John Kiggins

Infobox Military Person
name= John Kiggins
born=
died= 1914
placeofbirth=
placeofdeath= Syracuse, New York
placeofburial=


caption=
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America Union
branch= United States Navy Union Navy
serviceyears=
rank=
commands=
unit=
battles= American Civil War
awards= Medal of Honor
laterwork=

John Kiggins (died 1914) [findagrave|873790 Retrieved on 2008-08-21] received the Medal of Honor. He was a Northern flag barer from the 149th regiment of Company D from Syracuse, New York during the American Civil War of United States of America. He received the Medal for showing amazing courage in battle.

The Beginning

On November 24, 1863, The men of the 149th detachment rose, and were surprised when an order to advance on the Southern troops came that day. The Southerners had a stronghold in Lookout Mountain, and the Northerners had a camp on the Tennessee side of the mountain. It was planned that the Northerners would defeat the enemy through sheer force. The men hastily made a bridge across Lookout Creek, and about half a mile away, started to fight the opposing forces.

The Battle

Full scale fighting broke out, and the fog thickened. The men of the 149th had difficulty, because they were trapped between a Southern line, and another Northern line. The detachment was being shelled from both sides. John Kiggins thought quickly. He stood on a stump, lifted a large American flag above his head, and waved it around. [Onondaga Men in the Civil War, by Stephen A. Rogers]

The 149th was no longer being shot at by fellow Northerners. However, John Kiggins was open to the fire of the Southern troops. The battle swung in favor of the North, because of Kiggins, and the next day they had control over the mountain.

Aftermath

His clothing was filled with a total of nine bullet holes. The top of his head had been grazed by a bullet, and one bullet entered his thigh, but he survived. On January 12, 1892 John Kiggins was awarded the Army Medal on Honor. He returned to Syracuse, and worked as a night watchman for the Whitman and Barnes Company. He lived in Syracuse until his death on September 29, 1914. [cite book |title=Deeds of Valor |last=Beyer |first=Walter Frederick |coauthors=Keydel, Oscar Frederick |year=1901 |publisher=The Perrien-Keydelcompany |pages=p. 283 |url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=wk48AAAAMAAJ&q=%22John+Kiggins%22&dq=%22John+Kiggins%22&num=100&client=firefox-a&pgis=1 |accessdate=2008-05-20]

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company D, 149th New York Infantry. Place and date: At Lookout Mountain, Tenn., November 24, 1863. Entered service at: Syracuse, N.Y. Birth: Syracuse, N.Y. Date of issue: January 12, 1892.

Citation:

:Waved the colors to save the lives of the men who were being fired upon by their own batteries, and thereby drew upon himself a concentrated fire from the enemy.

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*

References

Persondata
NAME= Kiggins, John
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH= 1914
PLACE OF DEATH=