Charles Mills (Medal of Honor)

Charles Mills was a United States Navy sailor who served during the American Civil War. Stationed as a Seaman aboard the USS Minnesota, his service was marked by extreme courage under fire during one of the war's major naval operations.

On January 15, 1865, Mills participated in the assault during the Second Battle of Fort Fisher. This joint amphibious offensive was designed to capture the last major stronghold of the Confederacy, which protected the vital port of Wilmington, North Carolina.

In recognition of his gallant conduct during the fierce assault on Fort Fisher, Mills was awarded the nation's highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor. His actions contributed significantly to the eventual capitulation of the fort and the closing of the South's final open gateway to the Atlantic.