Medal of Honor Recipients

BARBER, JAMES A.
Rank and Organization: Corporal, Company G, 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery. Place and Date: At Petersburg, Va., 2 April 1865. Entered Service At: Westerly, R.I. Birth: Westerly, R.I. Date of Issue: 20 June 1866.

Citation: Was one of a detachment of 20 picked artillerymen who voluntarily accompanied an infantry assaulting party, and who turned upon the enemy the guns captured in the assault.

Federal (USV)

Private

James

Albert

Barber

Home State: Rhode Island
Command Billet: Artilleryman
Branch of Service: Artillery
Unit: 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery, Battery G

Before the Antietam Campaign:
From a farming family, he enlisted in Battery G of the First Rhode Island Light Artillery on 11 November 1861.

The remainder of the War:
He reenlisted for the duration as a Veteran Volunteer in December 1863, and was promoted to Corporal before War's end. He received the Medal of Honor for action at Petersburg in April 1865 (medal issued June 1866), and mustered out with his Battery in June 1865.

After the War:
He was a "mariner" and harvested seaweed to be used as fertilizer.

References, Sources, and other notes:
Service details from his Medal of Honor Certificate, the photo above, and family history provided by Midge Frazel.

Place of Birth: Westerly, RI

David Naylor

Birth:		Nov. 4, 1843
Death:		Feb. 7, 1926
Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Served during the Civil War as a Landsman in the Union Navy on board the "USS Oneida". He was awarded the CMOH for his bravery in the engagement at Mobile Bay, Alabama on August 5, 1864. His citation reads “Acting as powder boy at the 30-pounder Parrott rifle, Naylor had his passing box shot from his hands and knocked overboard where it fell in one of the Calena's boats which was under the bow. Jumping overboard, Naylor recovered his box, returned to his station and continued to carry out his courageous actions throughout the engagement which resulted in the capture of the rebel ram Tennessee and the damaging of Fort Morgan”. His Medal was issued on December 31, 1864. (bio by: Russ Dodge)

Burial: River Bend Cemetery Westerly Washington County Rhode Island, USA Plot: Section 8, Lot 1938
Record added: Oct 19 2001

Born: November 14, 1843 at Thompsonville, NY

Entered Service in the US Navy from New York, NY

Earned The Medal of Honor During the Civil War For heroism August 05, 1864 at Mobile Bay, AL

Died: February 07, 1926 at the age of 82
Buried: River Bend Cemetery, Westerly, Rhode Island

On August 5, Union Admiral David Farragut's Union fleet of eighteen ships entered Mobile Bay, Alabama, and received a devastating fire from Forts Gaines and Morgan and other points. His wooden ships fought valiantly under this devastating fire as well as shells from the rebel gunboats and the ironclad ram Tennessee. After passing the forts, Farragut forced the Confederate naval forces under Admiral Buchanan, to surrender, along with the prized ram Tennessee. Fort Morgan was destroyed and this action effectively closed Mobile Bay as a Confederate port, making the action one of the greatest Naval victories of the war. Ninety sailors and eight Marines were awarded Medals of Honor, the most for any single day in history. Eight crewmen of the U.S.S. Oneida were numbered among these heroes, including Landsman David Naylor. Acting as powder boy at the 30-pounder Parrott rifle, Landsman Naylor had his passing box shot from his hands and knocked overboard where it fell in one of the Galena's boats which was under the bow. Jumping overboard, Landsman Naylor recovered his box, returned to his station and continued to carry out his courageous actions throughout the engagement.

Added by: Don Morfe

Added by: Jan Franco

Cemetery Photo
Added by: Jan Franco

NAYLOR, DAVID
Rank and Organization: Landsman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1843, Thompsonville, N.Y. Accredited To: New York. G.O. No.: 45, 31 December 1864. Buried in River Bend Cemetery, Westerly, R.I.

Citation: Served on board the U.S.S. Oneida in the engagement at Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Acting as powder boy at the 30-pounder Parrott rifle, Naylor had his passing box shot from his hands and knocked overboard where it fell in one of the Calena's boats which was under the bow. Jumping overboard, Naylor recovered his box, returned to his station and continued to carry out his courageous actions throughout the engagement which resulted in the capture of the rebel ram Tennessee and the damaging of Fort Morgan.