The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-04-20
MEDALS OF HONOR.

The country is pretty familiar with
the cry for a service pension but as
yet it is not familiar with the demand
for service medal of honor, though
it may soon become so. Thus a retired
army sergeant writes to the New York
Commercial Advertiser that day after
day as he looks through the columns of
the daily papers, he sees the names of
different individuals receiving from the
president or secretary of war medals
of honor for some heroic act displayed
in some battle during the war of the
rebellion.
But I am of the opinion. and it
strikes me with force" says the SER
geant that the. government of the
greatest and freest nation on Gods
earth, as it now is, ought to be more
liberal in the distribution of tokens of
heroism to men who left everything
dear to them on this earth and took
their lives in their fists to save this re-
public, assailed by her worst enemies.
And 1 am still more of opinion that
a body of soldiers holding together and
taking or holding an important posi-
ton against double or treble their num-
Der, as was done on many occasions
from this government more than
passing word For Illustration, in the
first Battle of Bull Run, April q, 1861,
when the tide of battle was turned
against us by the arrival of Johnstons
fresh troops, on the eve of that MEM
orable day, and when the enemys cav
airy were sweeping over that field
every struggling or broken-up company
or detachment-of which, L am sorry
70 MAINLAND
same cavalry was spreading havoc and
dismay among our tired and broken-up
soldiery, there was one battalion OF in
fantry on that field that could not be
broken. At the time the tide turned
against US this battalion was on the
extreme right of the Union line, and
near to Johnsons fresh troops as they
formed three lines of battle, one in the
rear of the other. distant from us about
600 yards Their first or advance line
formed almost a right angle with ours.
We fired away at them as fast as we
could Their first line broke and ran
behind the second, and reformed there.
Some aids or field officers rode uD TO
within about 100 yards of US, l suppose
to find out whether we were friends or
foes, as our flag was all shot away
at this time except about two feet of
the blue, which was all that remained
attached to the staff of "Old Glory"
1t took some time for Johnson to find |
out who we were, for as soon as any |
of his aids came up close to our line
we sent them to grass; but at last they |
discovered who we were, and very soon |
after they turned a six-Dounder field |
battery on us, and we had to move out |
of there"
Other incidents in the history of the |
battalion are related and finally the
sergeant winds up with this:
Therefore, hope that congress or the
president will take steps to investigate
this matter and award a medal OF
honor for distinguished bravery to
every officer and enlisted man of that
battalion now living. 1t will be giving
lust honor to whom honor is due.
No doubt the same plea for medals
If honor for all the members of other
oattalions could be made with as much
Justice as this one. But it is hardly
probable that they will be conferred.
Those who have won them by some
signal act of bravery would object;
heir wholesale bestowal would make
hem too cheap.