New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-03

of their profession. and authorized the promo
ton Of such men to be warrant officers, to re-
ceive a gratuity Of 500 and medal or honor
In 1896 the Secretary OF War and IN 1913 the
Secretary Of the Navy We q authorized to issue
rosettes to be worn IN lieu OF the medal and to
replace lost rosSttes.
The medal Of fonor with its bar was designed
and stamped at the Philadelphia Mint In looZ
Several thousand struck from ordinary
dark copper bronze at that time out OF the nrst
appropriation Of $4,000 and fully half OF these
vet remain unawarded in the War Department
The Navy Department adopted the same de-
sign for It's medal and has them struck az
needed paying for them out Of the contingent
fund from time to time, the expense being
trivial At first the ribbon was miniature
American flag and the Navy still retains this
style but the Army ribbon was changed three
years ago by Secretary Lamont to be an inch
wide and long, "the centre stripe Of white one
sixteenth Of an inch wide flanked on either side
by a stripe Of blue seven thirty seconds Of an
inch wide bordered by two stripes Of red each
one-quarter Of an inch wide" This change was.
It was explained. to distinguish the medal OF
honor from the badge of the Grand Army Of the
Republic. which is close imitation in general
appearance of the medal, which was seldom seen
In 1866 when the badge was designed.
The medal is an ordinary five pointed star
with Diana and youth ia circular band OF
stars suspended by chains from a flying eagle.
carrying crossed cannon and shsll in It's talons.
hung by the ribbon from Q bar representing two
cornucopias and a National shield. The name
Of the owner Is engraved on the back. with q
brief mention Of the ground Of the award.
Up TO and including August 10. 1890. Col Of
these medals had been given In the Navy and
25O1 in the Army. In the Navy sixty nine have
been awarded on account Of the with
Spain, OF which fifty went to the men in boats
who cut the cables for three and a quarter
hours under CALLING fire from !ntrenched posi-
lions at Cienfuegos, on May IL, 1893. The
Army has awarded twenty seven medals to
! Regular officers and men for services in Cuba
and twenty-one TO volunteers at Santiago.
None have yet been granted account Of the
Porto R.can or Philippine campaigns. and as
far as the Porto Rican expedition is concerned It
Is regarded extremely unlikely that any
medals will ever be awarded
There Is no blot, however small, on the Naval
Roll OF Honor The letter and intent OF the
law have been vigorously observed with regard
to every seaman placed upon II, and no officer,
however heroic, has mention thereon. The
Army list. unfortunately. bears evidence Of
slovenliness. II not evasion Of law In many Of
its entries. Brigader generals have received
the medal for leading assaults. when they
should have been shot had they failed to do
So and numerous instances appear OF medals
given for solderly qualities not ir. action, al
though the medal is distinctly limited to ex-
traordinary acts In battle. Among these are
twenty sergeants who got the medal In 1858.
each "n testimony of his faithful and e&em-
/
mains Of President Lincoln to Springfield. M
The only woman the list is Dr. Mary L.
Walker. and the ground Of her award is ser
vices rendered during the war
The worst stain on the Army ROLL however. Is
/ referred to on every one OF Its 133 pages by an