Joseph Irlam

He Held the Wheel as His Ship Took Enemy Fire

He held the wheel as his ship took enemy fire, refusing to abandon his vital station while Confederate artillery struck the Union warship around him. On August 5, 1864, during the Battle of Mobile Bay, Seaman Joseph Irlam of the USS Brooklyn demonstrated extraordinary courage and selflessness. When enemy fire disabled several members of the ship's gun crews, he voluntarily released two sailors from his own station to reinforce the fighting men, leaving himself with only one assistant to maintain the vessel's steering. His remarkable composure during the fierce engagement earned him the Medal of Honor, the United States' highest military decoration for valor.

Joseph Irlam was born in 1840 in Liverpool, England, one of the world's most important maritime centers during the nineteenth century. Liverpool's busy docks connected Britain with international commercial routes, and the city's maritime economy provided opportunities for those seeking employment at sea. Details of Irlam's childhood, family background, and early education remain limited, but his later career established a lasting connection with naval service.

At some point before or during the American Civil War, Irlam traveled to the United States and became associated with New York City. His military records identify New York as the location to which his service was accredited. He subsequently entered the United States Navy, joining the expanding Federal naval forces during a period when experienced seamen were urgently needed.

The American Civil War began in April 1861, bringing unprecedented demands upon the Union Navy. President Abraham Lincoln's administration adopted a strategy designed to blockade Confederate ports, restrict Southern trade, and weaken the Confederacy's ability to obtain military supplies from abroad.

Maintaining this blockade required a rapidly expanding fleet of warships, transports, and supporting vessels. Naval personnel came from diverse backgrounds, including American-born sailors and immigrants who brought valuable maritime experience to the service.

Irlam served as a Seaman aboard USS Brooklyn, a powerful steam-powered sloop-of-war commissioned in 1859. The vessel combined steam propulsion with traditional sailing equipment and carried a substantial battery of naval guns. Its size, mobility, and armament made it an important part of the Union Navy's operations against Confederate coastal defenses.

Throughout the Civil War, USS Brooklyn participated in operations supporting the Federal blockade and the campaign to control important Southern waterways. The ship became especially associated with the West Gulf Blockading Squadron, commanded by Rear Admiral David Glasgow Farragut.

By 1864, Mobile, Alabama, remained one of the Confederacy's most important ports on the Gulf of Mexico. Although Union naval forces had captured New Orleans in 1862, Confederate control of Mobile Bay continued to provide an important maritime connection for the Southern war effort.

The entrance to Mobile Bay was protected by formidable Confederate defenses, including Fort Morgan, Fort Gaines, naval obstructions, underwater mines known at the time as torpedoes, and several Confederate warships. Among the defenders was CSS Tennessee, a heavily armored ironclad ram capable of threatening the wooden vessels of the Union fleet.

Rear Admiral Farragut planned a coordinated naval attack to force the entrance to the bay, overcome the Confederate defenses, and establish Federal control over this strategically important waterway.

On the morning of August 5, 1864, Farragut's fleet advanced toward the Confederate fortifications. The attacking force included wooden steam warships arranged in pairs, supported by Union ironclad monitors. USS Brooklyn, accompanied by USS Octorara, occupied a leading position among the wooden vessels.

As the Union fleet approached the entrance, Confederate artillery opened fire from the coastal batteries. Shells and solid shot struck the advancing ships, damaging their structures and inflicting casualties among their crews.

The battle quickly became one of the most dramatic naval engagements of the Civil War. The Union ironclad USS Tecumseh struck a Confederate mine and sank rapidly, creating additional danger and uncertainty as the fleet attempted to navigate the defended channel.

Despite the loss, Farragut pressed forward, and the Union warships continued their assault against the Confederate positions and naval forces.

Aboard USS Brooklyn, Joseph Irlam was stationed at the ship's wheel, where he shared responsibility for steering the vessel during combat. This position was essential to maintaining the ship's course while navigating dangerous waters and responding to the movements of other warships.

Steering a large steam-powered vessel during battle demanded constant attention and coordination. The ship's movements had to accommodate the narrow approaches, nearby vessels, enemy positions, and changing orders from the commanding officers.

As the fighting intensified, Confederate gunfire struck USS Brooklyn repeatedly. Several sailors serving the ship's artillery were killed or wounded, leaving the gun crews dangerously undermanned.

