Bartlett Laffey

Infobox Military Person
name= Bartlett Laffey
born= 1841
died= March 22 death year and age|1901|1841
placeofbirth= Ireland
placeofdeath= Chelsea, Massachusetts
placeofburial=


caption=
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America
branch= United States Navy
serviceyears=
rank=
commands=
unit= USS "Marmora"
battles= American Civil War
awards= Medal of Honor
laterwork=

Bartlett Laffey (1841–March 22, 1901) was an Irish-born US Navy seaman and US Medal of Honor recipient.

Biography

Born in Ireland, he enlisted in the United States Navy March 17, 1862 and was assigned to stern wheel gunboat "Marmora".

On March 5, 1864, the Confederates launched a heavy attack on Union positions at Yazoo City, Mississippi. In the midst of heated battle Laffey landed a 12-pound howitzer and her crew. Despite enemy rifle fire which cut up the gun carriage and severed the rammer, Laffey bravely stood by his gun and contributed greatly to turning back the flerce Confederate assault. Seaman Laffey was awarded the Medal of Honor for his courageous stand. He died at Chelsea, Massachusetts, March 22, 1901.

Namesakes

Two ships in the United States Navy have been given their name in honor of Bartlett Laffey.

His granddaughter, Miss Eleanor Forgerty, christened the first USS Laffey in 1941. The first was USS Laffey (DD-459), a Benson-class destroyer. This ship was lost during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942. The second ship was USS Laffey (DD-724), an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer. This second ship was built in 1943 and served at least into 1968. She was laid down less than a year after the loss of the first Laffey and named for that ship, as much as for Seaman Laffey.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1841, Ireland. Accredited to: Massachusetts. G.O. No.: 32, April 16, 1864.

Citation.

:Off Yazoo City, Miss., March 5, 1864, embarking from the Marmora with a 12-pound howitzer mounted on a field carriage, Laffey landed with the gun and crew in the midst of heated battle and, bravely standing by his gun despite enemy rifle fire which cut the gun carriage and rammer, contributed to the turning back of the enemy during the fierce engagement.cite web
accessdate=2007-12-06
url = http://www.army.mil/cmh/html/moh/civwaral.html
title = Bartlett Laffey, Medal of Honor recipient
work = American Civil War (A-L)
publisher Army Medal of Honor website
date = July 16, 2007]

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*

Notes

References

:DANFS
*findagrave|8199404 Retrieved on 2007-12-06
*cite web
accessdate=2007-12-06
url = http://www.army.mil/cmh/html/moh/civwaral.html
title = Bartlett Laffey, Medal of Honor recipient
work = American Civil War (A-L)
publisher Army Medal of Honor website
date = July 16, 2007
*cite web
accessdate=2007-12-06
url=http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citations_1862_cwh/laffey.html
title=Medal Of Honor Citation for Bartlett Laffey
publisher=HomeofHeroes.com
publisher=C. Douglas Sterner
date=
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/l1/laffey-ii.htm history.navy.mil: USS "Laffey"]

Persondata
NAME= Laffey, Bartlett
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Navy Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=