Career
Born in 1857 in New York, New York, Mitchell joined the Navy from that state. By November 17, 1879, he was serving as a landsman on the United States Ship Richmond at Shanghai, China. On that day, he rescued a shipmate, First Class Boy M. F. Caulan, from drowning.
Mitchell left the Navy while still a landsman.
He died on July 18, 1942, at age 84 or 85 and was buried at Long Island National Cemetery in Suffolk County, New New York