John Lawson
John Henry Lawson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1837, during a period marked by significant national tension over slavery and civil rights. As the Civil War erupted in 1861, Lawson joined the Union Navy, becoming one of nearly 200,000 African Americans who served during the conflict. He participated in the pivotal Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864, where he displayed remarkable bravery despite sustaining severe injuries. For his heroism, Lawson received the Congressional Medal of Honor, recognizing him as one of only four African American sailors honored for their courage during the war.
After the war, Lawson returned to Philadelphia and supported his family by working as a huckster. His legacy is significant not just for his individual valor, but also as part of a larger narrative of African American contributions to the Civil War and the ongoing struggle for civil rights. While African American sailors faced limitations in rank and recognition, their service was crucial in challenging discriminatory practices and advancing the movement for equality. Lawson's life and actions symbolize the broader efforts of countless African Americans who fought for liberation and justice during a transformative period in U.S. history. He passed away on May 3, 1919, and is buried in Mount Peace Cemetery in Camden, New Jersey.
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Subject Terms
John Lawson
- Born: June 16, 1837
- Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Died: May 3, 1919
- Place of death: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Sailor
Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service during the Civil War, Lawson was one of twenty-five African Americans honored for bravery. Seriously wounded during the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864, Lawson maintained his position until the rebel forces surrendered.
Area of achievement: Military
Early Life
John Henry Lawson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1837, a time of growing national tension. Pennsylvania passed legislation in 1780 permitting the eventual emancipation of slaves. While freedom was not immediate, the law demonstrated a shift and a growing division between the North and South—a precursor to the Civil War.
The Civil War began in 1861 and over a period of four years claimed the lives of more than 600,000 men. African Americans were permitted to join the Union forces on July 17, 1862, because of the efforts of prominent African Americans such as Frederick Douglass. The Emancipation Proclamation, issued on January 1, 1863, permitted the establishment of African American regiments. However, the bid for inclusion was not supported by all. Some African Americans could not see the purpose of fighting for a nation unwilling to ensure the freedom and rights of all.
Discrimination persisted in the armed forces. Despite the inequalities and dangers they faced, African American servicemen, such as Lawson, fought courageously for the liberation of African Americans throughout the nation. Nearly 200,000 African Americans served in the U.S. Army and Navy during the Civil War.
Life’s Work
Pennsylvania enlisted the second highest number of servicemen in the Civil War, among them more than eighty-five hundred African Americans. Lawson served in the Union Navy as a landsman. On August 5, 1864, he fought in a major naval battle, the Battle of Mobile Bay. Aboard the USS Hartford, Lawson was part of an eighteen-ship fleet set to capture the Confederate port. A major stronghold for the Confederacy, the port stored weapons, medicine, and other supplies to be shipped to the rebel forces.
The port was guarded by two forts (Fort Morgan and Fort Gaines), gunboats, torpedoes, mines, and the ironclad CSS Tennessee. Lawson, stationed on the gun deck with five others, fired at Fort Morgan as men—some wounded, some dead—fell around him. A shell struck the ship, killing the five other crewmen at his station. Lawson was severely wounded and instructed to go below deck to see a medic. Instead, he returned to his post and remained there until they cleared the fort. Most of the Confederate gunboats sank, and the Tennessee surrendered.
The Battle of Mobile Bay lasted from the early hours of the morning well into the night, at which point Lawson received medical treatment. His heroism was reported to the captain of the ship, David P. Farragut. Lawson was commended for his actions and received the Congressional Medal of Honor. He was among four African American sailors given this award for their bravery during the Civil War.
Lawson left the Navy and returned home, where he supported his family. He worked as a huckster. Hucksters sold small articles, often merchandise or produce, on the street. Lawson remained in the Philadelphia area until his death on May 3, 1919. He is buried at Mount Peace Cemetery in Camden, New Jersey.
Significance
It is believed that nearly ten thousand African Americans served in the Union Navy. Unlike their counterparts in the Army, African American sailors were generally welcomed members of the naval forces. Despite relatively equal pay, African American sailors could advance only to a certain level. They were within all ranks below the level of officers, and many previously had established careers at sea.
Primary sources, such as diaries and letters, provide the best records of the lives of African American servicemen in the Civil War. While few, like Lawson, were honored for their service, many more armed and unarmed men and women supported the Union forces. They supported as nurses, medics, cooks, and workers in camps and industries contributing to the Union war efforts.
The Union had at least forty-nine ships with African American crew members who were wounded, captured, or killed in battle. Lawson’s valor and recognition served as an impetus for change and as a reminder of the many African Americans whose efforts, noticed and unnoticed, helped to shift the economic, political, and social trajectory of the war-torn nation. African American servicemen participated in the liberation of and the freedom of all. While far from fully equal, participation in the armed services furthered a national movement of African American activism.
Bibliography
McPherson, James M. The Negro’s Civil War: How American Blacks Felt and Acted During the War for the Union. New York: Vintage, 2003. The experiences of African American Union servicemen, clergy, activists, intellectuals, and everyday people provide a glimpse into African American life during the Civil War era.
Quarles, Benjamin. The Negro in the Civil War. Boston: Little, Brown, 1969. An introduction to the roles of and the impact of African American servicemen in the Civil War.
Redkey, Edwin S., ed. A Grand Army of Black Men: Letters from African American Soldiers in the Union Army, 1861-1865. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1992. This is a collection of 129 letters from African American Union soldiers, describing their experiences and their hopes and dreams of a country of freedom for all.
Yacavone, Donald, ed. Freedom’s Journey: African American Voices of the Civil War. Chicago: Lawrence Hill Books, 2004. Provides insight into the experiences of African Americans and their struggles to overcome slavery and racism during the Civil War era.