The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-30

means simply that very careful scrutiny
must be given to the claims of persons
whose specially meritorious service is de-
scribed as rendered good many years ago.
Secretary Root has been impressed with
this view of the subject that he recon-
mended to the last Congress a proviso, to
be attached to the appropriation for addi-
tional medals, that no medal be awarded
thenceforward after the lapse of more than
three years from the date of the act Of
gallantry cited.
BUT ONE TO ANY PERSON.
The number of medals which might law
fully be awarded to any one person whose
notable performances had not been limited
to one occasion has given rise to some con-
troversy. The almost uniform rule of the
department. has been not to issue more than
one medal to one person, no matter how
brilliant his record. Commonly, the appli-
cation for second medal is not even en-
tertained for investigation. and in almost
every instance, where more than had
been issued it will probably be found that
the order for the second was made before
the discovery that the first had been con-
ferred
The largest issue of medals in any one
year was in 1865, when 1,156 were put forth.
These included the members of the Maine
regiment mentioned in an earlier para
graph. The next largest number fell to 1884,
when 1i9 medals were issued: the next to
1897, when 1870 were issued. The records of
all the other years fall inside of lO0 the
year 1868 and 1883 having only two EACH and
1881 and 1885 none. The scrutiny to which
every claim is now subjected was shown
in the fiscal year 1901 when out of sixty ap-
plications based on civil-war incidents only
four were granted.
OF the States whose volunteers have been
decorated, Maine, for obvious reasons.
takes the highest place with her SIS medal
men; of the States which did not enjoy
one of these wholesale outpourings New
York stands first with 226 medal men, Penn
sylvania second with 152 and Ohio third
with 127 Illinois, fourth in rank, has had
ninety. and Massachusetts,. fifth, sixty
three. The regular army has borne off
nearly five hundred medals.
Divided as to military rank, only three
medals have gone to major generals, while
private soldiers-here bearing in mind again
the Maine contingent-have received 1887.
Although the lieutenants outnumber the
captains-192 to 109-the sergeants outnum-
Der the corporals, 49, to 300. The distinction
of holding the one medal given TO a single
rank rests with hospital steward, a quar-
termaster's employe and DR.. Mary Walker.
Although the poets have associated music
with scenes and thoughts of peace and
with merrymaking, it is worthy of note that
forty-three members of the band wear med
ais of honor.
That our government was not alone In
recognizing special gallantry in the war
between the States is shown by a record
of the Confederate Congress, which author
lied President Davis. In October, 1862, 10
bestow medals and badges after a pecul-
iarly democratic fashion. Such Confeder-
ate army officers as should be conspicu-
Gus for courage and good conduct on the
field of battle were to receive medals a.
his hands; and a badge of distinction"
was TO be conferred on one private or nom
commissioned officer Of each company after
every signal victory 1T had assisted to
achieve. The selection was to be made by
nOncOmmlSSiOnPd officers
privates of a company who were present
on the first dress parade after the victory;
and if the award fell upon a decea sed sol
der. his badge was to be delivered to his
widow, or, if there were no widow to any
relative the President might adiudge en-
titled to receiev it. Like some of the prom
ises made north of the lines, this one ap
pears to have been ignored in practice,
though the record of the enactment stands
as a monument to the excellent intentions
of Confederate craftsmanship.