Jacob Parrott - Recipient -

On March 25, 1863, the first Army Medal of Honor was awarded. From the article:

"Jacob Parrott - Recipient -

Jacob Parrott
DATE OF BIRTH: July 17, 1843
PLACE OF BIRTH: Fairfield County, Ohio
HOME OF RECORD: Kenton, Ohio

One of the youngest of the raiders, 19-year old Parrott was severely beaten after his capture in an interrogation. Despite his severe treatment, he remained silent. After the successful escape of 6 raiders, they became first to receive the Medal of Honor. Parrot was first of those 6, making his award the FIRST presentation in history. After the war he remained friends with fellow raider Wilson Brown. Parrott's only son John Marion Parrott subsequently married Edith Gertrude Brown, one of Wilson Brown's 8 children. In the early 1950s, Disney Studios released "The Great Locomotive Chase", a movie to herald the exploits of Andrew's Raiders.

AWARDS BY DATE OF ACTION: 1 of 1
Medal of Honor
Service: Army
Division: 33d Ohio Infantry
GENERAL ORDERS:
Date of Issue: March 25, 1863

CITATION:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Private Jacob Parrott, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on April, 1862, while serving with Company G, 21st Ohio Infantry, in action during the Andrew's Raid in Georgia. Private Parrott was one of the 19 of 22 men (including two civilians) who, by direction of General Mitchell (or Buell) penetrated nearly 200 miles south into enemy territory and captured a railroad train at Big Shanty, Georgia, in an attempt to destroy the bridges and tracks between Chattanooga and Atlanta."