Norwegians in the Civil War
SMITH, Oloff
US Navy. Born 1833 in Sweden. Civil War: Enlisted from New York. Coxswain. On board the U.S.S. Richmond during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram “Tennessee” in Mobile Bay, on 5 Aug 1864. Despite damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked her decks, Smith performed his duties with skill and courage throughout the furious two-hour battle which resulted in the surrender of the rebel ram “Tennessee” and in the damaging and destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan. Sources: (“America’s Medal of Honor Recipients”. Publ. 1977, pp 223, 1020)