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Carolina. Private
Gifford volunteered as a member of a boat crew which went to the rescue of a large number of Union soldiers on board the stranded steamer Boston and with great gallantry assisted in conveying them to shore, being exposed during the entire time to a heavy fire from a Confederate battery.
574:
The
President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Private David L. Gifford, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 24 May 1864, while serving with Company B, 4th Massachusetts Cavalry, in action at Ashepoo River, South
274:
Three years after taking out his protection papers, at the age of nineteen, Gifford enlisted with the Four
Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Cavalry, Company B. Under Major David B. Keith. The company was newly raised and composed mostly of New Bedford area men. Giffords father, who was often on the
450:- Fanny Wordsworth, who met with Gifford's wife, Eleanor J. Gifford, who had accompanied him on the voyage. According to Wordsworth, the previous night she had had a premonition and had seen Eleanor Gifford's face in a dream. The ship was too crowded, however, and Gifford transferred twenty of the
445:
was travelling from London to New
Zealand when it ran aground on a volcanic island. 45 of the 89 passengers and crew had died before Gifford arrived. He had noticed the ship's passengers' signal and ferried the stranded passengers to the ship over the course of two days. The first day, he ordered
373:
were leaping off of the ship to escape rebel fire. Once they boarded the rescue craft the
Confederates switched to that ship as their principal target. The boat, which could only carry thirty men per load, was peppered with fire. They lost several soldiers onboard and came close to floundering
285:
on April 1, 1864, where they were assigned to the department of the South headquartered there. In
Giffords company was also John H. Ricketson, a clerk from Dartmouth who had transferred from Company F 3rd MV Infantry. Giffords company was organized and sent to the front following
392:
until May 1, 1865. While serving on the vessel he participated in expeditions into Simon's Sound, Georgia. The ship penetrated around 40 miles inland and destroyed salt works, liberated slaves, and burned 1,300 pounds of sea-island cotton. In April 1865 the
261:
David Lewis
Gifford was born to Mercy Kendrick and David Gifford in a farmhouse at the head of the Apponagansett River. He lost two of his siblings within a few weeks, however his sister Amy survived to adulthood. When Gifford was 16 he took out his
1021:
History of the Humane society of the commonwealth of
Massachusetts: with a selected list of premiums awarded by the trustees, from its commencement to the present time, and a list of the members and officers./ Prepared by direction of the
275:
Dartmouth militia rolls, died of heart disease a month after
Gifford enlisted. Gifford signed his enlistment paper on November 3, 1863. On March 20, 1864, his unit sailed out of Boston aboard the steamer
830:
Journal of the China (Bark) and Ohio II (Bark) out of New
Bedford, MA, mastered by David Lewis Gifford and Frederick Howland Smith and kept by Frank E. Gifford, on whaling voyages between 1872 and 1876
585:
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as sharpshooters. However, once they boarded the boat the Confederate artillery resumed fire and the gunboats captain refused to go any further. Brush took the only small boat available from the
1327:
542:
called out Gifford as giving him assistance during the expedition. However, differing opinions on ship discipline required Schley to discharge Gifford after returning to the United States.
290:
calls for 200,000 men on February 1 and March 14, 1864, along with the 5th cavalry regiment and 3 light battalions, 5 regiments, and 9 infantry companies - all from Massachusetts.
1337:
557:. Where he was honored with a marker. He was additionally honored with a statue outside the Dartmouth Middle School, a project spearheaded by Dartmouth natives Doris Copley, and
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Ice Masters Francis Ash, J. W. Norman, and David L. Gifford gave me much assistance in discharging their duties; the two former came more immediately under my observation.
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for the rescue. He was also honored by the Massachusetts Humane Society with a silver medal. He was also awarded a silver cup. He was partially reimbursed by the
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266:, indicating he was about to go to sea. This may have been influenced by the fact that his neighbors - the Wings - were well known in the whaling industry.
