b. 1837 Ireland. d. 18/03/1908 Hampton, Virginia.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 05/08/1864 Mobile Bay, Alabama.
Born in 1837 in Ireland, Cassidy immigrated to the United States and was living in New York when he joined the Navy. He served during the Civil War as a landsman on the USS Lackawanna. At the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864, Lackawanna engaged the CSS Tennessee at close range and Cassidy distinguished himself as the sponger on a gun crew. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor four months later, on December 31, 1864.
MOH CITATION:
Served on board the U.S.S. Lackawanna during successful attacks against Fort Morgan, rebel gunboats and the ram Tennessee, in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Displaying great coolness and exemplary behavior as first sponger of a gun, Cassidy, by his coolness under fire, received the applause of his officers and the guncrew throughout the action which resulted in the capture of the prize ram Tennessee and in the destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan.
BURIAL LOCATION: HAMPTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, HAMPTON, VIRGINIA.
PHOEBUS SECTION B, GRAVE 9503
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
