire for 2 and one half hours, Brinn remained on board the grounded vessel until all the abandoning crew had landed. After asking to be assigned some duty, he was finally ordered to save himself and to leave the Mississippi, which had been deliberately fired to prevent her falling into rebel hands.
- Accredited to: New York, New York
- Awarded Posthumously: No
- Presentation Date & Details: June 27, 1864
Received while serving aboard the U.S.S. Hollyhock.
- Born: 1829, Scotland
- Died: June 2, 1886, Sabine Pass, LA
Andrew Brinn's real birthplace appears to have been Norway and the true spelling of his name was Brynn. All of his military records show Norway as his place of birth and the spelling as Brynn, with the exception of one surviving muster roll for the U.S.S. Mississippi. Following his Navy service, Brinn/Brynn became a U.S. citizen. He served as a keeper for several lighthouses along the Gulf of Mexico. His last station was the Sabine Pass Lighthouse in Louisiana, where he died of an unknown illness while on duty. He was most likely buried in a local cemetery, but the area was hit with a strong hurricane in late 1886 and records were lost.