Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1893-04-07
THANKS OF CONGRESS.
An Entertaining History Ut Brav.
cry ON Sea and Land---Old
Time Heroes.
The First Vote of Thanks of This
Kind---Is the Custom Dy-
ing Out?

Congress seems to be going out of
the business Of voting thanks to pri-
vale individuals. During recent
years very few citizens have been
thus honored by the national. legisla-
ture, and i'm fact it is now precedent
with almost the force of law, that
such thanks should be given only for
brave deeds in time of war. During
recent years the only man who has
received the thanks of congress is a
Massachusetts man, Joseph Francis,
who was given this honor because of
his memorable invention of IL life car,
which has been put to such rood
usage and has saved SO many lives in
times of shipwreck.
Most of the thanks of congress
have been given for brave deeds done
upon the sea. A vote of thanks from
congress is the highest reward which
any naval officer can hope to receive
for the most eminent service or the
most extraordinary heroism. Since
our independence as a nation the
thanks OF congress have been ten
dered upon 81 occasions. The first
vote of thanks of this kind was
passed in 1900, and then gold medal
with accompanying praise was given
to Capt. Truxton. This was in con-
sequence OF his victory with the
United States Constellation over the
French ship La Vengeance, when
with 3s guns he splendidly overcame
the "a guns and superior equipment
of the enemy. AT the time this was
passed it was stated by congress that
this was given that an example might
be exhibited to captains, officers,
sailors and marines honorable to the
American name and instructive to
its rising navy. AT the same time a
midshipman, James Jarvis by name,
who was on Capt. Truxton's ship, was
similarly thanked for his bravery in
meeting certain death rather than
abandon the post where he had been
stationed.
Two years later Lieut.. Sterctt and
his whole crew on board the schooner
Enterprise we're thanked for the cap
turc of pirate corsair of II guns and
so men. AT this time the president
personally presented by vote of con-
gress sword to Lieut.. Stcrett COM
memorative OF his action aud one
months extra pay was allowed to all
officers and searnen alike who took
part in the conflict. Again, two years
later, Capt. Decatur was presented
with a sword by the president, while
officers and crew of the United States
Ketch Intrepid were given two
months extra pay as a testimony of
the appreciation felt by congress for
their action in attacking and destroy
ing in the harbor of Tripoli a frigate
of IA guns. The next to be thanked
Was CommodoreP Preble for his gallant
ry and good conduct in several at
tacks on the town and naval forces of
Tripoli in the year 1904. a gold
medal with proper Inscriptions was
given Commodore Preble by the presi-
dent at public gathering especially
for this event, and the president
further presented sword to each
commissioned officer and midshipnlan
who distinguished themselves in these
attacks. The usual months pay was
allowed to the crew, and to each Of
those killed in the engagement con-
gress sent special vote of thanks to
their relatives, expressing apprecia-
tion of their services and regret at
their untimely loss.
No more medals were given or
thanks voted until 1873, when Capt.
Hull, of the Constitution: Capt. De-
catur, of the United States, and Capt.
Jones, of the Wasp. each received
a gold medal with suitable cmblcms
and devices and each commissioned
officer of those vessels received sill
YER medal. The relatives of two
lieutenants who were killed at sea
during this engagement were also
presented with silver medals, and
Lieut.. Elliott was given an elegant
sword for his bravery and gallantry
in boarding and capturing two Brit
lsh brigs while anchored under the
protection Of Fort Erie. Capt. Balm
bridge. of the Constitution, also re-
ceiyed a gold medal, while to the
family OF Capt. La xrencc, of the
Hornet. was given s25,OO0 as prize
money. together with thanks by let
ter for the destruction of the British
brig Peacock.
| This was the time when naval deeds
hourished in our history, and many
officers during the next few years re-
ceived congressional thanks and
proper gifts. Lieut.. Burroughs and