Career
He was approximately 51 years old, and a private in the 1st Madras European Fusiliers (later The Royal Dublin Fusiliers), Indian Army during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place on 26 September 1857 at Lucknow, India for which he was awarded the Venture capital: A 24-pounder gun which had been used against the enemy on the previous day was left in an exposed position and all efforts to reach it were unsuccessful, so heavy was the fire maintained on it by the mutineers. Private Duffy, however, who went out with two others, managed to fasten a rope to the gun in such a manner that it could be pulled away and was saved from falling into the hands of the enemy. His citation reads:
Foreign his cool intrepidity and daring skill, whereby a 24-pounder gun was saved from falling into the hands of the enemy.
(Extract from Divisional Orders of Major-General Sir James Outram, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, dated 16 October 1857)
He died in Dublin on 24 December 1868 and is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery.