# List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Second Battle of Fort Fisher

The Second Battle of Fort Fisher was a joint assault by Union Army and naval forces against the Confederate Fort Fisher, outside Wilmington, North Carolina, near the end of the American Civil War. Sometimes referred to as the "Gibraltar of the South" and the last major coastal stronghold of the Confederacy, Fort Fisher had tremendous strategic value during the war. The Medal of Honor was awarded to 54 Union servicemen for their actions during this battle.
The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. The recipient must have distinguished themselves at the risk of their own life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an enemy of the United States. Due to the nature of this medal, it is commonly presented posthumously.

## Recipients

| Image | Name | Service | Rank | Date of action | Unit | Notes |
| — | Bruce Anderson | Army | Private | January 15, 1865 | Company K, 142nd New York Infantry | "Voluntarily advanced with the head of the column and cut down the palisading" |
| — | John Anglin | Navy | Cabin Boy | 24 December 1864 to 22 January 1865 | USS Pontoosuc (1864) | Carried out his duties while under the fire of the enemy |
| — | James Barnum | Navy | Boatswain's Mate | December 24–25, 1864 and January 13–15, 1865 | USS New Ironsides (1862) | "[Was] commended for highly meritorious conduct" during an all day battle between his ship and Fort Fisher |
| — | Gurdon H. Barter | Navy | Landsman | January 15, 1865 | USS Minnesota (1855) | "Landing on the beach with the assaulting party from his ship, he advanced to the top of the sand hill and partly through the breach in the palisades despite enemy fire which killed and wounded many officers and men. When more than two-thirds of the men became seized with panic and retreated on the run, he remained with the party until dark, when it came safely away, bringing its wounded, its arms, and its colors." |
| — | David L. Bass | Navy | Seaman | 15 January 1865 | USS Minnesota (1855) | "Landing on the beach with the assaulting party from his ship, S/man Bass advanced to the top of the sand hill and partly through the breach in the palisades despite enemy fire which killed and wounded many officers and men. When more than two-thirds of the men became seized with panic and retreated on the run, he remained with the party until dark, when it came safely away, bringing its wounded, its arms, and its colors" |
| — | Philip Bazaar | Navy | Ordinary Seaman | 15 January 1865 | USS Santiago de Cuba | Was one of six men who entered the fort in an assault and accompanied his party in carrying dispatches at the height of the battle |
| — | Asa Betham | Navy | Coxswain | 24 December 1864, to 22 January 1865 | USS Pontoosuc (1864) | |
| | Richard Binder | Marine Corps | Sergeant | 24 and December 25, 1864, and 13 to January 15, 1865 | USS Ticonderoga (1862) | |
| — | Robert M. Blair | Navy | Boatswain's Mate | 24 December 1864 to 22 January 1865 | USS Pontoosuc (1864) | |
| — | Edward R. Bowman | Navy | Quartermaster | 13 to 15 January 1865 | USS Ticonderoga (1862) | Although severely wounded he continued to perform his duties throughout the action |
| — | Albert Burton | Navy | Seaman | 15 January 1865 | USS Wabash (1855) | |
| — | William Campbell | Navy | Boatswain's Mate | 24 and 25 December 1864; and 13 to 15 January 1865 | USS Ticonderoga (1862) | |
| | Alaric B. Chapin | Army | Private | 15 January 1865 | Company G, 142d New York Infantry | "[V]oluntarily advanced with the head of the column and cut down the palisading" |
| — | Thomas Connor | Navy | Ordinary Seaman | 15 January 1865 | USS Minnesota (1855) | |
| | Newton Martin Curtis | Army | Brigadier General | 15 January 1865 | U.S. Volunteers | Was the first to pass through the stockade and although being wounded 4 times led each assault on the traverses of the fort |
| — | John Dempster | Navy | Coxswain | 24 and 25 December 1864; and 13, 14, and 15 January 1865 | USS New Ironsides (1862) | |
| — | William Dunn | Navy | Quartermaster | 24 and 25 December 1864; and 13, 14, and 15 January 1865 | USS Monadnock (1863) | |
| — | Thomas English | Navy | Signal Quartermaster | 24 and 25 December 1864; and 13, 14, and 15 January 1865 | USS New Ironsides (1862) | |
| — | Charles H. Foy | Navy | Signal Quartermaster | 13 to 15 January 1865 | USS Rhode Island (1861) | |
| — | William H. Freeman | Army | Private | 15 January 1865 | Company B, 169th New York Infantry | "Volunteered to carry the brigade flag after the bearer was wounded" |
| — | Isaac N. Fry | Marine Corps | Orderly Sergeant | 13 to 15 January 1865 | USS Ticonderoga (1862) | |
