On board the USS Richmond in action at Mobile Bay on 5 August 1864. Cool and courageous at his station throughout the prolonged action. Brown rendered gallant service as his vessel trained her guns on Fort Morgan and on ships of the Confederacy despite extremely heavy return fire. He participated in the actions at Forts Jackson and St. Philip, with the Chalmette batteries, at the surrender of New Orleans and in the attacks on batteries below Vicksburg.