New-York tribune., 1890-06-06
SELECTIONS FROM THE NAIL
THE PORT HUDSON MEDALS.
JUSTICE AND HONOR DEMAND THAT 1HEf DE-
GRANTED TO THE VETERANS OF The
FORLORN HOPE.

GRANTED TO THE VETERANS OF IHE
FORLORN HOPE.
70 .,o rditor Of The Tribune.
sir. Having ALWAYS inclined to the belef that
hr,vc soldiers must necessarily be honorable nope'
liberal minded free from the nttie JeaouSles "hICH
,, mon ~ inferior mould we grlcved and dis
nnonted 10 learn that it is the old veterans our ou
comrades that arc 50 vigorously urging the House
Committee ON Military Affairs TO take unfavorable
c,ion unon or still worse, to smother, the bill re
Gently passed by the Senate 10 grant medais !"
h rnomhcrs of the Port Hudson f0rlorn hope storm
ing column ,o.,. -,
We would not detract from the glorious deeds OF
Gcncrol Cutchcon's command IN front OF petersburg
or di,parage the heroic work OF orr brave oohnaucs
At Cedar Creek We love and honor the Weho'S
~ our comrades who fell on our right ana on our
rcf In the assault on Port Hudson on the 1'u' vi
Nav and on the 14th of June, 1863. We praise inc
h,, dcads ~ our fellow soldiers ut Nicksburg All
,,e,om Gn;vsburr and many other hard-fought pates
of the war But we cannot for them' nor lor ou'-
.oyos in any Of these battles claim medals, because
nonc were promised to them or TO MS for the sciNc'
nerformcd in any Of these engagements
M, the case was very distinctly different whch
40 oau ,ras made for volunteers for the Port Hudson
forlorn hope stormng column The H'esr,'' 'I0
honor the good faith Of the United States Govern"
mo,t for which all fought anu 'ii
pcrilIed our lives and health, became n"soiro.
In a promise to these men, and VIC canhoV D'"0
any soldier who loved and fought LOT 'hc o'u ""e
bccousc he loved it can desire the "o'e'i''o"V ~
hrcot the pledge II madc with these volunteers upon
tho battlefield what use now to say tha' "'c'o
mo, ouch. not 10 be singled ont Tor special hohorS
II +, too late to enter that plea IL Dc'aie 100 iA,o
twenty seven years ago. for a. long ago aS '''' VIZ"
names were inscribed upon roll of hohor anu ''o
Governmcnt at Washington accepted INC c"''oN "a
4, That mart of the pledge as we'll A. promotion 10
oil
Hudson surrendered. II now remains lor congress
IN redeem the second past Of the pledge ana a"au
tho medals The Government Is solvent. VIII IL Pay
in full? The payment Of this claim would not e''to-
ush precedent for there can be no other claim hhe
H. II 1, not possible for Congress 10 cast uls'lclt
npon other brave troops by rcdcemns the pedGe madc
to these men such proposition IS foolish and I'M
tcnablc.
II Congress should pass bill granting medal to
every hero Of the war. from the brave defenders u
Fort sumter the privileged receivers OF Lees sur
render al AppomattoX ,ll the obligation 10 inc iorl
Hudson ,t0rining column would not be cancelled II
Congress decorated every member OF the stor1ninS
column with medal for bravery in the assault OF the
27th OF May and another for their indomitabe cour
age in tho SAINT the 18th Of june stll the con
tract which Genera, Banks made with these voinn-
tecrs would not be fulfilled. and the Government -
honest debtor, would still have to make provision
to taac up The promlI,,ory nn9tts gwen by General
We do not expect tho men who went into Tho
Army for the lpavcs and fishes. "boupty Jumpers
70 take the same view ~ our claim a we do. Nor
10 We look for co operation from The mcn who speak
" the battle of the Wilderness Is the " so called
battle 81 the Wilderness. of Shcrdan'S victory AZ
cedar Greek ~ the "SOcad' battle II Cedar Creek,
and ~ tho Port Hudson fororn hope storming column
the "so-cicd" Port Hudson forlom hop" storninc
column. We expert nothing but opposition from
such mon. The sooner they are relocated 20 their
farms. 10 los rolling. tho better. Iiut from every
brave c0mradc Il every army corps of every military
division. who fought for TIC old flag becanSe he hon
orcd II and the principle, II stood for, who IA TOO
magnauimOus To permit jealousy 20 parav2c hts sense
Of truth. whom his c0untry's disgrace + his dis
honor. from him expect and viii receive hearty
assistance In lat forcing tardy recognition of
lust claim. From the patriotic men who supplied tho
means 10 carry on The war who formed. rs II wcr",
our base of operations. will hsvc energetic sup
port. From the boys Of those DAYS. now grown N
- ard voters who love their country and their
country, honor. and from the good and upright cit
zen, of whlisocver political opinion In every state
will receive help 10 save our Government from
those WhO wOud burden II with brOhcn promises.
The question not onr shall thcsH men receive the
medals tia, werc promised them. but the broader
orc which touches every honest citizen shall the
integrity and honor OF the Republic be kept un-
tarnlslcd
In behalf ~ the volunteers Of the Por, Hudson
f0rlorn hope stormlng column. Il. W. BtTTLE
New York, June .. l-SO