Michael Connelly (1843 – November 10, 1881) was a
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
sailor and a
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 valo ...
recipient for his role 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 ...
. He served under the name John Mack.
Born in 1843 in
Brooksville, Maine, Connelly joined the Navy from that state. By March 5, 1865, he was serving as a
seaman on the . On that day and the next, he accompanied a Union Army force during the
Battle of Natural Bridge near
St. Marks, Florida. He helped transport and fire a naval
howitzer throughout the engagement despite heavy Confederate fire. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor three months later, on June 22, 1865; the medal was issued under the name "John Mack".
He was one of six sailors to receive the medal for manning artillery pieces during the battle, the others being Landsman
John S. Lann, Seaman
George Pyne George Pyne may refer to:
* George Pyne (Medal of Honor) (1841–?), English Medal of Honor recipient
* George Pyne II (1909–1974), American football player
* George Pyne III (1941–2015), American football player
* George Pyne (business execut ...
, Ordinary Seaman
Charles Read, Coxswain
George Schutt, and Seaman
Thomas Smith.
Connelly's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
As seaman on board the U.S.S. ''Hendrick Hudson'', St. Marks, Fla., 5 and 6 March 1865, Mack served with the Army in charge of Navy howitzers during the attack on St. Marks and, throughout this fierce engagement, made remarkable efforts in assisting transport of the gun. His coolness and determination in courageously standing by his gun while under the fire of the enemy were a credit to the service to which he belonged.
He is buried in Saint Mary's Cemetery in
Lynn, Massachusetts
Lynn is the eighth-largest municipality in Massachusetts and the largest city in Essex County. Situated on the Atlantic Ocean, north of the Boston city line at Suffolk Downs, Lynn is part of Greater Boston's urban inner core. Settled by E ...
. His grave can be found in Section 6, Row 6, Lot 18.
See also
*
List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients: M–P
References
:
External links
* – under the name John Mack
1843 births
1881 deaths
United States Navy Medal of Honor recipients
People from Brooksville, Maine
People from Lynn, Massachusetts
Union Navy sailors
American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor
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