The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-08-03
AMERICAN MEDALS.
Some Notable Ones Conferred on Soldiers
and Sailors.

Inc urSG m0ualS ever pr6SonU0u ny COn-
gress were given to the officers of the
American army and navy during the
Revolutionary War, and of those only
twelve were issud. General Washington
was the first American who received q
medal from this Government. General
Gates received one because he beat the
| British at Saratoga; General Wayne for
attacking and capturing Stony Point, on
| the Hudson; Generals Greene, Lee, Nor
gan, and five other American officers for
victories obtained by them over the enc
my. Congress presented Paul Jones with
against the British battleships. says the
Inter Ocean. At the close of the war,
when Washington was elected th Q first
President of the United States, Congress
| had struck off in his honor medal. AS
it was one of the FIRST given to any one
during time of peace, short description
of it may be of interest to the boys who
read this article. The medal was about
the size of the present silver dollar; on
one side was stamped the head of Wash
ington, with the inscription: Washing
ton, President, 1791.' On the reverse
were arrows, an eagle. anu laurel wreath,
and the words, "Unum e Pluribus. +"
An earlier medal, made in 17s5, was of
copper; it was stamped with sun, sur
rounded by thirteen stars, laurel wreath
entwined about the letters ~. S.,
and bore the inscription, "Liberatas ct
Justitia, 1885," Nearly all of the first
medals presented by the American Con-
gress were made in France.
| During the War of 1919 Congress pre-
sented twenty-seven medals of honor to
| the nations sailors and soldiers, but most
| of these were given to commanders of the
navy. Hull, the first commander of the
| frigate Constitution, received medal
| from Congress for his victory over
British ship. 1t was also the custom in
those days for Congress to give sum of
money to the city at which they first
| landed to get up a banquet in honor of
| the captain and crew.
| Four medals were given during the
Mex lean War, but it was not until the
late Civil War, in 1861, that the presenta-
| ton of medals by an act of Congress
gained any Roadway. In 1861 Congress
directed the Secretary of the Navy to have
officers and sailors in the navy who dis
tineuished themselves by acts of bravery.
| Three hundred and twenty persons re-.
| ceived them; they were in the shape of q
five-pointed star. Other medals were also
presented by Congress to men in the army
and navy whom the Government wished
to honor. 1t has always been the purnose
| of Congress to recognize brave actions
among American sailors by presenting n
| medal, and the small number which
have been given out make them all tho
more valuable.
| Perhaps the most famous peace medal
ond certainly one of the first which was
ordered to be struck by Congress, was the
ono in commemoration of the treaty of
| neoce betw cen the United States and
| fEnolish Governments and which ended
the War of 1919. 1t was widely circulated
and was eagerly welcomed by the people,
Enoland also caused to be made peace
medal in honor of the treaty.
chiefs as visited Washington was begun
at q very early date in the history of the
Government The most famous of this
class was the one presented to Red Jack
ct q noted chief. He was very. proud of
the honor conferred upon him and al
WAYS carried it in prominent place.
One of the first medals presented dur
inc the Civil War, Major Anderson re.
caiyed for his brave defence Of Fort Sum-
+er This was more simple than those
eriven BY the Governments during the War
- 1912. One side side was stamped with
tha head of Major Anderson; on the re-
verse was soldier planting the Ameri-