|
 Parrott
was born on July 17, 1843, in Fairfield County, Ohio. He enlisted in
the Army as part of Company K, 33rd Ohio Voluntary Infantry, during
the Civil War.
In April 1862, Parrot and nearly two-dozen
other volunteers were given orders to go deep into enemy territory
and destroy bridges and railroad tracks between Chattanooga,
Tennessee and Atlanta. Once they reached the Atlanta area, the Union
soldiers hopped on a train heading north.
When the train
stopped at Big Shanty, Georgia, the passengers and crew got off for
breakfast, but the raiders stayed on and began their covert mission
by uncoupling the engine, fuel car and three boxcars and steaming
out of the station.
The raiders gained a little bit of
distance and were able to damage a few bridges, but it wasn’t long
before Confederate soldiers got ahold of another train and were hot
on their trail. The Union soldiers uncoupled more of the stolen cars
to slow their pursuers, but the move was to little effect.
Eventually, the train ran out of fuel near the Georgia-Tennessee
border, and all of the Union soldiers tried to get away on foot.
They were all captured, including Parrott.
Parrott was
eventually returned to the Union in a prisoner exchange in March
1863. For his part in the raid, he was awarded the very first Medal
of Honor that same month, with five of his comrades receiving the
same distinction shortly thereafter.
So that’s the story of
the very first Medal of Honor recipient!
In the more than 150
years since then, 3,498 service members of all different backgrounds
and branches have earned the medal, including 88 African-Americans,
59 Hispanic-Americans, 33 Asian-Americans and 32 Native Americans.
Only one woman has received the distinction, while nine unknown
soldiers have earned it. Nineteen people have the extremely rare
distinction of earning it twice.
By Katie Lange
D0D News / Defense Media Activity
Copyright 2017
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