Career
Born in County Galway, Ireland, he enlisted in the United States Navy from Massachusetts on March 17, 1862 and was assigned to stern wheel gunboat United States Ship 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 fierce Confederate assault.
Two of his shipmates, Seaman James Stoddard and Seaman William J. Franks, were also awarded the medal for being on the gun crew. He died at Chelsea, Massachusetts, on March 22, 1901.
Two ships in the United States Navy have been given their name in honor of Bartlett Laffey. This ship was lost during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942.
The second ship was United States Ship Laffey (Doctor of Divinity-724), an Allen M. Sumner class destroyer which was built in 1943 and served until 1975.
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. The second United States Ship Laffey is now preserved as a museum ship and is registered as a National Historic Landmark.