More information:

https://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/artifacts/uniforms-and-personal-equipment/awards/medals/MedalofHonorCU0/wilson-brown-medal-of-honor.html

Wilson Brown was born in Natchez Mississippi in 1841 on Botany Bay Plantation. 

At the outbreak of the Civil War, he was a slave at Carthage Plantation. Brown enlisted with the Union Navy along the banks of the Mississippi River in March of 1863 as contraband.

Throughout history goods and property seized during conflicts have been considered contraband; the Civil War was unique because the assets that were considered contraband often included human beings. With Lincoln issuing the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, it solved the problem of contraband slaves. The First and Second Confiscation Acts effectively freed slaves in rebelling states, pursuant to proving their masters were rebels. The Emancipation Proclamation, on the other hand, freed slaves in areas of rebellion under Lincoln’s right to seize enemy property, so it was not necessary to prove that an individual master was a rebel.

Brown enlisted with the Union Navy along the banks of the Mississippi River in March of 1863 as contraband. His first shipboard station was as a 3rd Class Boy aboard USS Hartford. During the Hartford's engagement at the Battle of Mobile Bay on 5 August 1864, Brown was serving on a shell whip crew. 

The shell whip is a device that transports ammunition powder from the magazine to the firing deck via man power. A Confederate shell exploded near Brown's crew during the battle killing four of the six men. Both Brown and another man were knocked below deck. Brown was knocked unconscious and broke several ribs along his left side while the man that fell on him died. Lawson was hit with shrapnel in his leg, but was the first to return to the shell whip. After regaining consciousness, Brown returned to his station and resumed his duties with Lawson. For their actions they were awarded the Medal of Honor. 

Wilson Brown was one of eight known African-American Navy Medal of Honor recipients during the Civil War. Following his service on the USS Hartford, Wilson Brown would go on to serve aboard USS North Carolina, with the Potomac Flotilla, and was stationed at the Washington Navy Yard before being discharged on 19 May 1865. 

At the time of his discharge at the Washington Navy Yard, Brown had moved up the ranks to 1st Class Boy. Boys and landsmen were the lowest ranks for a Navy sailor and were designated for those enlisted sailors that had no experience on a ship and were often relegated to manual labor.

 Following his discharge, Brown was released and returned to Natchez, MS where he married Lucinda Brown of Moses Plantation. Lucinda died on April 10, 1886, or 1887 of an unknown ailment. 

Wilson married a second time to Lizzie Ramsey (Brisco) on Nov 21, 1888. Lizzie was the daughter of James Brisco and Mary Ann Walter. She had a sister Anna Young (22 Garden St) and an uncle Jackson Brisco (minister that officiated Lucinda Brown's funeral). Wilson had an aunt Jennie Gray. 

On June 10, 1901, she lived at 30 Beaumont St Natchez MS and a Brother Washington Bell (per the statement of Bell, he says “I am supposed to be the full brother of Wilson Brown, but Wilson Brown was the only name he ever bore. Brown was the name of his mother and father”. 


Their marriage certificate reveals they were married by Reverend George Lindo and that Wilson was illiterate as he leaves his mark on the marriage certificate. Lizzie had been married before per the pension record to Andrew Ramsey who was convicted of larceny and sentenced October 13, 1883 to 5 years. He died on January 23, 1884, of pneumonia. Lizzie and Wilson did not have any kids. Lizzie and Wilson owned a home and about 1 acre just north of the Natchez National cemetery and the location is only referred to as “Near Natchez MS” and “Just north of the cemetery” (2 cows and 2 horses owned). The house was 2 bedrooms and was built by the couple-the land given to them by her father.

Brown died on January 24, 1900, at age 58 or 59. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson_Brown_(Medal_of_Honor)

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