Daniel Noble (1838–1903) was a Confederate prisoner at Camp Douglas before becoming a

Union Navy ), (official) , colors = Blue and gold , colors_label = Colors , march = , mascot = , equipment = , equipment_label ...

sailor in 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 ...

and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, 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. ...

, for his actions at the

Battle of Mobile Bay The Battle of Mobile Bay of August 5, 1864, was a naval and land engagement of the American Civil War in which a Union fleet commanded by Rear Admiral David G. Farragut, assisted by a contingent of soldiers, attacked a smaller Confederate fle ...

Background

Born in 1838 in

Breathitt County, Kentucky Breathitt County ( ) is a county in the eastern Appalachian portion of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 13,718. Its county seat is Jackson. The county was formed in 1839 and was named for John B ...

, Noble was a Confederate prisoner of war at Camp Douglas, Illinois when he joined the Navy. He served during the Civil War as a landsman on the . At the

on August 5, 1864, he was among the crew of a small boat sent from ''Metacomet'' to rescue survivors of the , which had been sunk by a

naval mine A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to damage or destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, any ...

(then known as a "torpedo"). Despite intense fire, the boat crew was able to pull ten ''Tecumseh'' men from the water. For this action, Noble was awarded the Medal of Honor a year and a half later, on January 15, 1866. Five other members of the boat crew also received the medal: Seaman

James Avery James La Rue Avery (November 27, 1945 – December 31, 2013) was an American actor. He was best known for his roles as Philip Banks in ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'', Shredder in ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'', Judge Michael Conover on ''L. ...

, Quarter Gunner Charles Baker, Ordinary Seaman John C. Donnelly, Captain of the Forecastle John Harris, and Seaman Henry Johnson.

Citation

Noble's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

As landsman on board the U.S.S. ''Metacomet'', Noble served among the boat's crew which went to the rescue of the U.S. Monitor ''Tecumseh'' when that vessel was struck by a torpedo in passing enemy forts in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Noble braved the enemy fire which was said by the admiral David Farragut ">David_Farragut.html" ;"title="David Farragut">David Farragut to be "one of the most galling" he had ever seen and aided in rescuing from death 10 of the crew of the ''Tecumseh'', thereby eliciting the admiration of both friend and foe.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Noble, Daniel 1838 births 1903 deaths People from Bath County, Kentucky People of Kentucky in the American Civil War Union Navy sailors United States Navy Medal of Honor recipients American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor