John Harris (USN)

Infobox Military Person
name=John Harris
born= 1839
died=
placeofbirth= Scotland
placeofdeath=
placeofburial=


caption=
nickname=
allegiance=United States of America
branch=Union Navy
serviceyears=
rank=Captain of the Forecastle
commands=
unit=USS "Metacomet"
battles=American Civil War *Battle of Mobile Bay
awards=Medal of Honor
relations=
laterwork=

John Harris, Captain of the Forecastle, was an officer in the United States Navy who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his service on the USS "Metacomet" in Mobile Bay during the American Civil War.

On August 5, 1864, the "Metacomet" was part of a Union flotilla, lead by Admiral David Farragutl, which penetrated Confederate defenses and sealed Southern port at Mobile Bay. The crew of the "Metacomet" rescued the crew of the USS "Tecumseh" when the "Tecumseh" was struck by a Confederate torpedo.

Medal of Honor citation

:As captain of the forecastle on board the U.S.S. Metacomet, Harris was a member of the boat's crew which went to the rescue of the officers and crew of the U.S. Monitor Tecumseh, when that vessel was struck by a torpedo in passing the enemy forts in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864 Harris braved the enemy fire which was said by the admiral to be "one of the most galling" he had ever seen, and aided in rescuing from death 10 of the crew of the Tecumseh, thereby eliciting the admiration of both friend and foe.

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients

References

*cite web|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/moh/moh1.htm |accessdate=2006-12-29
title=Navy Medal of Honor: Civil War 1861-65
publisher=Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy

*cite web|url=http://www.americancivilwar.com/medal_of_honor4.html |accessdate=2006-12-29
title=Civil War Medal of Honor Citations
publisher=AmericanCivilWar.com

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