The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-08
REWARDS ron SOLDIERS.
Statement from the Army board
which VIII Make Recommendations

Statement from the Army hoard,
which VIII Make Recommendations.
WASHINGTON, Jan Attention has
been drawn recently to the work being done
by the special army board charged with the
recommendation of officers and men in the
army for breVet rank and for rewards by
medals Of honor for gallant and heroic serv-
ices Sucn statements as have been made
have failed to disclose the actual state of
the work and the methods which are being
followed in its prosecution are in order to
prevent misconception in the public mind
that might tend TO a depreciation of these
tokens of a nations gratitude, the board
To-day made public the following statement:
The board appointed to make recOmmen-
dations tor the awarding of breVetS. medals
and certificates of merit in the Cuban Por-
10 RiCan and Philippine campaign has met
with considerable difficulty on account of
the manner in which the reports were pre-
Jared. IL must be remembered-and eSpe-
cialiy in the campaign like the Santiago
that great deal OF sickness prevailed in the
army Immediately subsequent 10 the battle
and the troops had TO be landed without
books, desks, or papers, SO that ii was al
lnost Impossible 10 get accurate reports IN
regard To the part performed by individuals
Of each organtza ton in these campaigns.
The nature of the country ana the manner
in which the action was fought of course,
prevented any commanding officer from see
ing very large part OF his regiment at one
4
tion entirely by the recommendations which
have been laid before ii, and the only tests
applied have been those prescribed by law
and orders. The statute regarding breVets
specifies that the honor shall be conferred
Tor distinguished conduct and public serV-
ice in presence of the enemy The regula-
lions require that:
First-In order that the congressional
medal of honor may be deserved services
must have been performed in action of such
a CONSPICUOUS character as TO clearly dis
tinguish the man for gallantry and in
Irepidity above his COMMUNICATIVE that
involved extreme jeopardy of life or the
performance of extraordinarily hazardous
duty. Recommendations for the decora lions
viii be judged by this standard of extraor-
binary merit. and incontesuble proof of per-
fCrmance of the service will be eXacted.
observation-disclosures of the Union have ever
displayed bravery IN batue' else victories
could not have been gained, but as cour-
age and self-sacriice are the characters
ties of every true soldier, such a badge of
distinction as the congressional medal is not
that does not clearly distinguish the soldier
above other men, whose bravery and gal
lantry have been proved in battle.
INSTRUMENTATION for medals on
account of services rendered in the volun-
teer army during the late war and in the
regular army previous TO Jan. l, 1880, will
III practicable be submitted by some person
other than the proposed recipient, one who
is practically familiar with all the facts and
circumstances claimed tustifying the
award, but the application may be made by
the one claiming 10 have earned the decora-
AlDus IN when case II VIII &c IN the form or
deposition, recittng narrative descriptive
Of the distinguished service performed If
official records are relied on as evidence
proving the personal service, the reports of
the action must be submitted or cited: but
III these records are lacking the testimony
must embrace that of one or more wit
nesses, who. under OATH describe specifi-
cally the act or acts they saw wherein the
person recommended or applying clearly
distinguished himself above his fellows for
most distinguished gallantry in action.
1T is hardly possible that all OF the acts
OF bravery which should be rewarded are
included IN those before the board IL is
possible that some Of those reported may
not be receiving as much as they deserve.
on the other hand. IL may be that many
who have received nothing may be just
AS deserving as those who have been recon-
mende7. 1t y believed, however that the
publication Of the recommendations OF this
board BY the War Department will result