Regarding his heroic action, Mr. Joseph E. Vantine says:

We lay about six weeks at Port Hudson, running up every day to pay our compliments to the Johnnies in such a manner that we did not have a great deal of spare time on our hands.

On the night of March 14,1863, a general attack was made, and we were congratulating ourselves that we had nearly passed the batteries, when a six-inch rifle shot pierced our main steam pipe, and glancing off, shattered the safety valve.

As a matter of course the engine and fire rooms were filled with steam in an instant, and the fireman on watch, not knowing the extent of the damage, rushed on deck, with the exception of McClelland, Rush, Hickman and myself.

It was necessary for the safety of the ship that something be done at once, and we best knew what that "something" was. The fires must be drawn from under the injured boiler; but to do that it would be required of us that we remain where the steam was not only blinding, but scalding, until tons of the glowing coals were hauled from the fire boxes.

I tore off one of my shirts, divided it into four parts, and saturated the whole in a bucket of water. Each of us tied one of the pieces over his face to prevent him from inhaling the steam, and then, with great difficulty, we managed to draw all the fires, thereby preventing the ship from being set on fire.

It is said that the soldier on the battlefield is brave because of the excitement around him; that the presence of his companions in arms serves to nerve him to valiant deeds; but in this case there were no such accessories. Four firemen, unaware of what was going on above them, knowing only that one of the wounds which the ship had received was in their department, faced death while hidden from view of all their shipmates, and it is well a grateful country should give to them medals for conspicuous heroism.

McClelland has answered to the last roll call; taps have been sounded over the mound which covers all that remains of a brave man, and, in Philadelphia, his shipmates each year strew with flowers his final resting place in this world.

From the Google book "The Story of American Heroism, Thrilling Narratives of Personal Adventures During the Great Civil War as told by The Medal Winners and Roll of Honor Men" by J.W. Jones, Page 681

Matthew McClelland