Jacob Parrott

Infobox Military Person
name=Jacob Wilson Parrot
born= Birth date|1843|7|17
died= death date and age|1908|12|22|1843|7|17


caption= Illustration of Jacob Parrott from "Deeds of Valor"
nickname=
placeofbirth=Fairfield County, Ohio
placeofdeath=Kenton, Ohio
placeofburial=
allegiance=United States of America
branch=United States Army
serviceyears=
rank= First Lieutenant
unit=Company K, 33d Ohio Infantry
commands=
battles=American Civil War
awards=Medal of Honor
relations=
laterwork=

Jacob Wilson Parrot (July 17, 1843–December 22, 1908) was a soldier in the volunteer Union army during the American Civil War. He was the first recipient of the Medal of Honor, a new military award first presented by the United States Department of War to several soldiers for their participation in the Great Locomotive Chase.

Biography

Parrott was a native of Fairfield County, Ohio. He joined the United States Army in 1861 as a private in Company K, 33rd Ohio Infantry and first saw combat in the Battle of Ivy Hill. In April 1862, he volunteered to take part in a daring raid with 21 others (later known as "Andrews Raiders" because they operated under the command of James J. Andrews). After infiltrating Confederate lines and hijacking the locomotive "General," they were captured and imprisoned. Parrot and 14 others managed to escape, but only 6 of them reached friendly lines. He served with the Union Army for the rest of the war. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1863 after the Battle of Stones River and as a first lieutenant in 1864. After the war, he returned to Ohio and became a cabinet maker. Parrott died in Kenton, Ohio, where he is buried in Grove Cemetery.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and Organization::Private, Company K, 33d Ohio Infantry. Place and date: Georgia, April 1862. Entered service at: Hardin County, Ohio. Birth: July 17, 1843, Fairfield County, Ohio. Date of issue: March 25, 1863.

Citation::One of the 19 of 22 men (including 2 civilians) who, by direction of Gen. Mitchell (or Buell) penetrated nearly 200 miles south into enemy territory and captured a railroad train at Big Shanty, Ga., in an attempt to destroy the bridges and tracks between Chattanooga and Atlanta.cite web
publisher = American Civil War website
title = PARROTT, JACOB, Civil War Medal of Honor recipient
date = 2007-11-08
url = http://americancivilwar.com/medal_of_honor7.html
accessdate = 2007-11-08]

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*

Notes

References

* [http://www.andrewsraid.com/parrott.html Andrews Raid biography of Parrott]
* [http://www.medalofhonor.com/JacobParrott.htm Medalofhonor.com biography of Parrott]
* [http://www.army.mil/cmh/html/moh/civwarmz.html Army Medal of Honor website M-Z] Center of Military History
*findagrave|19152 Retrieved on 2007-10-24

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