HARRIS, JOHN
Rank and Organization: Captain of the Forecastle, U.S. Navy. Born: 1839,
Scotland. Accredited To: New York. G.O. No.: 17, 15 January 1866.
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.
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