The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-12-11
Medal Of Honor Bestowed
Upon Former Private Fitz-s
gerald, Now Employed in
Customs Service.
FORMER COMMANDER
TELLS OF BRAVERY
Deed Performed BY Fitzger-
aid Are Related in a Novel
that Was Written by Late
Stephen Crane.
BY SIDNEY EsPEY.

BY SIDNEY EsPEY.
Washington. Dec 1o.--Tardy recog.
milton has been given BY the govern
ment to John Fitzgerald. now an EN-
ploye Of the United States customs
house in New York City. for his gal.
iantry and courage during the Spanish
American war
The recognition is in the shape OF
gold medal and 500 in gold, with q
personal letter from Acting Secretary,
of the Navy. Winthrop, describing the
heroism of Fitzgerald.
Major.General. G. +. Elliott, until
recently commanding the u. s. Marine
Corps, was instrumental in obtaining
medal of honor for Fitzgerald. who
was marine, and served under Gen.
eral Elliott in the Cuban campaign.
In his letter. bringing the case to the;
attention of Assistant Secretary VIM
throp. General Elliott says:
I'm the winter of 1898, after | re-
turned from the Spanish campaign In
Cuba. where had served at Guantana-
mo. and had been in command OF the
aggressive little fight at Cuxco Valley.
tsome three or four miles from Guam
tanamo.) received letter from Col.
Robert w. Huntington, u. s. Marine
Corps, who commanded the marines at
Guantanamo, saying: You were Ser.
geant Quick's commanding officer at
Cuzco, and think you should recon-
mend him for medal Of honor for
his personal actions In that fight !"
This did. and Sergeant Quick receiv-
ed medal OF honor. He Is now sem
Tor sergeant-major Of the Corps.
Tells Of His Deed.
! Private. John Fitzgerald. u. s. Ma.
rine Corps, performed duty of similar
character to that performed by Ser
geant Quick in that fight, their con-
| duct being almost exactly alike. Fitz-
/ gerald rose to the rank OF gunuery-
sergeant. was of exceptionally good
character and is now employed IN the
United States Customs House. in New
York City. He has made application.
| through me, for a medal Of honor for
| his action at Cuzco.
Stephen Crane, the novelist, and
author Of The Red Badge OF Courage
stood near me. and saw the signalling
done by Sergeant Quick and Private
| Fitzgerald. The action OF these men
as described in little book called
| Wounds in the Rain ] do not think
| he has overdrawn the facts In any de-
gree, and / therefore inclose copy
| of that part of his book relating to
the action OF these men In the fight
at Cuzco. The letter which wrote,
describing Sergeant Quick's action.
must be on file in the Department. ~
| 1t was sent to the naval board OF
awards about 1898.
This letter was written before before
saw or knew that Stephen Crane had
written anything In regard to the mat
ter, certificate Of Fitzgerald's service
is also enclosed.
In view Of the circumstances. I
have the honor to earnestly recon-
mend the case OF John Fitzgerald to
the Departments favorable consider
alton, to the end that he be awarded =
medal of honor for his conduct while
under fire at Cuzco. Suba, June IA.
| 1885,
The naval record Of Fitzgerald will
have the foregoing letter as part Of
| IT. together with the official decree
awarding him medal of honor. There
| will also be on file with It the fol-
lowing from Stephen Cranes story. re-
ferred to by General Elliott:
From Cranes Novel.
"At the wild little fight at Cuzco,
there were some splendid exhibitions
of wig-wagging under fire. Action
began when an advanced detachment
of marines under Lieut.. Lucas. with
/ the Cuban guides, had reached the
summit of ridge overlooking q small
valley where there was house well
and thicket OF some kind OF shrub.
with great oily leaves This thicket.
which is perhaps an acre in extent,
contained the gueriIlas. The valley
was open to the sea. The distance
/ from the top of the ridge to the thick
ct was barely two hundred yards.
The Dolphin had sailed up coast
in line with the advance of the mar
I ines, ready to assist in action Cap
tain Elliot, who commanded two hun
dred marines in this fight, suddenly
called out the signalman- He wanted
a man to tell the Dolphin to open Are
on the house and the thicket. It was
a blazing hot day on top Of the ridge
with its shriveled chapparal and its
straight, tall cactus plants. In two
minutes the prostrate marines were
sweating like 30 many huIlburied
| stokers in the tropics
Captain Elliot called ont:
/ Where is signaIman? Who's
4 signalman here7"
"A red headed MickI think his
nickname was Clancy at any rata
it will do to call him C1ancy-twisted