Charles Kenyon (born 1840) was an American recipient of the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

who received the award for his actions during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

whilst serving with the Union Navy.

Biography

Kenyon was born in Marcy,

Oneida County, New York Oneida County is a county in the state of New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 232,125. The county seat is Utica. The name is in honor of the Oneida, one of the Five Nations of the Iroquois League or ''Haudenos ...

in 1840. He served as a fireman aboard the USS ''Galena'' during the American Civil War. He earned his medal in action on the James River, Virginia when his ship attacked

Drewry's Bluff Drewry's Bluff is located in northeastern Chesterfield County, Virginia, in the United States. It was the site of Confederate Fort Darling during the American Civil War. It was named for a local landowner, Confederate Captain Augustus H. Drewry, w ...

on May 15, 1862, as part of the

Battle of Drewry's Bluff The Battle of Drewry's Bluff, also known as the Battle of Fort Darling, or Fort Drewry, took place on May 15, 1862, in Chesterfield County, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. Four Union Navy warships, inclu ...

. His medal was issued on April 3, 1863. Kenyon's date of death and burial location is unknown.

Medal of Honor Citation

For extraordinary heroism in action, serving as Fireman on board the '' USS Galena'' in the attack upon

, 15 May 1862. Severely burned while extricating a priming wire which had become bent and fixed in the bow gun while his ship underwent terrific shelling from the enemy, Kenyon hastily dressed his hands with cotton waste and oil and courageously returned to his gun while enemy sharpshooters in rifle pits along the banks continued to direct their fire at the men at the guns.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kenyon, Charles American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor United States Navy Medal of Honor recipients 1840 births Year of death missing