Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient. A native of Germany and resident of Louisiana, he was hired as a civilian by the Union Navy in 1864 to pilot the “USS Hartford” during the Navy’s assault and capture of Mobile Bay, Alabama on August 5, 1864. His bravery through the battle piloting the ship, which was the flagship of Admiral David G. Farragut, would see him be awarded the CMOH, one of only a few that were awarded to people who were civilians at the time of their heroism. His citation reads “With his ship under terrific enemy shellfire, Freeman calmly remained at his station in the maintop and skillfully piloted the ships into the bay. He rendered gallant service throughout the prolonged battle in which the rebel gunboats were captured or driven off, the prize ram Tennessee forced to surrender, and the fort successfully attacked”. The “Hartford” led the attack, and had been the focus of continual fire from rebel defenders at Fort Morgan on the shore and the Confederate ironclad ram “CSS Tennessee”. In October 1864 Martin Freeman was commissioned into the Union Navy with the rank of Acting Volunteer Lieutenant, the highest Navy rank given to non-Regular Navy officers. He was awarded his Medal on December 31, 1864, and served in the Navy until his discharge in 1867.
Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient. A native of Germany and resident of Louisiana, he was hired as a civilian by the Union Navy in 1864 to pilot the “USS Hartford” during the Navy’s assault and capture of Mobile Bay, Alabama on August 5, 1864. His bravery through the battle piloting the ship, which was the flagship of Admiral David G. Farragut, would see him be awarded the CMOH, one of only a few that were awarded to people who were civilians at the time of their heroism. His citation reads “With his ship under terrific enemy shellfire, Freeman calmly remained at his station in the maintop and skillfully piloted the ships into the bay. He rendered gallant service throughout the prolonged battle in which the rebel gunboats were captured or driven off, the prize ram Tennessee forced to surrender, and the fort successfully attacked”. The “Hartford” led the attack, and had been the focus of continual fire from rebel defenders at Fort Morgan on the shore and the Confederate ironclad ram “CSS Tennessee”. In October 1864 Martin Freeman was commissioned into the Union Navy with the rank of Acting Volunteer Lieutenant, the highest Navy rank given to non-Regular Navy officers. He was awarded his Medal on December 31, 1864, and served in the Navy until his discharge in 1867.
Bio by: RPD2
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PILOT US NAVY
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