Fact File 4.
by Terry Foenander.
Two personnel of the Union Navy were awarded the Medal twice, at the time of the Civil War.
Joining the exalted position held by only a few fellow recipients, such as Tom Custer, brother of the well known cavalry commander (who later led his brother and other members of his command to disaster on the Little Big Horn), were two Union Navy personnel, John Cooper and Patrick Mullen, in each being awarded the Medal on two separate occasions. A second award did not actually entail receiving a second medal, but in fact being provided a bar that was to be attached to the ribbon by which the medal was suspended. [Navy General Order, No. 62, dated June 29, 1865.]
Irish born John Cooper, coxswain on the USS Brooklyn during the battle at Mobile Bay, August 5, 1864, [MOH 750] was recommended, together with 24 other personnel of the same vessel, for the Medal of Honor, by lieutenant commander Edward P. Lull, executive officer of the USS Brooklyn (one of these recommendations was eventually omitted for some reason, leaving only 24 from that vessel who finally received the award for that particular action); the citation indicates that Cooper was very conspicuous for bravery, skill, coolness, and activity while serving at his gun. [ORN 1, 21, 448 & 452] Cooper received the second award for his action as noted in a dispatch, dated May 26, 1865, sent by commander Edward Simpson, from aboard the U.S. Flagship Stockdale, off the city of Mobile, Alabama, to commodore (acting rear-admiral) Henry K. Thatcher, and which reads as follows:
"Sir: I have the honor to report that on the afternoon of the 25th instant a destructive explosion of ordnance stores occurred at Marshall's warehouse in this city. A portion of the ammunition surrendered to General Canby by General Richard Taylor, of the Confederate service, had been placed in Marshall's warehouse preparatory to transportation to the bombproofs in the forts, and by some unexplained accident the explosion occurred at this place.
The entire adjoining portion of the city was shortly in flames, and a fresh south wind assisted the work of destruction.
The loss of life has not been ascertained, but it is already known to be very large.
I visited the scene of the fire, and with a large force of sailors was enabled to do some service, the presence of the sailors in the neighborhood of the exploding shells tending much to restore a partial feeling of confidence to the firemen and others, who were prevented by the bursting shells from working to advantage in extinguishing the fire.
I regret that two of our men were killed during the afternoon.
I desire to call your particular attention to the gallantry displayed by Quartermaster John Cooper, of the staff, a medal man of the USS Brooklyn, who, at the risk of being blown to pieces by exploding shells, advanced through the burning locality to rescue a wounded man from what would have been certain death. His efforts were successful, and he returned carrying the man on his back." [ORN 1, 22, 200.]
Baltimore, Maryland native, Patrick Mullen, was recommended for his first award after an expedition up Mattox Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River, Virginia, for his action, as described in the following extract from the report, dated March 18, 1865, sent in to commander Foxhall A. Parker, by lieutenant commander T.H. Eastman, who commanded the USS Don:
"At 8 a.m [March 17, 1865] I sent the launch with one smooth howitzer, acting ensign Summers in charge, up the right prong of Mattox Creek, marching up the shore myself with 70 sailors and marines. The creek was cleared, and the four boats found there were destroyed.
I then returned to the Stepping Stones, sending the launch up the left prong of Mattox Creek, with orders to clear that creek, which acting ensign Summers did most thoroughly; destroyed three schooners under a fire of musketry from 300 or 400 rebels, which fire in a few moments cut away half of his oars, piercing the launch in many places, and cut the barrel off the musket which he was firing at the rebels. Only one man was struck and he wounded but slightly. The crew of the boat were all black but two, and P. Mullen, boatswain's mate of the USS Don, and Aaron Anderson [Aaron Sanderson, who was also a recipient of the Medal for this particular action], landsman (colored), of the Wyandank are reported to me by acting ensign Summers as having assisted him gallantly - Mullen lying on his back while loading the howitzer and then firing so carefully as to kill and wound many rebels, besides driving them all away, as was clearly seen from the other side of the creek, where our shore party were marching up." [ORN 1, 5, 535.]
Less than two months later, in May, 1865, Mullen jumped overboard, from his vessel, and saved an officer of picket launch No. 6, who had gotten into difficulties after his launch had been swamped. For this action, Mullen was the recipient of a second award.
Sources:
MOH: "The Congressional Medal of Honor: the Names, the Deeds," published 1984, by Sharp & Dunnigan Publications, Forest Ranch, California 95942. Citation includes page number.
Navy General Order: Information from the volume, titled General Orders and Circulars issued by the Navy Department, from 1863 to 1887, with an Alphabeticl Index of Subjects," compiled by M.S. Thompson, by authority of the Navy Department; published by the Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1887.
ORN: "Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion," originally published by the Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., in 31 volumes (including the Index volume); reprint edition, 1987, by the National Historical Society, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105. Citation includes series, volume and page numbers.
November, 2004.