Hugh Purvis

Hugh Purvis (March 5, 1840 – February 12, 1922) was a United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor for actions on board the USS Alaska during the United States 1871 expedition to Korea.

Hugh Purvis
Hugh Purvis USMC (January 1871)
Born	(1840-03-05)March 5, 1840 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died	February 12, 1922(1922-02-12) (aged 81) Unknown
Place of burial	Saint Anne Cemetery Annapolis, Maryland
Allegiance	United States
Service / branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1869–1873, 1874–1884
Rank	Corporal
Unit	USS Alaska
Battles / wars	Korean Expedition of 1871
Awards	Medal of Honor

Biography

Aboard USS Colorado, June 1871: (right to left) Cpl Charles Brown, Pvt Hugh Purvis, possibly Cyrus Hayden.

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Purvis enlisted in the Marine Corps on October 27, 1869. He reported immediately to the Marine Detachment aboard the USS Alaska soon departing for the Far East. During the punitive expedition to Korea, he took part in the assault on an enemy fort on the Han River. In desperate hand-to-hand fighting, the sailors and Marines stormed the walls of the citadel. Private Purvis ran immediately to the flagstaff which bore the Korean colors and loosed the halyards. He was joined by Cpl Charles Brown, and the two tore down the flag. For his "inspiring and heroic" act, Purvis received the Medal of Honor.

He was discharged in 1873 and served two additional tours with the Marine Corps, 1874 to 1879 and 1879 to 1884, rising to the rank of corporal. He is buried in Saint Annes Cemetery, Annapolis, Maryland.^[1]

Namesake

• USS Hugh Purvis (DD-709), a U.S. Navy Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, was named in his honor.^[2]
• Purvis Road on Marine Corps Base Quantico is named in his honor.^[3]

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: March 5, 1846, Philadelphia, Pa. Accredited to: Pennsylvania. G.O. No.: 169, February 8, 1872.

Citation:

On board the U.S.S. Alaska during the attack on and capture of the Korean forts, 11 June 1871. Braving the enemy fire, Purvis was the first to scale the walls of the fort and capture the flag of the Korean forces.^[4]

See also

• Biography portal

• List of Medal of Honor recipients

Notes

1. Marine Corps University
2. "Hugh Purvis", Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, NHC.
3. Smith, Cpl. Susan (January 18, 2007). "Purvis Road Reflects Medal of Honor recipient's Fighting Spirit". Quantico Sentry. Marine Corps Base Quantico, United States Marine Corps. Retrieved October 28, 2007.
4. "Purvis, Hugh", Medal of Honor recipients — Korean Campaign 1871, CMH.

References

 This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

• "Hugh Purvis". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History & Heritage Command (NHC), Department of the Navy. Retrieved October 28, 2007.
• "Purvis, Hugh". Medal of Honor recipients – Korean Campaign 1871. United States Army Center of Military History (CMH). Archived from the original on December 14, 2007. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
• "Shinmiyangyo – Korea 1871 and The Attack on the Citadel". HomeofHeroes.com. Archived from the original on June 16, 2012. Retrieved July 5, 2007.
• General Orders and Circulars Issued by the Navy Department