HOWARD, PETER
Rank and Organization: Boatswain's Mate, U.S. Navy. Born: 1829 France. Accredited
To: Massachusetts. G.O. No.: 17, 10 July 1863.
Citation:
Served on board the U.S.S. Mississippi during the action against Port Hudson, 14 March
1863. Running aground during the darkness and in the midst of battle while exposed to a
devastating fire from enemy shore batteries, the Mississippi was ordered abandoned after a
long and desperate attempt to free her. Serving courageously throughout this period in
which a steady fire was kept up against the enemy until the ship was enveloped in flames
and abandoned. Howard acted gallantly in his duties as boatswain's mate. Soon after the
firing of the Mississippi and its abandonment, it was seen to slide off the shoal, drift
downstream and explode, leaving no possibility of its falling into enemy hands.
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