The casualties created an immediate problem. The vessel needed sufficient sailors to operate its weapons while continuing to maintain proper steering and maneuverability.

Recognizing the urgent need for additional gun crew members, Irlam made a courageous decision. Rather than retain all the men assigned to his own station, he voluntarily released two sailors to replace those disabled at the guns.

This decision reduced the personnel available to help him operate the wheel, leaving Irlam with only one assistant for the remainder of the fierce engagement.

Despite the heavy Confederate fire and the reduced assistance, he continued performing his duties. His actions demonstrated exceptional discipline, professional skill, and willingness to place the needs of the ship above his own immediate security.

The official account of his Medal of Honor action specifically recognized his remarkable composure and bravery at the wheel. By allowing two sailors to reinforce the gun crews, Irlam helped sustain the ship's fighting capability while continuing to maintain its steering under dangerous conditions.

His conduct represented an important example of naval heroism. Unlike sailors directly operating artillery, Irlam performed his extraordinary service at a position essential to the ship's operation. His contribution demonstrated that courage during naval combat extended beyond the gun decks to every station required to keep a warship functioning.

The engagement continued as Union vessels fought Confederate gunboats and confronted CSS Tennessee. The Confederate ironclad attempted to challenge the Federal fleet but eventually faced concentrated attacks from several Union warships.

After sustained fighting, CSS Tennessee was forced to surrender. The defeat of the Confederate naval forces and the successful passage of the Union fleet established Federal naval control of Mobile Bay.

The victory came at a considerable cost. USS Brooklyn suffered eleven killed and forty-three wounded during the engagement, reflecting the intensity of the Confederate fire directed against the vessel.

The Battle of Mobile Bay became one of the Union Navy's most important victories of the Civil War. It strengthened Federal control over the Gulf Coast, severely restricted Confederate maritime operations, and contributed to the broader strategy of isolating the Confederacy economically and militarily.

Irlam's bravery received official recognition later that year. Under Navy General Order No. 45, dated December 31, 1864, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary conduct aboard USS Brooklyn during the battle.

The Medal of Honor had been authorized for the United States Navy on December 21, 1861, to recognize enlisted personnel who distinguished themselves through gallantry in action and exceptional seamanlike qualities during the Civil War.

Irlam's award recognized his decision to release two men from the wheel station to reinforce the ship's gun crews while continuing to steer with only one assistant throughout the engagement.

His recognition placed him among the distinguished sailors and Marines of USS Brooklyn whose courage contributed to the Union victory at Mobile Bay. Their achievements demonstrated the combined importance of individual bravery, teamwork, and disciplined performance during one of the most demanding naval battles of the war.

Following the Civil War, the surviving details of Irlam's personal and professional life become less complete. Historical accounts indicate that he eventually returned to merchant maritime service, continuing his association with the sea after his distinguished military career.

His later life ended in another maritime tragedy. Irlam has been identified among the crew of the merchant vessel Loch Laggan, which departed Liverpool on October 1, 1875, and was subsequently reported missing at sea.

The vessel disappeared during its voyage, and those aboard were believed lost. Although later biographical records commonly give April 20, 1876, as Irlam's date of death, the available evidence does not establish the exact day on which the ship was lost.

Because the vessel was never recovered with a confirmed account of its final moments, the precise circumstances of Irlam's death remain uncertain. He is remembered as having been lost at sea, with no verified individual burial place.

Joseph Irlam's life was defined by his connection to the maritime world. Born in the great British port of Liverpool, he crossed the Atlantic, served in the United States Navy during the Civil War, and demonstrated remarkable courage aboard a Union warship during one of the conflict's most important naval engagements.

His legacy remains inseparable from the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864. While Confederate artillery threatened USS Brooklyn and casualties mounted among the gun crews, Irlam continued steering the vessel with reduced assistance so that other sailors could reinforce the ship's defenses.

The Medal of Honor awarded to Joseph Irlam stands as a lasting tribute to his courage, sacrifice, and devotion to duty. His actions demonstrate that military heroism can emerge from quiet determination and selfless decisions made under extraordinary pressure. Through his bravery at the wheel of USS Brooklyn, Irlam earned an enduring place in the history of the United States Navy and the American Civil War.