John P. Beech
John P. Beech | |
---|---|
Born | Stratfordshire, England | May 1, 1844
Died | November 27, 1926 New Jersey | (aged 82)
Buried | Mercer Cemetery, Trenton, New Jersey |
Allegiance | United States of America |
Service/ | United States Army Union Army |
Years of service | 1861 - 1865 |
Rank | Sergeant |
Unit | 4th Regiment New Jersey Volunteer Infantry - Company B |
Battles/wars | Battle of Spotsylvania Court House |
Awards | Medal of Honor |
Sergeant John Pointon Beech (May 1, 1844 – November 27, 1926)[1][2] was an English soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Beech was awarded the United States' highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor,[3] for his action during the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House in Virginia on May 12, 1864. He was honored with the award on June 5, 1894.[1]
Biography[]
Beech was born in Stratfordshire, England and joined the 4th New Jersey Infantry at Trenton, New Jersey in August 1861.[4] On May 12, 1864, during the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, most of the members of an artillery battery, deployed in front of Beech's company, were killed by enemy fire. Beech voluntarily assisted the remaining artillery men, despite being under heavy fire. It is for this act of bravery that he was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1894.[5]
Beech died in New Jersey on November 27, 1926[2] and his remains are interred at the Mercer Cemetery, Trenton, New Jersey.
Medal of Honor citation[]
Voluntarily assisted in working the guns of a battery, all the members of which had been killed or wounded.[1][2]
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Medal of honor recipients: A-L". Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Military Times Hall of Valor". Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ "Alphabetical Index of Recipients of Major Military Awards". Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ NJ Medal of Honor recipients
- ^ "New Jersey Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for Civil War Service". Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- 1844 births
- 1926 deaths
- English-born Medal of Honor recipients
- English emigrants to the United States
- People of New Jersey in the American Civil War
- Union Army soldiers
- United States Army Medal of Honor recipients
- American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor