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★Victoria Cross

A comprehensive archive of decorated military heroes from Commonwealth, American, and allied traditions, ranked by the Unified Scoring Matrix (USM-25). Honouring valour through history.

USM-25.2Scoring Standard

Scored under the Unified Scoring Matrix (USM-25)

Lewis Augustine Horton — Victoria Cross

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Service Profile

Branch: U.S. Navy
Rank: Seaman
Service Era: American Civil War
Medals Recorded: 1

Lewis Augustine Horton

Seaman, U.S. Navy

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American Civil War

Awards & Decorations

Medal of Honor 1862–1912 Navy

Ribbon Rack

Biography

Rowed into a raging gale to pull Monitor's crew from the sea!

Lewis A. Horton earned the Medal of Honor not in a gun battle but in a night rescue after USS Monitor foundered off Cape Hatteras. Horton was a seaman serving aboard USS Rhode Island.

On December 30, 1862, Rhode Island was assisting the ironclad Monitor in heavy seas when Monitor sank. Horton joined a small-boat crew that repeatedly went into dangerous water to rescue Monitor's officers and sailors. After several men had been saved, the rescue boat became separated from Rhode Island in the gale and spent hours at sea before being picked up by a schooner far east of Cape Hatteras.

Medal of Honor Citation (condensed): Courageously participated in the rescue of the officers and crew of the sinking USS Monitor in violent seas off Cape Hatteras.

Horton was born in Massachusetts on May 26, 1842. He survived the war and died in Boston on June 8, 1916. He was buried in Forest Hills Cemetery.

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