Hugh Molloy, Medal of Honor Recipient

Description:

Black and white photographic portrait of Medal of Honor recipient Hugh Molloy, for service during the Civil War.

The inscription on the reverse of the portrait indicates that Molloy served as an Ordinary Seaman, participating in the "engagement near Harrisonburg, La., March 2, 1864," onboard a U.S. Navy gunboat where "a shell pierced the bow casement on the right of gun No. 1, mortally wounding the first sponger, who dropped his sponge out of the port on the forecastle. Molloy instantly jumped from the port to the forecastle, recovered the sponge, and sponged and loaded the gun while outside, exposed to a heavy fire of musketry."

Official Citation:

MOLLOY, HUGH

Rank and organization: Ordinary Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1832, Illinois. Accredited to: Illinois. G.O. No.: 32, 16 April 1864. Citation: Served on board the U.S.S. Fort Hindman during the engagement near Harrisonburg, La., 2 March 1864. Following a shellburst which mortally wounded the first sponger, who dropped the sponge out of the forecastle port, Molloy jumped out of the port to the forecastle, recovered the sponge and sponged and loaded the gun for the remainder of the action from his exposed position, despite the extreme danger to his person from the raking fire of enemy musketry.