Who was the first person to win the medal of honor and how did he win it?

Answer 1

The legislation creating the congressional Medal of Honor was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on December 21, 1861. The Medal began as two types, one for the Army and another for the Navy.

The first Medal was awarded to Army First Lieutenant Charles H. Tompkins for his action on 1 June 1861 at Fairfax, Virginia, where he twice charged through the enemy's lines and, taking a carbine from an enlisted man, shot the enemy's captain.

Answer 2

The first person to win the Medal of Honor was Private Jacob Parrott, a Union soldier during the American Civil War. He earned the medal for his participation in the Great Locomotive Chase of 1862. Parrott and a group of Union soldiers stole a Confederate train and attempted to cause damage to the Confederate rail system. However, their mission was ultimately unsuccessful.