The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-10-24
MEXICAN WAR MEDAL.
Valuable Relic Goes to Sister of John
Shealy-A History of the
Medal

S~AH
gressman Aiken, stating that he found
the Mexican War Medal in Washing
ton which belonged to one John
Shealy, and that if any Of his relatives
were legally entitled to receive It, ne
would be Very glad to give the medal
to same. The medal has been in the
clerk of courts Office at Newberrv
for some time and Clerk Goggans has
succeeded in locating a sister of the
Mexican soldier, John Shealy.
At the request of The Herald and
News, Col. D. A. Dickert has furnish
ed the following description of the
medal and the history Of these medals:
Some time ago Congressman Aiken
learned that there was in the city of
Washington, soldiers medal, pur-
porting to belong to one John Shealy,
of South Carolina, soldier Of the
Mexican war. Col. Aiken interested
himself in the matter, and got the
medal in his possession, and wrote to
Clerk of Court Goggans, to find out,
if possible, to whom this heirloom be-
longed. After months of diligent in
quiry, Mr.. Goggans heard of a nephew
of the Mexican soldier, and after some
correspondence, he discovered the
whereabouts of a sister, now living in
Lake City, Fla, a Mrs. Louisa Beden-
baugh. Saturday Mr.. Goggans started
by express the hong lost souvenir to
Mrs. Bedenbaugh. There is some lit
tie history attached to the silver
trinket.
"In 1852 the legislature of South
Carolina passed an act, appropriating
$4,000 for the erection of a monument
to the soldiers of the Mexican war
from this State. The bronze palmetto
tree now standing on the State house
grounds, with the names of all mem
bers of the Palmetto regiment there
On, is the outcome of that appropria-
ton. The legislature made further
appropriation of several thousand dol
lars, to have silver medal struck off
for each soldier, with his name there
on, to be delivered to the members of
the regiment or their legal representa-
tives. This was done. The badge is
about one-third larger than silver
dollar (enclosed in neat velvet boX)
on which is stamped in the centre
palmetto tree, around which is in
scribed Vera Cruz" "Cherubusco" and
"Chapultapec," the battles in which
the regiment was engaged. On the
reverse side are the names 'Butler,"
Dickinson and Gladden." the colonel
and first and second majors, respec-
lively, of the Palmetto troop. On the
left is 1916, and to the right is 1847,
the beginning and ending of the war.
At the bottom is the name of John
Shealy, and Cherubusco, the battle in
which he was killed.
ut appears from subsequent events
that some soldier from Ohio, who was
in Gen. Slocum's corps, leading the
left Of Sherman's army, got possession
of this medal, took it to his home in
Ohio, and from thence it fc Ind it's
way to Washington. The possessor
then, no doubt, when rejecting how
dearly soldiers family treasures any
little memento of his ervices to his
country, determined to return it to
its rightful owner. Hence Mr.. Aiken
as congressman from this State, be-
came the legitimate channel by which
the righttul owner could be traced,
and barring accident e'er this goes
in print the sister will be in posses
sion of the long lost medal, souven-
ir of the brothers devotion to his
countryis cause.
John Shealy was from Edgefeld
county, but joined Capt. James H. Will
liams' Company "L," from this coun-
ty, and was killed while Quitman's !
division was leading the charge in the
storming of the heights of Cherubusco,
and whose troops were the first to
enter the city of Mexico.
after the war the general govern
ment brought back the bodies of all
the soldiers who were killed or died
during the service. John Shealy's
body was brought back at the same
time, the occasion being the insplra-
ton of one of the finest poems in the
English language, by O'Hara, of Ken