Medal of Honor Action Place: Mobile Bay, Alabama, USA
Citation
On board the U.S.S. Brooklyn during action against rebel forts and gunboat and with the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Despite severe damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked the deck, Cpl. Oviatt fought his gun with skill and courage throughout the furious two-hour battle which resulted in the surrender of the rebel ram Tennessee.
Additional Details
Accredited to: New York
Awarded Posthumously: No
Born: December 1, 1840, Olean, Cattaraugus County, NY, United States
Died: November 1, 1880
Buried: Pleasant Valley Cemetery (MH) (36), Orlean, NY, United States
Location of Medal:
National Museum of the US Marine Corps, Quantico, VA