The Benson signal., 1917-09-15
Men of National Army Will Be
Accorded Same Recognition
as Regulars.
MEDALS OF HONOR PRICED
Changes May Be Made In Present Law
How Some Enlisted Men In the
United States Army Won
Medals for Vaior.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.

nave D00n S0loCL0O IOr service III the
new National army should know that
the same recognition for Individual
acts of personal gallantry in the field
will be accorded them under the law
that is now given to officers and men
of the regular service.
There are enlisted men in the serv-
ice today who have won medals Of
honor for conspicuous personal gal
lantry in the field, and it can be said
that the possession of one of these
metal tributes to courage is priced
above all things else that the govern
ment can bestow.
BY the time that the new American
army troops in any numbers strike
the Germans in France, it is probable
that congress will have made some
changes in the laws governing the CIV
ing. of certificates of merit and medals
of honor for high acts of courage on
the field of battle.
There is a law governing in the mat
ter today, but it is said that army Of
ficers believe it to be hedged in with
so many requirements that some men
who deserve certificates of merit are
prevented from getting their earned
rewards. The changes which prob
ably are to be made will in no way
aid the undeserving to secure prizes
which are intended to go only to those
whose conduct is Of the highest in
face of great danger. Young men who
are about to enter the training camps
should know that in this matter of
recognition for courage, they will be
on the same footing with commits
stoned officers Gallantry in man, not
gallantry in rank, is the thing recog-
Nized.
How Medals Have Been Won.
1t is possible that men selected for
service in the new National army, and
perhaps others, may be interested to
learn how a few of the many enlisted
men in the United States army have
earned their medals 'for valOr."
When Clusters expedition struck in
to the Sioux country in 1875, the COM
manding officer ordered Major Reno
with his squadron of the Seventh to
make the detour to the right. Custer
then rode into the valley, where with
his command he met his death. Reno
T striking to the right met huge force
of the Sioux and in a bitter battle
which followed he lost many men.
While this engagement was at it's
height, a pack mule carrying a con-
siderable part of the carbine ammuni-
ton of the troopers broke away and
galloped toward the Indians. An en-
listed man named Hanley knew what
the loss of ammunition meant and he
left his troop and circling round to
the right he managed to capture the
mule at a point directly in front of the
Indian line.
Hanley threw himself on the ami
mails back and lashing it into run,
made straight back for his command.
He was under the close and direct tire
of the Indians. Hundreds OF rifles
barked at him, but he escaped un-
scathed by a seeming miracle. The
ammunition was saved and congress,
recognizing the enlisted mans devo-
tion and gallantry, voted to give him
the coveted medal of honor for his
high service.
The bushwhacIing war in the Phil
ippines produced of heroes a hundred,
but the world usually was given only
the names of the commanding officers
in the fights which made individual
heroism possible. Who, on reading
these lines, can remember ever before
having seen or heard the name Louis
GedeOn?
Escape Was Marvellous.
Not so long ago &c" company of
the Nineteenth infantry went into ac-
ton near Mount Amia, Cebu, Philip
pine Islands. The captain Of the COM
pany was mortally wounded and the
fortunes of the fight left him on the
field defended only by Private Louis
Gedeon. A force Of the enemy ad-
yanced to give the captain his death
stroke, but the private soldier faithful
to his duty and to his officer faced the
oncoming band, as army record hath 1t,
sssingle handed and alone" Although
exposed to a concentrated fire, GedeOn
bv his marvellous workmanship, aided
materially by his GOODNESS in the pres
ence of what seemed certain DEATH
kept the enemy back.
Private Gedeon might have escaped
He could have slipped into a ravine
and have joined the main body OF
troops. In fact, it is said that the
stricken officer, knowing that his own
wound was fatal, ordered Gedeon to
leave him, but the private soldiers
answer was to kneel by his officers
side and to offer his body as a pro-
lection.
Gedeon's escape that day was as
marvellous as anything ever set down
In the pages of fiction. He held his
own and help came before the prl
Yates wounded charge died. The ottl
Ger whom the private had saved IRON
the knives and the bullets or the en-
oyox, hroathod his last surrounded Dy