The Washington times., 1902-05-18

coveted honor. and the various branches
Of the organization meet but once year.
After the business meeting a banquet is
/ held and speeches Of patriotic nature
are made.
Captain Dillon is employed in the Sec
end Auditors Office in this city. He IS
a native Of New Hampshire and served
| in the Second Volunteer Infantry from
/ that State. 1t was while he was a private
in Company G, OF that command, that he
| performed the deeds that secured him the
| bronze decoration. In fact, Captain Dill
Ion twice rendered such meritorious SER
vice that IL such thing were possible
! he would be the possessor of two medals.
On May 5. 1862. Captain Dillon first dis
| tinguished himself in action. He was sta
ticned at Williamsburg. Va, and during a
charge by the enemy upon battery dis
| played unusual bravery in repulsink the
attack. June %. of the same year. Cap
tain Dillon again displayed great courage
! that secured his second recommendatio IN
! for the Medal of Honor.
His service this time was of different
| character, as he crawled outside the
lines while his command was intrenched
J at Oak Grove. Va. and with the chances
I more than even that he would be either
she; or captured he penetrated the lines
tior lat was OF the utmost Importance
to L, commanding general His journey
| was attended with several hairbreadth
escapes aad his mission was only accom-
| plished after an exhibition of the utmost
personal bravery.
Thirty-five in District.
Exclusive of army officers temporarily
in the city and members of Congress there
are thirty-fiv Medal of Honor men re-
siding in the District. Prominent among
these is Col. william H. Carter. AS
States Army. Colonel Carter secured his
decoration while he was serving as a lieu
tenant with the Sixth United States Cav
airy in Arizona
His command had been in brush with
the Indians, and had been handled-pretty
severely. The cavalrymen were eventual
ly forced TO retreat. leaving their wound
ed behind. After his command had
reached position that could be de-
Tended Colonel Carter called for vclun-
teers. and in company with two privatas
returned and rescued the wounded from
the battle field. This action was per-
formed in the face of a heavy fire. by ac-
curatc marksmen, and both the officer and
the men received decorations for their
sallantry.
Col. NJ. Emmett Urell of the District
National Guard, is also n possessor of the
much coveted honor. He is a native of
New York State. and enlisted in the Com
pany E of the Eighty-second New York
Infantry. He secured honorable mention
in an engagement at Bristoe Station. Va,
on October II, 1863. for gallantry in ac-
tion. and was awarded the medal on May
%, 1870.
Prominent among the well-known
statesmen who are Medal of Honor men
are Senator Matthew S. QUAY, of Penn
sylvania. and Representative Henry II.
Bingham, of Pennsylvania: the late Amos
Tenth District OF New York. was also a
Medal OF Honor man. Mr.. Cummings vas
a sergeant major in the Twenty sixth
New Jersey Infantry. and secured his
decoration as a result of his gallant ac
tion in an engagement near Salem
Heights. Va, on May 4, 1863.
The New Jersey troops were acting as
a support for battery of field artillery
and Mr.. Cummings, with a number Of
comrades under his command, rendered
great assistance in the heat OF the action
by rescuing a part of one of the batteries
from an extremely dangerous and ex-
ed to Mr.. Cummings until March rs, 1894.
Medal for Senator Quay.
Senator Quay took part in the civil war
as colonel Of the 134th Pennsylvania In
service, but on December 10. 1862. on the
eve of the battle of Fredericksburg. volun-
tariIy resumed duty and took n consplcu-
Gus part in that famous charge on the
heights. He was awarded the medal on
July 3. 1883
Representative Henry II. Bingham was
captain of Company G. 10th Pennsyl
vania Infantry. He was engaged with his
command in the battle of the Wilderness,
and secured honorable mention for his
heroism and personal bravery. Mr..
Bingham rallied and led back into action
a portion of the troops which had given
away under the fierce assaults of the
enemy.
The tales that could be told regarding
the deeds of valor that won the greatest
of all decorations for the old soldiers re-
siding in the District would in reality be
relating some of the most glorious pages
Of American history over again. From
every walk Of life come the veterans who
proudly wear the distinguishing medal or
tion of their bravery would make long
chapter indeed.
Gen. Absalom Baird. who was a briga-
der in the volunteer service. secured his
for voluntarily leading a detached brigade
in an assault upon the enemy's works at
Jonesboro. Ga; Capt. Lcwellyn G. Estes.
of 1910 T Street northwest, voluntarily
led troops in a charge over burning
bridge at Flint River, Ga.
Mr.. Orlando f. Caruaaa. who is at pres
ent employed in the War Department. is
another man who twice signally distin-
guished himself in encounters with the
enemy. Mr.. Caruana was private In
Company X. Fifty-hrst New York Infan-
try. In an engagement at Newbern. ". c..
on March II, 1862, Mr.. Caruana brought
of the wounded color sergeant and the
colors OF his regiment from the field of
battle. He W. exposed the entire time to
a heavy fire from the enemy. but escaped
without injury. On September IA Of the
same year Mr. Caruana again received
honorable mention.
Battle of South Mountain.
1t was at the battle of South Mountain.
Md, when, as one Of party of four, he
charged voluntarily over a stone wall un-
der heavy fire by the enemy. His action
was an exhibition OF great bravery, and
that the danger was extremely real Is
proved by the fact that his three COM
rades were killed. Mr. Caruana again es-
capped without wound.
And so the tale unfolds. Each man that
wears one of the little bronze bits is the
hero of tale upon which romance could
he built with little difficulty, while the
bare statement OF facts are enough TO
prove that for gallaptry and individual
daring the American soldier is second to
none In the world.
ac is frcuuently tho cnse In enpare-