William Martin

William Martin kept his gun in action aboard USS Varuna as the ship fought through the Confederate defenses below New Orleans and was repeatedly rammed before finally sinking.

Martin served as a seaman aboard USS Varuna during the passage of Forts Jackson and St. Philip on 24 April 1862. As a gun captain he continued fighting at close range while Varuna exchanged fire with Confederate vessels. Even after the ship was rammed, her crew kept the guns working until Varuna had to be run ashore and sank.

Medal of Honor Citation (condensed): Aboard USS Varuna below New Orleans, Martin served his gun with determination during close combat and continued fighting after the ship was rammed and fatally damaged.

Authoritative historical listings disagree on whether Martin was born in New York or Ireland, so the biography does not choose between them. His later life and death are not reliably established in the reviewed sources.

The source rack used the Army campaign entry. His proposed rack is the Medal of Honor and the Navy Civil War Campaign Medal. No device is supported.