William R. Pelham was a Union Navy sailor during the American Civil War and a recipient of the United States military"s highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions at the Battle of Mobile Bay.
Career
Pelham enlisted in the Navy from either Nova Scotia or New York City and took part in the Civil War as a Landsman on Rear Admiral David Farragut"s flagship, the United States Ship Hartford. On August 5, 1864, the Hartford participated in the Battle of Mobile Bay, Alabama. Pelham died at age 85 or 87 and was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery, Brooklyn, New New York
Membership
When the other members of his guncrew were killed or wounded under the enemy"s terrific shellfire, Pelham calmly assisted the casualties below and voluntarily returned and took his place at an adjoining gun where another man had been struck down.