The Washington times., 1902-10-10
THE MEDAL OF-HONOR;
HEROES WHO HAVE WON IT

1.-THE Army of the James from Bermuda
Hundred to Point of Rocks, May 6. 1864,
and at Drewry's Bluff, May Il, gallantly
drove superior force. of the enemy
within his works. In the sanguinary
battle, two days later, Captain Drake
and his company, D, Ninth New Jersey,
was surrounded and captured.
The story OF Captain brakes captivity
and his thrilling escape therefrom is
distinctive
! While being moved with other Off
GERS from the Southern pens to Column
/ bia TO prevent Sherman from capturing
them, Drake escaped with Capt Harry
II. Todd, Eighth New Jersey; Capt. ]. E.
! Lewis, Eleventh Connecticut, and Capt.
Albert Grant, Nineteenth Wisconsin.
The train on which 500 Union soldiers
embarked reached the southern end OF
the long riekety bridge over the Conga
Tree River shortly before dusk. During
the afternoon Drake had succeeded in
removing the percussion caps from the
rifles held by the sergeant and six pri-
Yates who guarded them, and. as the
boxcar in which sixty were riding,
crossed the bridge, the three chosen
comrades and Drake leaped out of the
open door from the rapidly moving train.
The train was brought to a stop
mile or so away, and men and dogs
started after The Unionists. who sought
refuge in a heavy cypress swamp to
battle the hounds, which were loudly
baying on their trail within an hour.
They remained in the swamp all through
that dreary, rainy night.
The adventures of these brave men
with guerrillas, the narrow escape from
recapture, the way they subsisted, and
their safe return to Union lines a week
later Is one of the most interesting
stories of the civil war. Mr.. Drake re-
ceived a medal OF honor for gallant
services on the field"
Saved Under Fire.
On May "a G. w Brush, of Spencer
Place, Brooklyn. was doing service on
the Ashepoo River, in South Carolina. |
while fierce battle was in progress.
The Cnited States steamship Boston was
sinking, riddled with shot and shell. |
Brush voluntarily commanded a boat
crew. and under fire went 10 the rescue |
of large number of soldiers on the |
sinking ship and with great gallantry |
succeeded in conveying them to shore |
being all the time exposed to the merci- |
less fire Of a Confederate battery. The |
act was marvellous in its daring and glo- |
rious in its success. He received q |
medal Of honor for gallant and humane
service while under heavy fire"
Led Charge Unframed
A member of Smiths Guerrillas." as
the Sixteenth Army Corps was styled |
John H. Cook, of SO West Twenty-third |
Street, then of the One Hundred and
Illinois Infantry. had two
episodes in his war career that earned
him the medal. Early on April 10, 1864,
near Pleasant Hill, La. while detailed
as clerk. Cook disliked missing the
fight and fell in without orders and
went on the skirmish line. He had fred +
his last shot ard. seeing an opportunity.
ordered charge, and unarmea led IL
Several days later heavy
docd threatened to destroy all the Co..
arnment property. All alone with water
TO his waist. he carried the goods to
place OF safety while long distance
we're trying To get him.
His medal is for Saving large amount
IF Government property from destruc-
-icn by feed while exposed TO fire.
He Loved to Fight.
AS lieutenant colonel of the Ninth
Iowa Infantry, FRANCIS j. Heron Was
known as the most daring fighter in the