John P. Beech
Born(1844-05-01)May 1, 1844
Stratfordshire, England
DiedNovember 27, 1926(1926-11-27) (aged 82)
New Jersey
Buried
Mercer Cemetery, Trenton, New Jersey
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service/branchUnited States Army
Union Army
Years of service1861–1865
RankSergeant
UnitNew Jersey 4th Regiment New Jersey Volunteer Infantry – Company B
Battles/warsBattle 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

  1. 1 2 3 "Medal of honor recipients: A-L". Archived from the original on 2 September 2012. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 "Military Times Hall of Valor". Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  3. ↑ "Alphabetical Index of Recipients of Major Military Awards". Archived from the original on 17 July 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  4. ↑ NJ Medal of Honor recipients
  5. ↑ "New Jersey Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for Civil War Service". Retrieved 28 July 2013.
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