The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-30
MEDAL OF HONOR LEGION
HISTORY OF DECORATIONS FOR
BRAVERY IN OUR WARS.
Indiscriminate Manner in Which
Some of the Medals Authorized by
Congress Were Conferred.
Washington Letter in New York Post.

Washington Letter in New York Post
The meeting of the Medal of Honor Le-
gion in annual convention in Philadelphia
this week lends special interest to re-
cent report of Gen. f. c. Ainsworth. COM
piling from the War Department records
the history of decoration for special acts
of gallantry in American wars.
1t appears that the idea originated with
the Chamber of Commerce in New York
in June, 1861, when a resolution was adopt
ed ordering 1.-The execution of series OF
medals of proper character to be present
ed to each officer, nocommissioned officer,
and soldier engaged in the defense of Fort
Sumter and Fort Pickens in the month
of May. 1861" In November of the follow
ing year, at meeting of officers represent
ing regiments that had served under Gen.
Philip Kearny, measures were taken TO
procure a medal in the generals honor, for
presentation to all officers and soldiers pro-
NOTED to a noncommissioned grade prior
to Jan. /, 1868, who had served in battle
under Kearny, and had stainless records.
Still later, a cross in honor of Kearny,
designated as a "cross of valor;" was
adopted by Gen. ID. b. Birney, TO be be-
slowed on noncommissioned officers and
privates in his division who had most dis
tinguished themselves in battle. The
premise by General Banks of a medal
to the volunteers for the forlorn-hope
storming party at Fort Hudson, the Nc
Pherson general excellence medal, the
Gilmore medal for the operations before
Charleston, the medals for special service
in the Gettysburg campaign. and the But
Ter medal for certain colored soldiers who
had distinguished themselves for gallantry,
are among the other decoration incidents
which figured in the history of the war.
In some cases the promises and orders
were carried out in others not, and IN all
a good deal of confusion reigned as TO the
claims, the methods of application ana
the number and character of the bene-
ficiares. Two acts of Congress made spe-
cial appropriations for medals during the
civil war period: The act of July IL. 1867,
restricting the decoration to 1000 noncom-
missioned officers and privates who should
most distinguish themselves by their gal
lantry in action and other soldier-like quail
tiles during the present Instruction, and
that of March 3. 1862 authorizing an in
definite number to be presented to such OF
ficers, noncommissioned officers, and pri-
Yates as have most distinguished or who
may hereafter most distinguish themselves
in action.
INDISCRIMINATE DISTRIBUTION.
In all about 1900 medals had been dis
tributed before the close of the civil war.
but little attention seems TO have been paid
then to the terms of the statute or to in
yestigating the records of the persons ap-
plying for the medals. DR.. Mary Walker,
a contract surgeon, and neither an officer
nor an enlisted man in the military service
of the United States, received one of these
medals, as did also sundry civilian scouts,
guides and other outsiders. In 1865 some
twenty-nine officers and noncommissioned
officers who took part in escorting the dead
body of President Lincoln from here to
Springfield, ILL.,, received medals for that
service Another instance in point was
that of the Twenty-seventh Maine Infantry,
whose officers and men, TO the number of
s64 were decorated ''for volunteering to
remain in service and participate in the
battle of Gettysburg, their terms of service
having expired" although as fact only 800
volunteered to remain and did remain
Arlington Heights, near this city, till the
result of the battle of Gettysburg had been
made known. By 1875 the abuse of indis-
elimination had reached a point where il
was necessary to hedge in the medal bust
ness somewhat, but no authoritative rules
were adopted till 1891, when Secretary Alger
amended PARAGRAPH III. of the army regu-
lations, so as to restrict the medal of honor
10 persons who had performed a service in
action of so conspicuous a character as
clearly to distinguish them for gallantry
above their comrades service that in
volved extreme jeopardy of life or the per-
Torrance OF extraordinarily hazardous
such service were lacking, one or more
eye-witnesses must attest il under oath
describing specifically the act or acts they
saw The same regulation expresses a
preference that the designation of the per-
son to receive medal of honor should
come in the form of recommendation by
somebody else, rather than of an applica-
ton by the man himself. though any can
didate is left at liberty TO apply.
No statute OF limitations is in operation
to cut OF long delayed claims, although an
int attorney in hell
that in the absence of contemporaneous
record evidence, the act OF March g. 1861
should not be regarded as authority for
bestowing medal "as a reward for gal
lantry alleged TO have been displayed dur
ing the civil war''-this on the mere ground
of delay unaccounted for in making the
application. and "in obedience to a principle
of general Jurisprudence based en- the
teaching of experience, that the lapse of
time carries with IL the memcry and life OF
witnesses, the ml,aiments of evidence. and
the other means Of judicial proof This