John Preston (1841 – 26 May 1885) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Mobile Bay. Preston was born in 1841 in Ireland. He joined the US Navy from Boston in February 1862, and served during the Civil War as a

landsman Landsman is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Anne Landsman (born 1959), South African-born female novelist * Jay Landsman, homicide detective and actor from Baltimore, USA * Keren Landsman (born 1977), Israeli epidemiologist ...

on the . At the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864, he was severely wounded in the eyes but continued at his post manning an artillery gun and later helped care for other wounded sailors. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor four months later, on December 31, 1864. He was discharged for disability in October 1864 as the result of his wounds. Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors and Marines in the Civil War
/ref> Preston's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

Served on board the U.S.S. ''Oneida'' in the engagement at Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Severely wounded, Preston remained at his gun throughout the engagement which resulted in the capture of the rebel ram '' Tennessee'' and the damaging of
Fort Morgan Fort Morgan can apply to any one of several places in the United States: *Fort Morgan (Alabama), a fort at the mouth of Mobile Bay *Fort Morgan, Alabama, a nearby community *Fort Morgan (Colorado), a frontier military post located in present-day Fo ...
, carrying on until obliged to go to the surgeon to whom he reported himself as "only slightly injured." He then assisted in taking care of the wounded below and wanted to be allowed to return to his battle station on deck. Upon close examination it was found that he was wounded quite severely in both eyes.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Preston, John 1841 births 1885 deaths Irish emigrants to the United States Irish sailors in the United States Navy People of Massachusetts in the American Civil War Union Navy sailors Irish-born Medal of Honor recipients United States Navy Medal of Honor recipients American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor Burials in Maine