American Civil Was Medal of Honor Recipient. He received the award on board the USS Essex on August 11, 1863, for his actions as a seaman and gun captain with the USS Vanura on April 24, 1862, at Fort Jackson and St, Phillip, Louisiana. An English immigrant, at age 14 he served as a cabin boy on ships in the Atlantic Ocean and eventually found his way to the US state of New York, and enlisted in the US Navy in 1861, and was assigned to the gunboat steamer USS Varuna. On that day, the Varuna participated in a Union attack on Forts Jackson and St. Phillip near New Orleans, Louisiana, and during this action, the ship was rammed twice by the Confederate steamer CSS Grover Moore (formerly known as the Charles Morgan) and eventually sunk. He continued to operate his gun throughout the close-range fight, despite intense Confederate fire. In 1864, he was discharged at the rank of chief quartermaster and relocated to Jones, Michigan, where be became a farmer. He died of heart disease around the age of 53. His Medal of Honor citation reads: "Served as captain of a gun on board the U.S.S. Varuna during an attack on Forts Jackson and St. Philip and while under fire and ramming by the rebel ship Morgan, 24 April 1862. During this action at extremely close range while his ship was under furious fire and was twice rammed by the rebel ship Morgan, Bourne remained steadfast at his gun and was instrumental in inflicting damage on the enemy until the Varuna, badly damaged and forced to beach, was finally sunk."
American Civil Was Medal of Honor Recipient. He received the award on board the USS Essex on August 11, 1863, for his actions as a seaman and gun captain with the USS Vanura on April 24, 1862, at Fort Jackson and St, Phillip, Louisiana. An English immigrant, at age 14 he served as a cabin boy on ships in the Atlantic Ocean and eventually found his way to the US state of New York, and enlisted in the US Navy in 1861, and was assigned to the gunboat steamer USS Varuna. On that day, the Varuna participated in a Union attack on Forts Jackson and St. Phillip near New Orleans, Louisiana, and during this action, the ship was rammed twice by the Confederate steamer CSS Grover Moore (formerly known as the Charles Morgan) and eventually sunk. He continued to operate his gun throughout the close-range fight, despite intense Confederate fire. In 1864, he was discharged at the rank of chief quartermaster and relocated to Jones, Michigan, where be became a farmer. He died of heart disease around the age of 53. His Medal of Honor citation reads: "Served as captain of a gun on board the U.S.S. Varuna during an attack on Forts Jackson and St. Philip and while under fire and ramming by the rebel ship Morgan, 24 April 1862. During this action at extremely close range while his ship was under furious fire and was twice rammed by the rebel ship Morgan, Bourne remained steadfast at his gun and was instrumental in inflicting damage on the enemy until the Varuna, badly damaged and forced to beach, was finally sunk."
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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