The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Major John Francis Weston, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 13 April 1865, while serving with 4th Kentucky Cavalry, in action at Wetumpka, Alabama. Major Weston, with a small detachment, while en route to destroy steamboats loaded with supplies for the enemy, was stopped by an unfordable river, but with five of his men swam the river, captured two leaky canoes, and ferried his men across. He then encountered and defeated the enemy, and on reaching Wetumpka found the steamers anchored in midstream. By a ruse obtained possession of a boat, with which he reached the steamers and demanded and received their surrender.