Congressional Medal of Honor Society
Stories of Sacrifice
U.S. Civil War - U.S. Navy
Richard Dennis
Details
- Also Known As: Donallen, Dennis
- Rank: Boatswain's Mate
- Conflict/Era: U.S. Civil War
- Unit/Command:
U.S.S. Brooklyn - Military Service Branch: U.S. Navy
- Medal of Honor Action Date: August 5, 1864
- Medal of Honor Action Place: Mobile Bay, Alabama, USA
Citation
On board the U.S.S. Brooklyn during successful attacks against Fort Morgan, rebel gunboats and 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 her decks from stem to stern, Dennis displayed outstanding skill and courage in operating the torpedo catcher and in assisting in working the bow chasers throughout the furious battle which resulted in the surrender of the prize rebel ram Tennessee and in the damaging and destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan.
Additional Details
- Accredited to: Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
- Awarded Posthumously: No
- Born: 1826, Charlestown, Suffolk County, MA, United States
- Died: 1889, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Buried: Holy Cross Cemetery (buried as Dennis Donallen), Malden, MA, United States