Morrison was born in Ireland[1][2] and came to the United States in 1855. Enlisting in the 30th New York Infantry[3] at Lansingburgh, New York, 24 April 1861, he volunteered for service on gunboatUSS Carondelet on 15 February 1862. He was appointed coxswain. He later received the Medal of Honor for exceptional bravery during an engagement on 15 July 1862, with ConfederateramCSS Arkansas in the Yazoo River. He was an inspiring example to the crew during Carondelet's unsuccessful attempt to halt the ironclad ram's progress through the Union blockade to the Mississippi River.
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Coxswain Morrison was discharged from the Navy on 31 March 1863. In September 1864, he enlisted at Troy, New York in the 21st New York Cavalry Regiment, mustered in as a private, and mustered out in May 1865 at Bladensburg, Maryland.[4]
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and Organization:
Rank and organization: Coxswain, U.S. Navy. Entered service at: Lansingburgh, N.Y. Born: 3 November 1842, Ireland G.O. No.: 59, 22 June 1865.
Citation:
Serving as coxswain on board the USS Carondelet, Morrison was commended for meritorious conduct in general and especially for his heroic conduct and his inspiring example to the crew in the engagement with the rebel ram Arkansas, Yazoo River, 15 July 1862. When the Carondelet was badly cut up, several of her crew killed, many wounded and others almost suffocated from the effects of escaped steam, Morrison was the leader when boarders were called on deck, and the first to return to the guns and give the ram a broadside as she passed. His presence of mind in time of battle or trial is reported as always conspicuous and encouraging.[5]
^Two different dates of birth are found in available references. The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships brief biographical sketch gives a birth date of 13 July 1838. Online references containing Morrison's Medal of Honor citation give his date of birth as 3 November 1842.
^Morrison's journal states that he turned 24 on July 13, 1862.
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