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Rank and organization: Ordinary Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1839, New York,
N.Y. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 11, 3 April 1863. Citation: Cotton
served on board the U.S.S. Baron De Kalb in the Yazoo River expedition,
23 to 27 December 1862. Proceeding under orders up the Yazoo River, the
Baron De Kalb, with the object of capturing or destroying the enemy's transports,
came upon the steamers John Walsh, R. J. Locklan, Golden Age and the Scotland,
sunk on a bar where they were ordered to be burned. Continuing up the river,
the Baron De Kalb was fired upon but, upon returning the fire, caused the
enemy's retreat. Returning down the Yazoo, she destroyed and captured large
quantities of enemy equipment and several prisoners. Serving bravely throughout
this action, Cotton, as coxswain "distinguished himself in the various
actions."
This data was extracted from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, U.S. Senate, Medal of Honor Recipients: 1863-1973 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1973)
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