John Samuel Darrough (1841-1920) - Find a Grave Memorial

Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient. Born in Kentucky, he was residing in Concord, Morgan County, Illinois when the Civil War began. He enlisted in the 113th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered in as a Corporal on October 1, 1862. Promoted to Sergeant on October 1, 1864, he would go on to be awarded the CMOH for his bravery at Eastport, Mississippi on October 10, 1864, with his citation reading simply "Saved the life of a captain." During the action he and his comrades were tasked to destroy a railway near Eastport, but found themselves pinned down on the banks of the Tennessee River by Confederate rifle and artillery fire. Sergeant Darrough found an abandoned canoe on the banks, and proceeded to row out downriver towards the safety of the Union transports and away from the Confederate fire. However, he noticed Captain Andrew W. Beckett, commander of Company B, struggling on the shore, having joined the regiment from a sickbed and in a very weakened state. Despite the immediate threat posed to him by the Confederates, he turned the canoe around, rowed in to the heavy gunfire, and rescued Captain Beckett from drowning or death by gunfire. Sergeant Beckett served through the end of the war, and was honorably mustered out on May 28, 1865. He was awarded his Medal of Honor on February 5, 1895, almost thirty years after his brave deed.

Bio by: RPD2