John Rush

Branch

U.S. Navy

Era

Civil War

Home state

District of Columbia

Action

USS Richmond

The citation

Official citation

Serving on board the U.S.S. Richmond in the attack on Port Hudson, 14 March 1863. Damaged by a 6_inch solid rifle shot which shattered the starboard safety_valve chamber and also damaged the port safety valve, the fireroom of the Richmond immediately became filled with steam to place it in an extremely critical condition. Acting courageously in this crisis, Rush persisted in penetrating the steam_filled room in order to haul the hot fires of the furnaces, and continued this action until the gravity of the situation had been lessened.

Sources

• U.S. Army Medal of Honor citation index