b. 1820 Portsmouth, New Hampshire. d. 11/03/1869 Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 19/06/1864 near Cherbourg, France.
Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient. He served in the Union Navy as a Carpenter’s Mate on board the sloop-of-war “USS Kearsarge”. He was awarded the CMOH for his bravery in action when the “Kearsarge” fought and destroyed the Confederate Navy commerce raider “CSS Alabama” off Cherbourg, France on June 19, 1864. His citation reads “Performing his duties intelligently and faithfully, Ham distinguished himself in the face of the bitter enemy fire and was highly commended by his divisional officer” His Medal was awarded to him on December 31, 1864. He was one of seventeen “Kearsarge” crewmen to be awarded the Medal of Honor for their bravery during the battle, including Paymaster’s Steward Michael Ahern, Captain of the Top John F. Bickford, Boatswain’s Mate William S. Bond, Captain of the Forecastle James Haley, Seaman George H. Harrison, Coxswain John Hayes, Seaman James H. Lee, Seaman Charles Moore, Seaman Joachim Pease, Boatswain’s Mate Thomas Perry, Quartermaster William B. Poole, Coxswain Charles A. Read, Seaman George E. Read, Chief Quartermaster James Saunders, Quartermaster William Smith and Captain of the Top Robert Strahan.
MOH CITATION:
Served on board the U.S.S. Kearsarge when she destroyed the Alabama off Cherbourg, France, 19 June 1864. Performing his duties intelligently and faithfully, Ham distinguished himself in the face of the bitter enemy fire and was highly commended by his divisional officer.
BURIAL LOCATION: HARMONY GROVE CEMETERY, PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
HARMONY GROVE, 415G
LOCATION OF MEDAL: BELIEVED TO BE FAMILY.
