Eight Medals of Honor Given on USS Oneida for Action at the Battle of Mobile Bay

John E. Jones received a Medal of Honor aboard the USS Oneida during the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864.  I came across another sailor from that ship who also received one.

I went to the Wikipedia site on the USS Oneida and found that they weren't the only ones receiving that high honor.  

A total of eight sailors were recipients for that engagement.  Somebody must have been quite busy with the nominations.

--Old B-Runner

John E. Jones, Medal of Honor Recipient-- Part 2:

From Find-A-Grave

JOHN E, JONES

BIRTH:  1834 in New York City

DEATH:  19 August 1865 (age 30-31) in New Orleans, Louisiana

BURIAL:  Chalmette National Cemetery, Chalmette, Louisiana

Square 9, Grave 84, now Section 55, Site 4406

A stone has been added at the foot of his gravestone with the Medal of Honor information.

So, he died just 8 months after receiving it.

--Old B'Rer

Medal of Honor Recipient John E. Jones-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

Born in  New York City and entered the Navy from New York.  He served as the quartermaster on the USS Oneida.  While stationed at the wheel of that ship at the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864,  the wheel was rendered useless when the ropes that connected it to the tiller were destroyed by hostile fire.

Although wounded, Jones helped send and receive signals before new ropes were installed.

For this action, he received the Medal of Honor four months later, on December  31, 1864.

His official Medal of Honor citation reads:

"Served as quartermaster on the U.S.S. Oneida in the engagement at Mobile Bay 5 August 1864.  Stationed at the wheel during the fierce action, Jones, though wounded, carried out his duties gallantly by going to the poop to assist at the signals after the wheel ropes were shot away and remained there  until ordered to reeve new wheel ropes."

Not To be Confused With Recipient John Jones.  --Old B-Runner

Two Other Navy Medals of Honor: John E. Jones and Lewis Horton

It is not surprising to find that many Navy Medals of Honor buried in cemeteries around Portsmouth, New Hampshire because, of course, it is a major port on the U.S. Atlantic Coast, so naturally sailors would tend to concentrate there.

While looking up more information on John Jones and his Medal of Honor, I came across two other Navy personnel who received Medals of Honor, but were not buried in cemeteries around Portsmouth.

They were John E. Jones of the USS Oneida and Lewis Horton of the USS Rhode Island.  

At first I thought John E. Jones was John Jones with his middle name, but he wasn't.  A totally different man.

Then, I found that Lewis Horton was one of the men in the USS Rhode Island rescue boat with John Jones.  Obviously, if John Jones received a Medal of Honor, anyone else in that boat would receive one as well.

--Old B-Runner