Very little is known about Charles, a man that was born in New York City in 1849 and enlisted in the Marine Corps in June of 1870 in Hong Kong. We know that he started aboard the USS Ashuelot and that his actions on the 11th of June, 1871 that would earn him the Medal of Honor. The citation reads:

On board the USS Colorado in action against a Korean fort on 11 June 1871. Assisted in capturing the Korean standard in the center of the Citadel of the Korean Fort, June 11, 1871.

We also know that Charles' Medal of Honor was approved on the 8th of February, 1872 but that he never received it since he deserted the Marine Corps just four months after his actions. There are no additional records for Charles Brown.