Thomas H. Jordan (April 12, 1840 – July 17, 1930) was 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 on April 12, 1840, 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 ...

, Jordan was living in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

, when he joined the Navy. He served during the Civil War as a

quartermaster Quartermaster is a military term, the meaning of which depends on the country and service. In land armies, a quartermaster is generally a relatively senior soldier who supervises stores or barracks and distributes supplies and provisions. In m ...

on the . At the

on August 5, 1864, he "performed his duties with skill and courage" as his ship assisted the disabled while under heavy fire. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor a year later on June 22, 1865. Jordan's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

On board the U.S.S. ''Galena'' during the attack on enemy forts at Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Securely lashed to the side of the ''Oneida'' which had suffered the loss of her steering apparatus and an explosion of her boiler from enemy fire, the ''Galena'' aided the stricken vessel past the enemy forts to safety. Despite heavy damage to his ship from raking enemy fire, Jordan performed his duties with skill and courage throughout the action.

Jordan died on July 17, 1930, at age 90 and was buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Chicago, Illinois.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jordan, Thomas H. 1840 births 1930 deaths People from Portsmouth, Virginia People of Virginia in the American Civil War Union Navy sailors United States Navy Medal of Honor recipients American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor