John Griffiths

John Griffiths (1835 – unknown) was a sailor in the U.S. Navy during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Second Battle of Fort Fisher on January 15, 1865. Emigrating from his native Wales, Griffiths volunteered for service in the Union Army in 1864 as a private in the 30th Massachusetts Infantry. Within 30 days of his army enlistment, Griffiths transferred to the U.S. Navy and was assigned to the Union brig USS Santiago de Cuba (1861). His enlistment is credited to the state of Massachusetts. On January 15, 1865, the North Carolina Confederate stronghold of Fort Fisher was taken by a combined Union storming party of sailors, marines, and soldiers under the command of Admiral David Dixon...