US Navy. Born 1833 in Denmark. Civil War: Enlisted from New York. Awarded the Medal of Honor for action on board the “U.S.S. Brooklyn” during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram “Tennessee” in Mobile Bay on 5 Aug 1864. Despite severe damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked her decks from stem to stern, Irwin fought his gun with skill and courage. The furious battle resulted in the surrender of the “Tennessee” and in the damaging and destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan. Sources: (“America’s Medal of Honor Recipients”. Publ. 1977, pp 128, 1015)
