Robert N. Anderson

He Shielded His Captain as Iron Tore Through the Wheelhouse

Robert Anderson was born in Ireland in 1843 and later entered the United States Navy, serving the Union during the American Civil War. His naval career placed him aboard vessels operating along the Confederate coastline at a time when the Navy was tightening the blockade and supporting attacks against heavily defended Southern ports.

Anderson served as a quartermaster aboard USS Crusader, a Union screw steamer assigned to blockade and coastal operations. His official recognition later praised the skill, courage, and devotion he displayed during the various actions in which Crusader participated. The ship operated along the South Carolina coast and in surrounding waters, taking part in expeditions against Confederate positions and vessels.

He subsequently served aboard USS Keokuk, one of the Union Navy's experimental ironclads. By the spring of 1863, Keokuk had joined Rear Admiral Samuel Francis Du Pont's force preparing to attack the formidable Confederate defenses surrounding Charleston Harbor.

On April 7, 1863, the Union ironclad squadron moved against Charleston. Fort Sumter, Fort Moultrie, and other Confederate batteries opened an intense bombardment as the vessels attempted to force their way through the harbor defenses. Keokuk advanced to within roughly 600 yards of Fort Sumter and became a concentrated target for Confederate artillery.

Anderson was stationed at Keokuk's wheel during the attack. As enemy fire repeatedly struck the ironclad, a projectile penetrated the wheelhouse and sent fragments of iron through the confined space. In the instant of danger, Anderson attempted to place his own body between the flying fragments and his commanding officer, using himself as a shield.

Keokuk endured extraordinary punishment during the engagement, receiving dozens of hits in a matter of minutes. Many penetrated at or near the waterline. The damaged ironclad managed to withdraw from the immediate range of the Confederate batteries, but her crew could not overcome the flooding. She sank off Morris Island the following morning.

Anderson's courage during the Charleston attack, together with his consistently distinguished conduct aboard USS Crusader, brought him national recognition. His Medal of Honor was authorized under General Order No. 17 on July 10, 1863. The decoration recognized both the devotion he had demonstrated during earlier naval operations and his extraordinary action aboard Keokuk when he exposed himself to protect his commanding officer.

His conduct and naval service also brought professional advancement. Anderson later reached the position of Acting Master's Mate, the highest verified rank associated with his wartime career.

Anderson's service during the Civil War also fell within the period later recognized by the Navy Civil War Campaign Medal. Established decades after the conflict, the medal commemorated qualifying naval service performed during the Civil War and represented the broader wartime service that had taken Anderson from operations aboard Crusader to the battle-scarred deck of Keokuk.

After the war, Anderson eventually made his home in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He died there on June 20, 1900, and was buried at Calvary Cemetery.

Robert Anderson's legacy rests most powerfully on the afternoon of April 7, 1863. Inside the wheelhouse of an ironclad being battered by Confederate artillery, he responded to a projectile tearing through the structure not by seeking protection for himself, but by attempting to shield his commanding officer with his own body. That instinctive act of courage, combined with his steadfast naval service, earned him the Medal of Honor.