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on September 18, 1844, and joined the Army in December 1863. He was transferred to the Navy in June 1864, and was discharged with the rank of
970:
385:
Following his heroics at the Ashepoo River, Gifford transferred from the cavalry to the Navy on June 8, 1864. He would serve aboard the
214:
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309:. Under orders to follow a smaller ship down the Ashepoo River, the ship missed its turn off of the Ashepoo and became stuck on a
221:, South Carolina. His Medal of Honor was issued on January 21, 1897. He received his Medal of Honor following the steamer the USS
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to the south side of the river they set fire and burned the steamer to the ground. All five men involved in the rescuereceived
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left Hilton Head, South Carolina. The ship carried 300 men, and 80 horses and was part of a larger plan to cut off
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1063:"Nineteenth century commercial shipping losses in the northern Bering Sea, Chukchi Sea, and Beaufort Sea"
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313:. By one in the morning the Confederate Military in the area had congregated at Chapmans Fort with heavy
209:. He was awarded the Medal of Honor, for extraordinary heroism shown on May 24, 1864, while serving as a
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369:- to safety. Each of the men took a pair of oars and made their way to the sunken ship. Soldiers on the
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765:"Warwick man makes sure New Bedford Civil War hero's Medal of Honor finds a home in the Whaling City"
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was trapped directly in front of the Confederate fort and was practically indefensible. two rebel
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had also sunk nearby. Gifford then travelled south to Point Belcher, where he transferred to the
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1149:
Report of Winfield S. Schley, Commander, U.S. Navy, Commanding Greely Relief Expedition of 1884
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was sent north, Gifford left the ships crew and from May 2 to June 17, 1865, he served on the
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boarded a gunboat with 25 armed men from the 4th Massachusetts Cavalry Regiment to assist the
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1098:"THE STORY OF CAPT. GIFFORD.; WHAT HE WAS TOLD BY AN INDIAN OF A VESSEL CRUSHED IN THE ICE"
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had arrived 48 hours earlier. Gifford conveyed the information he had learned about the
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Gifford immediately volunteered, along with his two closest friends in the military,
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Earlier in the voyage, Gifford had picked up 30 passengers from a derelict ship,.
1130:
Index to Rendezvous Reports, Before and After the Civil War, 1846-1861, 1865-1884
478:
1262:
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927:"The Strathmore: Letter from Mrs. Wordsworth, the Lady who Survived the Wreck"
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In 1884, Gifford reenlisted in the navy and participated in the rescue of the
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401:, from June 18 to August 14, 1865, he served aboard the 1,150 ton steamship
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and asked for four volunteers to help rescue the soldiers on board the ship
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16:
American soldier and whaler, recipient of the Medal of Honor (1844–1904)
971:"MERCANTILE MARINE—THE "STRATHMORE."—QUESTION. (Hansard, 22 June 1876)"
1041:
Gundagai Times and Tumut, Adelong and Murrumbidgee District Advertiser
719:
Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors and Marines in the Civil War, Vol VIII
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that the only woman who survived the shipwreck be brought aboard the
226:
708:
Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors and Marines in the Civil War, Vol VI
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to the Russian ship, before returning home to the New Bedford area.
237:- manned a small boat and ferried stranded soldiers to a safe area.
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On July 1, 1875, Gifford was the captain on a whaling ship, the
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several times. After getting all the soldiers safely from the
1018:
Massachusetts, Humane Society of the Commonwealth of (2005).
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and artillery fire the five men ferried the men on board the
515:
R. B. Handy of San Francisco. On that ship he went south to
734:. New Bedford, MA: Command Print Solutions. pp. 66–67.
293:
On 24 May 1864, the United States paddle-wheel steamer USS
492:, Alaska. The ship was crushed by ice and sank. After the
586:
List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients: G–L
357:. All from the New Bedford area. Under heavy Confederate
205:
who received the U.S. military's highest decoration, the
816:. New Bedford, MA: Command Print Solutions. p. 81.
553:
Gifford was buried at the South Dartmouth Cemetery in
747:"Civil War Medal of Honor winners finally recognized"
545:
Gifford died at the age of 59, on January 13, 1904.
1343:
American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor
851:"Civil War hero receives marker for Medal of Honor"
175:
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954:Petticoat Whalers: Whaling Wives at Sea, 1820–1920
423:that saved the lives of several passengers on the
82:South Dartmouth Cemetery, Dartmouth, Massachusetts
1328:People of Massachusetts in the American Civil War
995:"Mauritius Medal, 1875 | Royal Museums Greenwich"
484:In mid July 1881 Gifford was shipwrecked on the
572:
561:. His heroics were also the subject of a local
329:with over one hundred shots. U.S. Army 1st Lt.
233:artillery. Gifford and four other men - led by
814:Three Hundred and Fifty-Five Men for the Union
732:Three Hundred and Fifty-Five Men for the Union
197:(September 18, 1844 – January 13, 1904) was a
1297:United States Army Center of Military History
609:United States Army Center of Military History
8:
1338:United States Army Medal of Honor recipients
931:Littell's Living Age, Volume 131, Issue 1687
538:. In his report on the rescue, Rear Admiral
367:34th United States Colored Infantry Regiment
229:, leaving 400 individuals within range of
29:
18:
1184:Massachusetts Civil War Monuments Project
689:Massachusetts Civil War Monuments Project
35:Medal of Honor winner David Lewis Gifford
1267:Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients
500:who informed him that another ship, the
596:
878:"Wreck Of The Ship Strathmore | NZETC"
789:"American Civil War Research Database"
461:He was later honored by the people of
1071:The Northern Mariner/Le marin du nord
965:
963:
947:
945:
872:
870:
844:
842:
840:
481:government awarded him a gold watch.
7:
1348:People from Dartmouth, Massachusetts
638:Congressional Medal of Honor Society
1239:from the original on 12 August 2014
1229:"Valor awards for David L. Gifford"
659:"Valor awards for David L. Gifford"
215:4th Massachusetts Volunteer Cavalry
160:4th Massachusetts Volunteer Cavalry
1295:from websites or documents of the
532:Lady Franklin Bay Polar Expedition
14:
1203:Timberlake, Tom (26 April 2005).
