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Rank and organization: Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1837, England. Accredited
to: Virginia. G.O. No.: 45, 31 December 1864. Citation: Roberts served
on board the U.S.S. Agawan, as one of a volunteer crew of a powder boat
which was exploded near Fort Fisher, 23 December 1864. The powder boat,
towed in by the Wilderness to prevent detection by the enemy, cast off
and slowly steamed to within 300 yards of the beach. After fuses and fires
had been lit and a second anchor with short scope let go to assure the
boat's tailing inshore, the crew again boarded the Wilderness and proceeded
a distance of 12 miles from shore. Less than 2 hours later the explosion
took place and the following day fires were observed still burning at the
fort.
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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