John P. Erickson (June 30, 1825 – August 2, 1907) was a
Union Navy sailor in the
American Civil War and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the
Medal of Honor, for his actions during the
Wilmington Campaign.
Born in 1825 in
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
,
[U.S. Navy also lists his origin as London as Erickson's enlistment listed his birthplace as London, England. This birthplace is counterfactual to all other documents and Erickson almost certainly listed "London" to avoid discrimination in placement and advancement.] Erickson immigrated to the U.S. and was living in
Brooklyn when he joined the Navy. He served as a
captain of the forecastle
A petty officer (PO) is a non-commissioned officer in many navies and is given the NATO rank denotation OR-5 or OR-6. In many nations, they are typically equal to a sergeant in comparison to other military branches. Often they may be superior ...
on the in the
Wilmington Campaign, from the
First Battle of Fort Fisher on December 24, 1864, through the campaign's end on February 22, 1865. He was severely wounded and received treatment at a hospital in
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is an independent city in southeast Virginia and across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk. As of the 2020 census, the population was 97,915. It is part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area.
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Naval M ...
. For his actions during the campaign, he was awarded the Medal of Honor months later on June 22, 1865.
Erickson's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Captain of the Forecastle John P. Erickson, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving on board the U.S.S. Pontoosuc during the capture of Fort Fisher and Wilmington, North Carolina, 24 December 1864, to 22 February 1865. Carrying out his duties faithfully throughout this period, Captain of the Forecastle Erickson was so severely wounded in the assault upon Fort Fisher that he was sent to the hospital at Portsmouth, Virginia. Erickson was recommended for his gallantry, skill, and coolness in action while under the fire of the enemy.
Erickson died on August 2, 1907, at age 82 and was buried at
Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.
See also
*
List of Medal of Honor recipients
The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. The recipient must have distinguished themselves at the risk of their ...
*
Wilmington Campaign
*
First Battle of Fort Fisher
Notes
References
*
*
External links
National Park Service - Battle Detail - The Civil War - Fort Fisher I
* ttps://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battles-detail.htm?battleCode=NC016 National Park Service - Battle Detail - The Civil War - Wilmington
{{DEFAULTSORT:Erickson, John P.
1825 births
1907 deaths
Swedish sailors
English emigrants to the United States
Military personnel from Brooklyn
People of New York (state) in the American Civil War
Union Navy sailors
United States Navy Medal of Honor recipients
English-born Medal of Honor recipients
Burials at Green-Wood Cemetery
American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor
Swedish emigrants to the United States
Swedish-born Medal of Honor recipients