Oscar E. Peck

The Powder Boy Who Stood Fast as His Ship Sank

Oscar E. Peck (c. 1847–1848 – October 23, 1906) was a United States Navy sailor and Medal of Honor recipient who distinguished himself during the American Civil War. Serving as a second-class boy aboard the USS Varuna, he displayed exceptional courage during the Battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip on April 24, 1862. As Confederate warships repeatedly attacked and rammed his vessel, Peck continued carrying out his duties as a powder boy for one of its naval guns. His conduct during the engagement earned him the Medal of Honor in 1863.

Peck was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in the late 1840s. Historical records differ on his precise birth date, but they consistently identify Bridgeport as his birthplace. He was still a young teenager when he entered naval service during the opening year of the Civil War.

On January 24, 1862, Peck enlisted in the United States Navy in New York City. He entered service at a time when the Union Navy was expanding its fleet and recruiting sailors to support the blockade of Confederate ports and military operations along the southern coastline.

Peck held the enlisted rating of second-class boy, a designation used by the nineteenth-century Navy for younger sailors. Despite his youth, he was assigned duties aboard an armed warship operating in an active combat environment.

His ship, the USS Varuna, was a screw gunboat commanded by Commander Charles Stuart Boggs. The vessel joined the West Gulf Blockading Squadron in March 1862 as Union naval forces prepared for an offensive against New Orleans, Louisiana.

The operation was led by Flag Officer David Glasgow Farragut, whose squadron was ordered to advance up the Mississippi River and capture New Orleans, one of the Confederacy's most important ports.

Confederate defenses protecting the approaches to the city included Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip, positioned on opposite sides of the Mississippi River. Their artillery batteries controlled a narrow section of the waterway through which Farragut's vessels would have to pass.

The Confederate defenders also maintained armed steamers and other vessels capable of attacking Union warships attempting to move upriver.

Peck served aboard the Varuna as a powder boy assigned to its after rifle, a rifled naval gun positioned toward the rear of the vessel. His responsibilities included supplying gunpowder to the gun crew so that the weapon could continue firing during an engagement.

The work required him to perform his duties near the ship's artillery while remaining exposed to the hazards of naval combat. A functioning powder supply was essential to maintaining the gun's rate of fire, particularly during engagements fought at close range.

During the early hours of April 24, 1862, Farragut's squadron advanced past Forts Jackson and St. Philip. Confederate artillery opened fire as the Union ships moved through the defended section of the river.

The Varuna passed the forts and continued upriver, where it encountered Confederate armed vessels attempting to prevent the Union fleet from advancing toward New Orleans.

Among its opponents was the Confederate steamer CSS Governor Moore, a vessel converted for military service and commanded by Lieutenant Beverly Kennon. The two warships engaged at extremely close range.

The Governor Moore attacked the Varuna with gunfire and rammed it twice. The impacts damaged the Union vessel, but its crew continued fighting.

During the engagement, the Confederate ship's guns could not be depressed sufficiently to fire directly at the Varuna because the vessels were so close together. The Confederate crew responded by firing through the bow of its own ship to create an opening through which its guns could engage the Union warship.

Despite the damage it had sustained, the Varuna continued delivering artillery fire against its opponent.

The fighting became more dangerous when another Confederate vessel, the CSS Stonewall Jackson, joined the attack. The ram struck the Varuna, inflicting further damage to its hull.

The Stonewall Jackson struck again, worsening the flooding and leaving the Union gunboat in a sinking condition.

Throughout the encounter, Peck continued performing his assigned duties at the after rifle. His responsibilities required him to support the gun crew while the ship was under attack and suffering repeated damage.

The Varuna's artillery remained active during the close-range fighting. Even after being badly damaged, the Union vessel fired shells into portions of the Confederate ram that were not protected by its armor.

As water entered the ship, the crew faced the growing danger that the vessel could no longer remain afloat. Commander Boggs eventually ran the Varuna aground to prevent it from sinking in deeper water.

The gunboat was lost, but its crew had maintained resistance against the Confederate vessels until the damage made further action impossible.

Peck survived the engagement. His performance attracted particular attention from Commander Boggs, who subsequently submitted an official report describing the conduct of the sailors under his command.

In that report, Boggs specifically praised Peck's composure and bravery while carrying powder for the after rifle. He considered the young sailor's conduct worthy of special recognition and suggested that an appointment to the Naval School would be an appropriate reward.

Boggs's commendation was later reported in the press, including an article published in The New York Times in September 1862. The account preserved contemporary recognition of Peck's conduct rather than relying solely on later descriptions of the battle.

The naval operation against New Orleans continued after the loss of the Varuna. Farragut's fleet successfully passed the Confederate river defenses, and Union forces took possession of New Orleans during the following days.

Peck's conduct aboard the Varuna was formally recognized by the Navy Department through General Order No. 11, dated April 3, 1863. He received the Medal of Honor for his gallantry during the engagement on April 24, 1862.

His official citation identified him as a second-class boy serving as powder boy of the after rifle. It recognized his performance while the Varuna was repeatedly attacked, rammed, and eventually sunk during the close-range battle.

The award acknowledged the actions of a young enlisted sailor whose contribution to the ship's defense consisted of faithfully carrying out an essential and dangerous duty under enemy fire.

The surviving historical record provides comparatively little information about Peck's subsequent naval assignments or civilian employment. Although his wartime service and Medal of Honor are well documented, the details of his later career have not been established with the same certainty.

Peck eventually lived in Connecticut, maintaining his connection with the state where he had been born and where his military service was officially accredited.

Oscar E. Peck died on October 23, 1906, in the Noroton Heights area of Connecticut. He was buried in the veterans' section of Spring Grove Cemetery in Darien, Connecticut.

His grave is identified in Row A, Grave 56. In 2012, a commemorative marker honoring his Medal of Honor service was dedicated at Spring Grove Cemetery, providing a further public reminder of his wartime distinction.

Peck's documented military achievement remains his conduct aboard the USS Varuna during the attack on Forts Jackson and St. Philip. His Medal of Honor and Commander Boggs's contemporary commendation preserve the actions of a young Navy sailor who continued supplying a naval gun during a fierce engagement, even as repeated Confederate attacks left his ship fatally damaged.