The record-union., 1899-01-08
Meeting With Much Difficulty In Carrying
Out Work Assigned to II.
Every Effort Being Made to Do
Justice to All, but the Board
Handicapped by the Manner I'm
Which the Reports a. to Certifi-
Gates Of Merit Were Prepared.

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 a misconception in
the public mind that might tend to a
depreciation of these tokens of a ma
tion's gratitude, the board to-day made
public the following statement:
"The board appointed to make recon-
mendations for the awarding of bre-
vets, medals and certificates of merit
in the Cuban, Porto Rican and Philip
pine campaigns has met with consider
able difficulty on account of the man.
ner in which the reports were prepared.
1T must be remembered, especially
in the campaign at Santiago, that a
great deal of sickness prevailed in the
army Immediately subsequent to the
battle, and the troops had to be landed
without books, desks or papers, so that
it was almost impossible to get ac-
curate reports in regard to the part
performed by individuals of each or
ganiZation in these campaigns
The nature of the country and the
manner in which the actions were
fought of course prevented any .com-
manding officer from seeing a 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 brevets specifies that the
honor shall be conferred for 'distin-
guished conduct and public service in
presence of the enemy
THE regulations also require that:
Il. In order that the Congressional
medal of honor may be deserved. serv-
ice must have been performed in action
of such conspicuous character as to
clearly dist q ish the man for gall
lantry and intrepidity above his com
rades-service that involved extreme
jeopardy of life or the performance Of
extraordinarily hazardous duty. Re-
Communications for the decorations will
be judged by this standard of extraor-
binary merit, and incontestible proof Of
performance of the service will be ex-
acted.
displayed bravery in battle, else vic
tories could not have been gained: but
as courage and self-sacrifice are the
characteristics of every true soldier,
such a badge of distinction as the Con-
gressional medal is not to be expected.
as the reward of conduct that does not
clearly distinguish the soldier above
other men, whose bravery and gall
lantry have been proved in battle
.. Recommendation for medals on
account of services rendered in the vol
unteer army during the late war. and
in the regular army previous to Janu-
airy !, 1890, will, if practicable. be sub
mitted by some person other than the
proposed recipient = one who is prac-
tically familiar with all the facts and
circumstances claimed as justifying
the award; 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, re-
citing a narrative description of the
distinguished service performed. If Of
fetal records are relied on as evidence
proving the personal service, the re-
ports Of the action must be submitted
or cited; but if these records are lack
of one or more witnesses who, under
oath. describe specifically the act or
acts they saw, wherein the person
recommended or applying clearly dis
tinguished himself above his fellows
for most distinguished gallantry in
action.
1T is hardly possible that all of the
acts of bravery which should be re-
warded are included in those before the
board. 1t is possible that some of
those 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 deserv-
ing as those who have been recon-
mended. 1t is believed, however, that
the publication of the recommendations
of this board by the War Department
will result in bringing to light large
number of cases which have been
heretofore overlooked by subordinate
commanders.
sit should be remembered that when
a company or regiment goes into battle
it is difficult for those in authority to
distinguish between men who are APP
parently equally brave.
1T is impossible for a board to make
any distino lions except on recorded
evidence 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 under them suffer in consequence;
but every effort is being made to bring
all such cases to light. The board will
not complete its work for some time,
and no reports have yet been made in
cases.
Dropped Dead.