Lorenzo Denning (1843 - 1865)

Lorenzo Denning
Date of birth: September 6, 1843 at Granby, CT
Home of record: New Britain,
Entered Service in the US Navy from New Britain, CT
Status: POW
Landsman, U.S. Navy., US Picket Boat No. 1, 27 October 1864
Earned The Medal of Honor During the Civil War For heroism October 27, 1864 at Plymouth, NC
Died: February 08, 1865 at the age of 21

Lorenzo Denning died in a POW camp before presentation of his award.
Landsman Lorenzo Denning was one of seven members of the crew of the U.S. Picket Boat No. 1 awarded the Medal of Honor for personal courage in action against the Confederate ram Albemarle, which had resisted repeated attacks by our steamers and had kept a large force of vessels employed in watching her. The picket boat, equipped with a spar torpedo, succeeded in passing the enemy pickets within 20 yards without being discovered and then made for the Albemarle under a full head of steam. Immediately taken under fire by the ram, the small boat plunged on, jumped the log boom which encircled the target and exploded its torpedo under the port bow of the ram. The picket boat was destroyed by enemy fire and almost the entire crew taken prisoner or lost. Landsman Denning was killed in this action.

Medal of Honor Citation

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Landsman Lorenzo Denning, United States Connecticut Navy, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving on board the U.S. Picket Boat No. 1 in action near Plymouth, North Carolina, 27 October 1864, against the Confederate ram Albemarle which had resisted repeated attacks by our steamers and had kept a large force of vessels employed in watching her. The picket boat, equipped with a spar torpedo, succeeded in passing the enemy pickets within 20 yards without being discovered and then made for the Albemarle under a full head of steam. Immediately taken under fire by the ram, the small boat plunged on, jumped the log boom which encircled the target and exploded its torpedo under the port bow of the ram. The picket boat was destroyed by enemy fire and almost the entire crew taken prisoner or lost.