John Harris (USN)

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John Harris
Born 1839
John Harris (USN), Medal of Honor recipient
Place of birth	Scotland
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	Union Navy
Rank	Captain of the Forecastle
Unit	USS Metacomet
Battles/wars	American Civil War *Battle of Mobile Bay
Awards	Medal of Honor

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.

[edit] 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.