Vantine's first enlistment in the United States Navy was on May 19, 1857 at Philadelphia and he served on the USS Minnesota as a Second Class Fireman.

The enemy guns inflicted severe damage on the Union flotilla, forcing most of the ships to turn back.

During the battle, the Richmond's fireroom, which housed its boilers, was damaged by an enemy shell and began to fill with hot steam.

Acting courageously in this crisis, Vantine persisted in penetrating the steam filled room in order to haul the hot fires of the furnaces and continued this action until the gravity of the situation had been lessened.Medal of Honor recipient Joseph E. Vantine died of general debility as a result of a paralytic stroke at age 69 and was buried at Glebe Cemetery[1] in New Castle, Delaware.

- Joseph E. Vantine, formerly of Philadelphia, where he was born March 20, 1835, and was afterwards educated, was laid to rest in the new P. E. Cemetery this afternoon with Masonic ceremony.