John Reed Porter (November 14, 1838 – October 15, 1923) was a recipient of the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

, a

military award Military awards and decorations are distinctions given as a mark of honor for military heroism, meritorious or outstanding service or achievement. DoD Manual 1348.33, 2010, Vol. 3 A decoration is often a medal consisting of a ribbon and a medal ...

presented by the

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to 18

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

soldiers who participated in the

Great Locomotive Chase The Great Locomotive Chase (also known as Andrews' Raid or the Mitchel Raid) was a military raid that occurred April 12, 1862, in northern Georgia during the American Civil War. Volunteers from the Union Army, led by civilian scout James J. And ...

in 1862 during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

(1861–1865). He joined

in 1861 and participated in the battles of

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, Bentonville, and the campaigns of

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and

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. At the end of the war he was a first lieutenant.

Biography

Porter was a native of Delaware County, Ohio. He joined the United States Army in 1861 as a private in Company G, 21st Ohio Infantry. In April 1862, he was to take part in a daring raid with 21 others (later known as "Andrews' Raiders" because they operated under the command of James J. Andrews). He overslept and missed out on the raid but was captured and imprisoned along with his fellow raiders within two weeks. Porter and 14 others managed to escape, but only six of them reached friendly lines. Porter was one of the six who managed to reach Union held territory. He served with the Union Army for the remainder of the war and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. By the war's end he was promoted to first lieutenant. Following the war, he returned to Ohio and was the last raider to die in 1923. He was buried in the McComb Union Cemetery, in McComb, Ohio.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and Organization: :Rank and Organization: Private, Company G, 21st Ohio Infantry. Place and Date: Georgia, April 1862. Entered Service At: Findley, Ohio. Born: 14 November 1838, Delaware County, Ohio. Date Of Issue: September 1863. Citation:

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Porter, John Reed United States Army Medal of Honor recipients United States Army officers People from Delaware County, Ohio People of Ohio in the American Civil War 1838 births 1923 deaths American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor Great Locomotive Chase

Biography

Medal of Honor citation

See also

Notes

References