Born in Scotland in 1834, Charles Hawkins eventually made his way to New England, where his service during the American Civil War would be credited to the state of New Hampshire. By 1864, Hawkins was serving as a Seaman in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Agawam. His most notable contribution came during the first attempt to capture Fort Fisher, a vital Confederate stronghold.

On the night of December 23, 1864, Hawkins joined a courageous volunteer crew for a high-stakes “powderboat” mission. The plan involved using the USS Louisiana, packed with over 200 tons of gunpowder, as a massive floating bomb. The vessel was towed by the Wilderness toward the shoreline to avoid detection by Confederate forces.

Hawkins and the crew steamed the powderboat to within 300 yards of the beach under the cover of darkness. After anchoring the ship and meticulously lighting the fuses and fires designed to trigger the blast, the crew evacuated back to the Wilderness. They retreated 12 miles out to sea to wait for the detonation.

The explosion occurred less than two hours later. While the blast did not destroy the fort’s walls as hoped, the bravery of the volunteers was undeniable. The following day, fires were still observed burning at the forts, marking the intensity of the effort. For his “extraordinary heroism” during this operation, Hawkins was later awarded the Medal of Honor.