Thomas Hayes
Born: 1840 at Rhode Island, Rhode Island
Home Town: Rhode Island
Status:
War Department, General Orders No. 45 (December 31, 1864)
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Coxswain Thomas Hayes, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in action, serving as Captain of No. 1 gun on board the U.S.S. Richmond during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, Alabama, 5 August 1864. Cool and courageous at his station throughout the prolonged action, Coxswain Hayes maintained fire from his gun on Fort Morgan and on ships of the Confederacy despite extremely heavy return fire.