Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-15
FOR HEROIC SERVICE
MEDALS SENT TO OFFICERS OF
REVENUE CUTTER BEAR.
For Their Rescue Of tho Ice-Bound
Whalers In the Arctic
r Sea.

Secretary Shaw has sent to First Lieu
tenant David H. Jarvis. Lieutenant e. P.
Bertholf and Surgeon Samuel ]. Call of the
revenue cutter service. handsome and
costly gold medals for heroic service in the
rescue expedition for the relief of the Zee
bound whalers in the Arctic sea in the
winter of 1s979S. Accompanying the medal
that is sent to each man is a letter from
Secretary Shaw describing briefly the rea-
sons for the bestowal of the medal. and
speaking In terms Of laudation Of the Off
Ger.
The medals are handsome affairs four
inches in diameter. and containing gold in
trinsically worth s21O They bear pictures
of the recipients-that Is, each mans medal
bears his own engraving, with the words
below the engraving: Awarded by act of
Congress, June %, 1902, for heroic service. g."
On the opposite side of each medal is this
inscription: ~. s. Revenue Cutter Bear.
Overland Expedition for Relief of Whaiers.
November 81 1s97-September IL. 1898"
Lieut.. Jarvis. who conducted the famous
expedition and succeeded In reaching the
whalers. Is a collector Of customs at Sitka.
President Roosevelt having asked him to
take the place because of his knowledge Of
Alaskan conditions and his fearless in
difference to influences of any kind. The
letter Of Secretary Shaw to Mr.. Jarvis -
each recipient getting an Identical letter
is as follows:
Secretary Shaw's Letter.
ut affords me great pleasure to forward
to you herewith the gold medal recon-
mended by President William Mckinley
and ordered by the unanimous vote of the
Congress of the United States in recosni-
ton of your heroic services the leader
of the overland expedition to Point Barrow.
Arctic ocean. composed of three officers
e
of imperfled whalers.
1.-THE conditions which confronted you
throughout that four months march, be-
ginning the 10Th day of December. 1877.
were full of difficulty. Encouragement and
ever-present danger. but you and your gal
lant comrades. Lieut.. E. P. Bertholf and
Surgeon Samuel ]. Call, prosecuted your
journey and fulfilled your mission un-
daunted and undeterred.
The estimate and appreciation in which
your great services were and are held can
not be better expressed than in the Ian
guage of President Mckinley in his special
message to Congress under date of January
II, 1899, wherein he said The hardships
and. perils encountered by the members of
the overland expedition in their great jour
sney through an almost uninha bited region,
barren waste of Ice and snow, facing
death itself every day for nearly four
months over a route never before Travelled
by white men. with no refuge but at the
end of the journey. carrying relief and
cheer to 275 distressed citizens of our coun
try. all make another glorious page in the
history of American seamen. They reflect
by their heroic and gallant struggles the
highest credit upon themselves and the
government which they faithfully served.
l commend this heroic crew TO the grateful
consideration of Congress and the Ameri-
can people,
The year just closed has been fruitful
of noble achievements in the field of war,
and while have commended to your con-
sideration the names of heroes who have
shed luster upon the American name in
valorous contests and battles by land and
sea, 1t is no less my pleasure to invite
your attention to a victory of peace, the
results of which cannot well be magni-
fed. and the dauntless courage of the
men engaged stamps them as true heroes
whose services cannot pass unrecognized.
Upon the brilliant and successful con-
summation of your perilous mission
congratulate you and the service in
which you were even then distinguished
officers, and l congratulate the country
that produces such men. Future seekers
for the record of heroic Americans will
surely note with pleasure what was done
by Lieut. Jarvis, Lieut. Berthof and Sur
geon Call within nineteen degrees of the
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