Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-07-20

and the killing heat. Penn dashed into the room
and. lifting the coal passer, staggered to safety
with him. the scalding water above his ankles.
Ignoring the frghtfu pain of his scalded, swol-
len feet. this second-class fireman dashed back
into the hell from which he had just dragged one
victim and saved another life.
Keefer meanwhile was busy saving the ship
from destruction, at least from the effects of
q terrific explosion for the water escaping from
the boiler would soon leave little there that 1t
would be entirely converted into steam and the
pressure would wreck ii.
Dashing through the binding tOrturing steam,
Keefer: the cOppersmth hauled the fires from
under the two inbOard furnaces Meanwhile,
Penn. having gotten every out of the fire
room, had turned the extra feed pump in the
after fire hold to keep water in the boilers and
built a bridge to the furnaces out Of planks laid
on top of ash buckets. While Passed Assistant
Engineer Stockney held the plank in place Penn
hauled the two remaining fires before he was car
ried to the sick bay where his terribly scalded
feet treated.
Both Penn and Keefer received the Medal of
Honor for their acts. That 1t is only extraOr-
binary bravery which merits the medal accounts
for the fact that Fireman Smith did not win the
bronze for the same days work. In helping
Keefer he had both legs badly burned but the
opportunity did not offer itself to display the
supercourage which Keefer and Penn ex-
hibited.
Some of the most stirring medal stories
those of the Indian campaigns. For instance.
there Corporal Paul Fl. Wenert who expect
ed to be court:martialed for what he did at the
battle of Wounded Knee. but instead had the
Medal of Honor pinned to his breast.
Another Indian fighter to win the coveted
bronze was Sergt. Bernard Taylor of the Fifth
cavalry, engaged i'm fighting the Apaches in Ari-
IONA in 1874.
Some of the most distinguished men in the
army have the medal Lieut.. Gen. Nelson
A. Miles won II for continually exposing himself
to the fire of the enemy as colonel of the Sixty
first New York volunteers i'm the Civil war. for
no other purpose than to encourage his men by
the example
At Fair Oaks Cen William r. Shafter
wounded but when surgeon was seen approach
ing he climbed tree in order not to be sent to
the rear. After the surgeon passed Shafter came
down and continued to fight until he fell uncOn-
scous from loss of blood.
Those who remember General Shafter only az
he was in the Cuban campaign will wonder how
he got into the tree but a man can put lot
of weight in thlrty-odd years.
Gen Francis n. Baldwin won the medal while
first lieutenant I'm the Fifth infantry. With two
companies under him he rescued two white girls
from Indians at McClennan's Creek, Tex, in No
vember, 1874.
Although not well-known the Victoria
Cross. the Iron Cross the Medaille Mtare
the Congressional Medal of Honor is much more
difficult to attain 1t is distributed to very few
persons and then only after a sweeping investiga
ton of the circumstances surrounding the act for
which ii is recommended.
The Medal of Honor was authorized by con-
gress by act Of July IL 1862. The striking Of
1000 medals was ordered, to be conferred upon
privates and nOncommissiOned officers for acts of
bravery surprising those usually demanded of
Thousand
voted to single organization. the survivors Of
Maine regiment which volunteered to remain In
service the of the Battle of Gettysburg
although their terms had expired This is the
only of a wholesale distribution of the
medal and has been severely criticized.
There are slight variations i'm the medals as
designed for the army. the navy and the marines
The army's medal, modified I'm 1905, is a FIVE
pointed star with the trefoils on the tips. The
star is supermposed wreath. In the center
of the star is the head of Minerva surrounded by
the words United States of America" The
medal is suspended from n trophy representing
eagle bar with the word "yalOr." The
whole is suspended from ribbon.
The original medal bore In the center Of the
star figure of America clad as Minerva Her
left hand rested upon the fasces and with shield
in her right she repealed DiscOrd. band of stars
circled the figures. The trophy eagle
perched on two crossed lannon's and number Of
cannon balls suspended from red white and
blue ribbon.
The medal as presented 10 the marines today is
practically like the original medal. except that It
is Joined to the ribbon by anchor and the rib
bon is worn around the neck.
The navy receives medal similar to that
awarded to marines but worn pinned to the breast
suspended from a metal bar by a short ribbon
The medal is worn only on special parade or
at ceremonies with the dress uniform.-New York
Herald.