1061:Bockstoce, John R. (April 2006).
882:Victoria University of Wellington
812:Glennon, Beverly (October 2004).
730:Glennon, Beverly (October 2004).
416:from June 1872 until April 1874.
1291: This article incorporates
1286:
471:Parliament of the United Kingdom
180:
152:
665:from the original on 2014-08-12
473:with a plate worth £21, led by
412:Gifford was the captain of the
1178:Browne, Patrick (2019-01-28).
745:Lauderdale, David (May 2017).
683:Browne, Patrick (2019-01-28).
511:He changed ship again, to the
408:Postwar voyages and adventures
1:
1233:Military Times, Hall of Valor
1205:"Memorial efforts recognized"
496:sank, Gifford talked with an
429:, which had run aground near
833:. Providence Public Library.
517:Saint Lawrence Bay, Chukotka
605:"Medal of Honor Recipients"
283:Hilton Head, South Carolina
1369:
1209:New Bedford Standard-Times
1154:Government Printing Office
855:New Bedford Standard-Times
827:Gifford, Frank E. (1876).
307:Charleston, South Carolina
519:, where the Russian ship
281:. The steamer arrived at
28:
1323:Burials in Massachusetts
1132:. The National Archives.
559:Beverly Morrison Glennon
555:Dartmouth, Massachusetts
534:as an ice master on the
252:Dartmouth, Massachusetts
92:United States of America
73:Dartmouth, Massachusetts
569:Medal of Honor citation
331:George Washington Brush
1293:public domain material
769:The Providence Journal
577:
225:running aground on an
1263:"David Lewis Gifford"
952:Druett, Joan (1991).
902:"Tell me a Shipwreck"
540:Winfield Scott Schley
301:railroads connecting
122:Years of service
793:www.civilwardata.com
488:five miles south of
250:Gifford was born in
1333:Union Army soldiers
1156:. pp. 19, 74.
1144:Schley, Winfield S.
635:"GIFFORD, DAVID L."
288:President Lincoln's
195:David Lewis Gifford
1353:Union Navy sailors
1102:The New York Times
956:. pp. 99–100.
477:Additionally, the
454:passengers to the
278:Western Metropolis
203:American Civil War
170:American Civil War
127:1864 – 1865 (Navy)
125:1863 – 1864 (Army)
112:United States Navy
104:United States Army
51:September 18, 1844
1037:"Multun in Parco"
975:api.parliament.uk
751:The Island Packet
475:Charles Adderley.
303:Savannah, Georgia
270:Civil war service
264:protection papers
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380:Medals of Honor
355:Patrick Scanlan
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256:ordinary seaman
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421:Young Phoenix,
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375:
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362:
359:sharpshooter
342:
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294:
292:
277:
273:
260:
249:
222:
194:
193:
166:Battles/wars
69:(1904-01-13)
1318:1904 deaths
1313:1844 births
1180:"Dartmouth"
1162:unk82099977
685:"Dartmouth"
479:New Zealand
351:John Duffey
299:Confederate
231:Confederate
158:Company B,
1307:Categories
1214:2023-02-28
1189:2022-06-27
1115:2023-08-30
1047:2023-08-21
1004:2023-08-21
980:2023-08-21
936:2023-09-05
912:2023-08-27
906:ABC listen
887:2023-08-22
860:2022-06-27
798:2023-09-01
774:2023-08-31
694:2022-07-24
669:2022-07-24
591:References
443:Strathmore
431:Madagascar
426:Strathmore
395:Braziliera
389:Braziliera
246:Early life
227:Oyster bed
199:Union Army
116:Union Navy
108:Union Army
88:Allegiance
47:1844-09-18
1276:11 August
1243:11 August
1110:0362-4331
1084:2561-5467
1078:(2): 64.
643:11 August
619:11 August
536:HMS Alert
465:with the
463:Mauritius
399:Princeton
315:artillery
54:Dartmouth
1237:Archived
1146:(1887).
1022:trustees
663:Archived
580:See also
525:Jeanette
521:Strelock
513:schooner
503:Jeanette
363:Boston -
325:hit the
98:Service/
437:in the
433:on the
311:sandbar
211:Private
136:Private
1160:
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549:Legacy
509:Coral.
441:. The
376:Boston
371:Boston
349:, and
339:Boston
335:Boston
327:Boston
319:Boston
317:. The
295:Boston
223:Boston
176:Awards
143:(Navy)
138:(Army)
100:branch
78:Buried
1080:eISSN
1066:(PDF)
498:Inuit
414:China
217:, at
1278:2014
1245:2014
1158:LCCN
1106:ISSN
645:2014
621:2014
387:USS
241:Life
148:Unit
132:Rank
64:Died
41:Born
305:to
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