Seaman Joseph Matthews had an unusual history and life at sea. He was born in 1849 in Malta and served briefly in the British Navy before coming to America. He was a member of the Union of Malta Lodge, a part of Freemasonry.
Following his military service, he married Mary Brookman on December 8, 1887, in Glynn County, Georgia.
There are no known photographs of Seaman Matthews.
Seaman’s Matthews Medal of Honor is unusual in that it was awarded before it was designated as a combat medal. But his Medal of Honor event does not lack bravery. The action took place at sea, west of the English Channel.
For courageous conduct in going over the stern of the U.S.S. Constitution at sea, 13 February 1879, during a heavy gale, and cutting the fastenings of the ship’s rudder chains.
He received his Medal of Honor September 7, 1879, on board the USS Constitution while at the New York Navy Shipyard. According to the Medal of Honor Society, the presentation was made by Lt. Commander Theodore F. Jewell, Executive Officer. Other sources having him receiving his medal on October 18, 1884.
He enlisted in the Navy as a seaman in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 24, 1878, at the age of twenty-nine. His enlistment records show he was only five feet two and a half inches tall, with brown eyes and dark skin. In some British records, he is shown as illiterate, but that would not have been unusual for the times.
At the time of his Medal of Honor event, he held the rank of “Captain of the Top.” This is not an officer rank, but a position and skill designation.
The designation “Captain of the Top” on the USS Constitution referred to a highly skilled sailor responsible for overseeing a section of the ship’s rigging, specifically the tops of the masts. These sailors were among the most experienced and agile crew members, as their duties required them to climb the rigging and work high above the deck.
Each mast had a “top,” which was a platform used for observation and working with the sails. The Captain of the Top was responsible for overseeing the sailors assigned to that section, ensuring that the sails were properly set, maintained, and adjusted during maneuvers. This role was crucial for the efficient operation of the ship, especially in battle or adverse weather conditions.
Shown here is the medal Seaman Joseph Matthews earned during his career.
Medal of Honor
Joseph Matthews died on November 11, 1912, at the age of sixty-two or sixty-three. He and his wife are buried in the Palmetto Cemetery in Brunswick, Georgia.
