The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-05-21
MEDALS OF HONOR.
The Recognition by Congress of Distin,
guished Services.

/
| the medal-of- honor men. There are 1867
| names on the list. Opposite each name is
! a brief record of ''the distinguished service
! during the war Of the rebellion" for which
| the medal was granted. A few days ago
| the medal men formed an organization IN
| Washington. They are going to have their
| first reunion at Boston during the encamp-
ment Of the Grand Army of the Republic.
I The Legion of the Medal Of Honor" Is the
title selected for the new association.
The medal of honor is almost unknown
to the great body of veterans. 1t had its
origin in q joint resolution of congress
This resolution was adopted on the 18th Of
July, 1862. 1t provided:
THAT the president of the United States
be authorized TO cause 1900 medals OF
honor 10 be prepared, with suitable en-
blematic devices, and to direct the same to
be presented in the name of congress to
such non-commissiOned officers and pri-
Yates as shall most distinguish themselves
by their gallantry in action and other sol
dier-like qualities during the present in
SdrreCtiOn" ="
The resolution carried an appropriation
of $4,000 for the preparation of these med
ais. On the Sd Of March, 1858, congress
went still further in this direction. An
act was passed providing:
THAT the president cause to be struck,
from the dies recently prepared at the
OhJcu CIaJtS mint LOT LiidL purpose,
medals of honor additional to those
authorized by the resolution of July y,
1862 and present the same to such officers
and n-cOmmissiOGed officers and prlvates
as have most distinguished themselves IN
action, and the sum of $4,000 Is hereby
appropriated"
From the roster it appears that the issue
of these medals up TO this time has been
SOntined almost entirely to those who
served in the Virginia campaigns. There
are scarcely twenty out of the 1907 which
were won by some act Of distinction in the
west. But before western veterans become
indignant over this apparent discrimina-
tion they must be informed in what estl-
nation the medal of honor Is held at
the war department. Congress evidently
intended the medals of honor to be
highly coveted badges of distinction.
But Secretary Stanton almost destroyed
their significance by an order which
he issued on the 29th of June. 1868.
Lee and his army had crossed the
Potomac and had entered Pennsylvania.
The great crisis of Gettysburg was at
hand. There were union regiments the
terms of which had just expired. The
war secretary wished to retain in the ser
vice every man and also to inspire every
emergency men. He caused to be issued
and widely circulated the following:
The adiutant general viii provide an
appropriate medal of honor for the troops,
who. after the expiration Cf their
terms, have offered their services
to the government in the present
emergency, and also for the volun-
teer troops from other states that
have volunteered their temporary service
TO the states Of Pennsylvania and Mary
land"
The stock of medals of honor ordered by
congress was drawn upon to carry out
IL, ; hot
time the medal lost the distinctive charac-
ter congress intended to give it. Upon the
the roster appear the names of over 400
members of one regiment. They belonged
TO the twenty-Seventh Maine. The reason
assigned for the bestOwal of the medal
in each case, is volunteering to re-
main i'm service and participate
service having expired" Mr.. Frederick
II. Stafford, Of the adiutant generals
office, has charge of the roster. He recalls
the fact that the medals for the Twenty
seventh Maine were called for and carried
away in big basket.
1t is clear that Secretary Stanton didn't
believe much in medals of honor. He
used them for a temporary purpose and
cared nothing for their future value The
soldiers who were selected to act as an es-
cOrt for the remains OF President Lincoln
TO Springfield were give medals of honor.
While the roster Is burdened with hun
dreds Of names that should not be upon it
there are some entries in the record which
show that the intention of congress was
occasionally carried out.
Private Peter j. Ryan, Of the Eleventh
Indiana, received his medal for the cap
ture of fourteen cOnfedeTateS in the Sc
verest part of the battle" of Winchester.
Sergeant Leslie Archer, of the Ninety
sixth New York. planted the colors of his
regiment on Battery Hudson, near Rich
mond. in September 1864.
Private Peter Anderson, of the Thirty.
first Wisconsin, saved a gun of the Four
teenlh Army corps from capture at one of
the last battles of the war-Bentonyille,
\. c.
Corporal Charles BIucber, of the One
Hundred and Eighty-eighth Pennsylvania,
planted he first colOrS on the fOrtiticatiOns
of Fort Harrison, near Richmond
Private Francis Z. Brownell of the Elev-
enth New York. shot the murderer Of Col
onel Ellsworth. at the Marshall house, in
Alexandria, Va,
Lieutenant Thomas W. Custer, of the
Sixth Michigan cavalry, captured two
confederate flags within four days in front
OF Richmond, in April, 1865.
Corporal James I. Cary, of the Tenth
New York cavalry, won his medal by
daring bravery and urging forward the
men in a charge.
James Dunlavy. a beardleSS private in
the Third Iowa cavalry. captured General
Narmaduke in the battle Of Usage, Kan
Lieutenant James NJ Drake. OF the
Ninth New Jersey, received his medal for
gallant services in the field and great
suffering in southern prisons
Private Nicholas flaming. of the Fourth
Iowa cavalry. captured a silk confederate
flag and two staff officers with 1t at Selma,
Ala.
Private John Gray. Of the Fifth Ohio,
captured a field piece in the face Of the
enemy. at Port Republic. Va.
Color Sergeant Conrad HCmsn. Of the
Twenty-niuth Massachusetts,, fought his
way through the enemy's lines with the
re-imental colors at Petersburg, Va.
Private Franklin .TOhndro. of the One
credited with the capture of forty prison
crs AZ Chafiin'S farm, near Richmond.
Private John :. Lynch. OF the Third In
diana cavalry. was decorated for carrying
p dispatch from the president 70 General
Grant. at Fredericksburg.
Corporal John Miller. of the Eighth
Ohio, captured two flags at Gettysburg
The medal Of honor = so like the Grand
Army badge hat it almost seems * If the
latter was modelled after il. The metallic
norton Of the badge i Of bronze. \ five
pointed star hangs from a ribbon of red.
white and blue. the fastening j bar ar
the top. Al "a little distance the badges
can not be distinguished apart.
THE DAT CROP NOT GOOD
CurrAsa IN May ~ The Farmers