The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1919-06-27

IN
a HE Congressional Medal of Honor
~ recognizes no rank.
1t is awarded to the private or the
III general the second class seaman or
ENTASS&A fireman or to the rear admiral for
~ TRe extraordinary courage, valor surpass-
III & ing even that which is expected from
" ~ the wetrained, seasoned soldier or
eSeS6 sailor. No matter how hazardous
duty well performed, that is not
enough 10 win the medal something more than
is demanded by duty must be achieved
Unlike some of the European decorations for
bravery the American Medal of Honor is more
difficult for an officer to win than for an enlisted
man. because more is expected Of an officer
The medal is bit of bronze suspended from
ribbon. Its intrinsic value, be 1t what it may is
OF no Importance. Into the metal disk are welded
all the qualities of man which men admire, even
worship. In the archives of the war department
are succinct, unimaginative records of the acts
which caused the medal to be pinned to the
breasts of the men who have it. The papers
Will yellow and cruwble, the ribbons will rot to
dust, the bronze itself will corrode and vanish
but the things the medal stands for will go on and
the epic of the Medal of Honor will continue to be
inscribed in the hearts of men,
There is no doubt the Medal of Honor will be
won in this war; but it will not be won easily
and though millions may be fighting under the
American flag it will to but few to wear this
distinguishing mark. In the Spanish war less
than 20 medals awarded. In the Philippines
few were given.
The last two medals to be awarded were pre-
sented to Sergt. Maj Roswell Winans and Cor
poral Joseph A. CLOWN of the marine CORPS for
their work at the battle of Guayacanes in Santo
Domingo. 1t is the act itself which wins the
medal for man, and not only does his rank
matter not at all, but he may win it in a skir-
mish or in battle like that of Gettysburg Of
the Marne
The report Of the board of investigation for the
navy department in their case follows: ION July
g. 1916, the Twenty-eighth company Of marines
was engaged with the Dominican armed forces at
the battle of Guayacanes. During running fight
Of 1000 yards our forces reached the enemy in
trenchment and Corporal Joseph CLOWN placed
the machine gun of which he had charge behind
Il large log the road and Immediately
opened fire the trenches. He was struck once
but continued firing his gun, but moment later
he was again struck and had to be dragged out
of the position into cover Sergt. Roswell Winans,
U. S. NJ c.. then arrived with Colts gun, which
he placed in a most exposed position and coolly
y opened fire the trenches and when the gun
TANNED he stood up and repaired 1t under fire.
All the time CLOWN and Winans were handling
their guns they exposed to very heavy
fire which was striking into the logs and around
the men, seven men being wounded and one killed
within 20 feet. Sergeant Winans continued fir
ing his gun until the enemy had abandoned the
trenches
Sergeant Winan's story in his own words is
even more modest than the official report, al
though 1t is more vivid and picturesque.
ION the morning Of July g." he said, 1--WE got
under way with every feeling like a
man. Firing the advance guard began early
in the day. Our captain obtained permission to
take our platoon forward. We kept the guns
the carriages until within few yards of the fir
ing line then transferred them to the tripods and
Immediately opened fire. The enemy was using
mostly old-fa shioned breechloaders with big lead
slugs.
1.-THE brush was very thick on both sides of
the road. Jams frequent with and each
gun wore out a couple Of shell extractors. Diff
Guilty had been experienced all along with our
ammunition. Some of it dated back as far as
1907 1t had evidently been reloaded many times.
1--WE found it good policy to change barrels in
case of a jam in the chambers. In that way we
would be only minute out of action. A party
of the enemy were seen up the road and Corporal
Johnson started to put his gun in action. big
lead slug (tin cans called them) came
ricocheting down the road directly for us. john
son saw it while kneeling behind his gun. He
ducked almost prone, but the thing took long
skip and hit him in the jaw. passed down and
lodged back Of the shoulder.
"The gun crews promptly gave the place where
the shot was fired good combing We continued
to advance under cover Of the bushes and trees.
battalion Of infantry was depoyed as Skin
mishers on each side of the road and
concealed by turn in the road and high trees
antS>bushes
Tsafectly across the road was huge log. At
our, end of the log a Benet -Mercer had just COM
menced roaring, with Corporal Clowns in COM
mand Of it.
1.-THE captain ordered gun in action at the
butt of the tree. It had no sooner opened up
than all the bullets in the world seemed coming