James Avery

On episode three hundred and thirty-one, the story of James Avery is told. All stories in July and August will be recipients from the American Civil War Be sure to visit our website for more information as the show goes on at: www.talesofhonorpodcast.com. Thanks for listening and be sure to share with friends and family!

James was born in Scotland in 1825 and when he joined the US Navy, he was living in New York. It was his actions as a Seaman during a rescue mission that would earn him the Medal of Honor. The citation reads:

Served on board the U.S.S. Metacomet. As a member of the boat's crew which went to the rescue of the U.S. monitor Tecumseh when that vessel was struck by a torpedo in passing the enemy forts in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864, S/man Avery braved the enemy fire which was said by the admiral David Farragut to be "one of the most galling" he had ever seen, and aided in rescuing from death 10 of the crew of the Tecumseh, eliciting the admiration of both friend and foe.

James received the Medal of Honor seventeen months later on the 15th of January, 1866, along with five other members of his crew. He continued to serve in the Navy and many years later when he was a cook, the Captain discovered that he was a Medal of Honor recipient. When confronted about this, James responded by saying:

That can tell you more about it than I can. I did like the rest of the men that day, and I never expected anything more than my pay and rations. We tried to do our duty, and when we saw the men in the other ship being shot down and some drowning, we could only try to help them. God knows it was hard to see them being murdered without much chance for escape.

James Avery died in Norfolk, Virginia on the 11th of October, 1898, and he is buried in the Captain Ted Conaway Memorial Naval Cemetery in Portsmouth, Virginia: Plot 3-6-12.