The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Sergeant John S. Durham, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 8 October 1862, while serving with Company F, 1st Wisconsin Infantry, in action at Perryville, Kentucky. Sergeant Durham seized the flag of his regiment when the color sergeant was shot and advanced with the flag midway between the lines, amid a shower of shot, shell, and bullets, until stopped by his commanding officer.