| — | John Griffiths | Navy | Captain of the Forecastle | 15 January 1865 | USS Santiago de Cuba (1861) | While working for one of the generals on shore he carried dispatches during the battle and was one of 6 who entered the fort in the assault |
| — | Edmund Haffee | Navy | Quarter Gunner | 24 and 25 December 1864; and 13, 14, and 15 January 1865 | USS New Ironsides (1862) | |
| — | Thomas Harcourt | Navy | Ordinary Seaman | 15 January 1865 | USS Minnesota (1855) | |
| — | Joseph B. Hayden | Navy | Quartermaster | 13 to 15 January 1865 | USS Ticonderoga (1862) | |
| — | Thomas Jones | Navy | Coxswain | 24 and 25 December 1864; and 13 to 15 January 1865 | USS Ticonderoga (1862) | |
| — | Thomas Kane | Navy | Captain of the Hold | 15 January 1865 | USS Nereus (1863) | |
| — | Nicholas Lear | Navy | Quartermaster | 24 and 25 December 1864; and 13, 14, and 15 January 1865 | USS New Ironsides (1862) | |
| — | George Merrill | Army | Private | 15 January 1865 | Company I, 142d New York Infantry | "Voluntarily advanced with the head of the column and cut down the palisading" |
| — | Daniel Milliken | Navy | Quarter Gunner | 24 and 25 December 1864_ and 13,14 and 15 January 1865 | USS New Ironsides (1862) | |
| — | Charles Mills | Navy | Seaman | 15 January 1865 | USS Minnesota (1855) | |
| — | Zachariah C. Neahr | Army | Private | 16 January 1865 | Company K, 142d New York Infantry | Voluntarily advanced with the head of the column and cut down the palisading |
| | Galusha Pennypacker | Army | Colonel | 15 January 1865 | 97th Pennsylvania Infantry | "Gallantly led the charge over a traverse and planted the colors of one of his regiments thereon, was severely wounded" |
| — | George Prance | Navy | Captain of the Main Top | 24 and 25 December 1864; and 13 to 15 January 1865 | USS Ticonderoga (1862) | |
| — | George Province | Navy | Ordinary Seaman | 15 January 1865 | USS Santiago de Cuba (1861) | While working for one of the generals on shore he carried dispatches during the battle and was one of 6 who entered the fort in the assault |
| — | John Rannahan | Marine Corps | Corporal | 15 January 1865 | USS Minnesota (1855) | |
| — | Auzella Savage | Navy | Ordinary Seaman | 15 January 1865 | USS Santiago de Cuba (1861) | |
| | Louis C. Shepard | Navy | Ordinary Seaman | 15 January 1865 | USS Wabash (1855) | |
| — | William Shipman | Navy | Coxswain | 15 January 1865 | USS Ticonderoga (1862) | |
| — | John Shivers | Marine Corps | Private | 15 January 1865 | USS Minnesota (1855) | |
| — | Robert Sommers | Navy | Chief Quartermaster | 13 to 15 January 1865 | USS Ticonderoga (1862) | |
| | Daniel D. Stevens | Navy | Quartermaster | 13 January 1865 | USS Canonicus | |
| — | John Swanson | Navy | Seaman | 15 January 1865 | USS Santiago de Cuba (1861) | While working for one of the generals on shore he carried dispatches during the battle and was one of 6 who entered the fort in the assault |
| — | Edward Swatton | Navy | Seaman | 15 January 1865 | USS Santiago de Cuba (1861) | While working for one of the generals on shore he carried dispatches during the battle and was one of 6 who entered the fort in the assault |
| — | James Tallentine | Navy | Captain of the Forecastle | 31 October 1864 | USS Tacony (1863) | Participated in landing and spiking a 9-inch gun while under devastating fire from enemy musketry. |
| — | Henry A. Thompson | Marine Corps | Private | 15 January 1865 | USS Minnesota (1855) | |
| — | Andrew J. Tomlin | Marine Corps | Corporal | 15 January 1865 | USS Wabash (1855) | |
| — | Othniel Tripp | Navy | Chief Boatswain's Mate | 15 January 1865 | USS Seneca (1861) | "Despite severe enemy fire which halted an attempt by his assaulting party to enter the stockade, Tripp boldly charged through the gap in the stockade although the center of the line, being totally unprotected, fell back along the open beach and left too few in the ranks to attempt an offensive operation." |
| — | John Wainwright | Army | First Lieutenant | 15 January 1865 | Company F, 97th Pennsylvania Infantry | "Gallant and meritorious conduct, where, as first lieutenant, he commanded the regiment." |
| — | Henry S. Webster | Navy | Landsman | 15 January 1865 | USS Susquehanna (1850) | |
| — | Joseph White | Navy | Coxswain | 24 and 25 December 1864; and 13,14, and 15 January 1865 | USS New Ironsides (1862) | |
| — | Franklin L. Wilcox | Navy | Ordinary Seaman | 15 January 1865 | USS Minnesota (1855) | |
| — | Augustus Williams | Navy | Seaman | 15 January 1865 | USS Santiago de Cuba (1861) | |
| — | Richard Willis | Navy | Coxswain | 24 and 25 December 1864; and 13, 14 and 15 January 1865 | USS New Ironsides (1862) | |