James Ramsbottom

Wounded at Mobile Bay, He Returned to His Gun

Charles Melville, born James Ramsbottom, was a United States Navy sailor who received the Medal of Honor for extraordinary bravery during the American Civil War. Serving under the name Charles Melville, he held the rating of Ordinary Seaman aboard USS Hartford, the flagship of Rear Admiral David Glasgow Farragut. His courage during the Battle of Mobile Bay, Alabama, on August 5, 1864, earned him a place among the Navy's Medal of Honor recipients.

The early life of James Ramsbottom is not fully documented. Historical records connect him with New Hampshire, particularly Dover, where his naval service was credited. An account preserved by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society identifies Ramsbottom as having been born in England and immigrating to the United States with his family in 1826. Other recipient records give Dover, New Hampshire, as his birthplace. These differences leave aspects of his early background uncertain.

Before entering the United States Navy, Ramsbottom adopted the name Charles Melville. He enlisted and served under that name, which subsequently appeared in his military records and Medal of Honor recognition. The reason he chose to use a different name is unknown.

During the American Civil War, Melville served as an Ordinary Seaman aboard USS Hartford, one of the Union Navy's important warships. Under Farragut's command, Hartford participated in naval operations intended to restrict Confederate access to ports and waterways along the Gulf Coast.

By the summer of 1864, Mobile Bay, Alabama, remained a significant Confederate naval stronghold. Its approaches were protected by coastal fortifications, Confederate warships, and underwater defenses. Fort Morgan guarded the entrance to the bay, while the Confederate ironclad CSS Tennessee presented a serious threat to the attacking Union fleet.

Farragut prepared a naval assault to overcome these defenses and establish Union control of the bay. On August 5, 1864, his warships advanced into Mobile Bay and encountered intense resistance from Confederate artillery and vessels.

USS Hartford occupied a central position in the engagement as Farragut's flagship. Its gun crews worked under dangerous conditions as shells struck the ship and casualties mounted.

Melville was serving at one of Hartford's guns when a Confederate shell exploded between two forward nine-inch guns. The explosion killed or wounded fifteen men and caused severe damage among the nearby gun crews.

Melville was wounded in the blast. His injuries were serious enough that he was taken below deck to receive medical attention from the ship's surgeon.

Despite his condition, he did not remain away from the fighting.

After receiving attention for his wounds, Melville returned to the gun deck and resumed his position. The official account records that he was scarcely able to stand, yet he refused to go below again and continued serving his gun throughout the remainder of the engagement.

His decision placed him back in immediate danger while the battle was still underway. The gun deck remained exposed to Confederate fire, and the ship's crew continued fighting against the defenses of Mobile Bay.

Melville's conduct was remarkable because he had already suffered a serious wound and had been removed from his station for treatment. Nevertheless, he returned to his assigned duty and continued contributing to Hartford's combat operations.

The engagement developed into a major naval confrontation involving Union warships, Confederate gunboats, Fort Morgan, and CSS Tennessee. The Confederate ironclad fought against the Union fleet before eventually surrendering.

The capture of Tennessee marked an important achievement for Farragut's forces. Melville remained at his post during the fighting that led to the ironclad's surrender.

The Battle of Mobile Bay became one of the Union Navy's significant victories during the Civil War. The engagement weakened Confederate naval resistance in the bay and strengthened Union control of the Gulf Coast.

For Melville, the battle established the defining moment of his documented military career. His bravery was demonstrated through his return to duty after being wounded, despite the physical difficulty of remaining at his station.

His conduct was formally recognized in General Order No. 45, dated December 31, 1864. The United States Navy awarded him the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism aboard USS Hartford during the Battle of Mobile Bay.

The decoration recognized his determination to continue serving under fire after an exploding shell had wounded him and inflicted heavy casualties on the surrounding gun crews.

Melville received this recognition under the name he had used during his naval service. His original identity, James Ramsbottom, remains an important part of his recorded history, while Charles Melville is the name preserved in his official Medal of Honor citation.

The surviving historical record provides limited information about his subsequent assignments, discharge, or civilian activities after the Battle of Mobile Bay. Ordinary Seaman remains his verified Navy service rating.

Charles Melville died on January 5, 1867. He was buried in a family cemetery on Old Dover Road in Rochester, New Hampshire.

His Medal of Honor is recorded as being held at the Naval Historical Center at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., preserving a physical connection to his recognized naval service.

Charles Melville's legacy rests on his extraordinary courage during the Battle of Mobile Bay. Wounded by an exploding shell that killed or injured fifteen men, he returned from medical treatment to his gun and continued serving despite being barely able to stand.

Remembered in military history as Charles Melville and originally named James Ramsbottom, he remains an example of the determination and bravery displayed by Union sailors during the American Civil War.