Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-01-07
REWARDS FOR
BRAVE ACTS
A COMMISSION IS INVESTIGATI
DESERVING CASES-THE
RULES LAID DOWN.

Washington, Jan. 7.-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 services. Such statements as
have been made have failed to disclose
the actual state of the work and the
methods which are being followed in it's
prosecution and in order to prevent
msconception in the public mind that
might tend to depreciation of these to-
kens of a nations gratitude, the board
-, today made public the following state
ment:
'"The board appointed to make recon-
mendations for the awarding of brevets,
medals and certificates of merit in the
Cuban, Porto Rican and Philippine cam
| paigns has met with considerable diff
Guilty on account of the manner in which
the reports were prepared. 1t must be
! remembered, especially in the campaign
| at Santiago, that great deal of sickness
prevailed in the army Immediately sub
Sequent to the battle and the troops had
i to be landed without books, desks or
papers, so that it was almost impossible
| to get accurate reports in regard to the
part performed by individuals of each
organization in these campaigns. The
nature of the country and the manner in
which the action was felt of course, pre-
vented any commanding officer from see
ing very large part of his regiment at
one time.
",The board has been guided in it's ac-
ton entirely by the recommendations
which have been laid before it, and the
only tests applied have been those pre-
scribed by law and order The statute
regulating these, specifies that the honor
shall be conferred for distinguished con-
duct and public service in presence of
the enemy. The regulation requires:
"One-In order that congressional
medal of honor may be deserved, service
| must be performed in action of such a
conspicuous character as to clearly dis
| tinguish the man for galldntry and in
trepidity above his fellow soldiers-ser-
vice that involves extreme jeopardy of
| life or the performance of extraordinary
hazardous duty. Recommendations for
| the decorations will be judged by this
standard of extraordinary merit and in
contestible proof of performance of the
service will be expected.
'"Two-Solders of the Union have ever
| displayed bravery in battle, else victories
could not have been gained, but as cour-
age and self sacrifice are the character
lSticS of every true soldier, such a badge
of distinction as the congressional medal
is not to be expected as the reward of
| conduct that does not clearly distinguish
the soldier above other men whose bra
very and gallantry have been proven in
battle.
''Three-Recommenda for medals
on account of services rendered in the
volunteer army during the late war and
I, in the regular army previous to January
! l, 1899, will, if practicable be submitted
by some person other than the proposed
recipient, one who is specially familiar
with the facts and circumstances claimed
as justifying reward, but the application
may be made by the one claiming to have
earned the decoration, in which case it
will be in the form of a deposition, recit-
ing a narrative description of the dis
tinguished service performed. If official
records are relied upon as evidence prov
ing the personal service, the reports of
the action must be submitted or cited,
but if these records are lacking, the testi-
mony must embrace that of one or more
witnesses who under oath describe spe-
cifically the act or acts they saw wherein
the person recommended or applying
clearly distinguished himself above his
fellows for most distinguished gallantry
in action.
"It is hardly possible that all the acts
of bravery worthy of reward are in
cluded in those before the board. It is
possible lflat some OF tnOSe reported may
not be receiving as much as they deserve
On the other hand, it may be that many
who have received nothing may be Just
as deserving as those who have been
recommended. 1t is believed, however.
that the publication of the recommends
tiOns of this board by the war depart
ment will result in bringing to light a
large number of cases which have been
heretofore overlooked by subordinate
commanders. 1t should be remembered
that when a company or regiment goes
into battle it is difficult for those in
authority to distinguish those men who
are fighting bravely and those who are
shirking.
1T is impossible for a board to make
any distinction except on recorded evil
dence. Where any officers or men are
neglected it is the fault of those whose
duty it was to call attention to such
cases. OF course where superiors were
disabled by wounds or disease those un-
der them suffer in consequence, but every
effort is being made to bring all such
| cases to light. The board will not com
Dlete it's work for some time and no re-
ports have yet been made in cases"