U.S. NAVY
UNIT: U.S.S. METACOMET
DATE OF BIRTH: 1825
PLACE OF BIRTH: Scotland
DATE OF DEATH: 11 OCT 1898
PLACE OF DEATH: Norfolk, Virginia
BURIAL: Captain Ted Conaway Memorial Navy Cemetery, Portsmouth, Virginia
NOTEWORTHY FACTS: Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service during the U.S. Civil War at Mobile Bay Alabama on 5 AUG 1864.
CITATION: Served on board the U.S.S. Metacomet. As a member of the boat’s crew which went to the rescue of the U.S. Monitor Tecumseh when that vessel was struck by a torpedo in passing the enemy forts in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864, Seaman Avery braved the enemy fire which was said by the admiral to be “one of the most galling” he had ever seen, and aided in rescuing from death 10 of the crew of the Tecumseh, eliciting the admiration of both friend and foe.