Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-03-08

WASHINGTON, March 8.-Not
only have the facts upon which Leon
ard Wood was granted the Congress
slonal Medal been questioned in the
official records, but the legality of
the award is questioned.
General Alger, then secretary of
war, who was later forced out OF Of
flee on account of the ''embalmed
b. 2f' scandals, awarded this medal
to Wood, who was his personal physi-
clan, in March, 1898. No recon-
mendation was ever made by the
medal or honor board of the army
that Wood receive a medal. There
is no record that on March 20, 1898,
any person at all other than Secre-
tary Alger favored the award of the
medal of honor made on that date.
The award was made in the name of
the president, of course, but it was
the act of the secretary Of war.
Was Award Legal?
1t is doubtful if the award was even
legal to say nothing of its justifica-
ton. The Law on the subject au-
thorizes such awards only on account
of most distinguished service render
ed in action by "officers, non-com-
missioned IF Iers and privates" in the
army. Wood was neither officer, nom
commissioned officer nor private. The
records indicate that Wood rendered
No service whatever in action on the
date mentioned, either distinguished
or otherwise.
There was no action" meaning
q fight" as the records clearly show.
The hostile InGians, against whom the
small detachment of infantrymen,
less than 20, were operating, had
abandoned their camp and scattered,
and Major Lawton, with the infantry
detachment to which Doctor Wood
was attached, did not arrive until an
hour afterward, at their abandoned
camp.
Wood Starts Story.
According to the official records,
Wood himself was the first to make
misleading statement about his part
in the alleged Gbattle." In a report
to General Miles, dated Sept. 8, 1886,
he said: During the latter part of
June and July it was my good for
tune to command the infantry. Dur
il this time we eventually
jumped the hostile camp, capturing
every hing except the hostiles, "a
statement which conveys the impress
sicn that he, Woo |, bore some part in
jumping the camp and effecting the
capture.
But Lawton, who was in command,
in his report of Sept 8, distinctly
states that he, with the infantry
(the pack-train guard of about II
men), which Decor Wood command
ed because the detachment was too
small to have an infantry officer, "did
not reach Lieutenant Brown until af-
ter he had entered the hostile camp.
The attacking party had been discov-
cred and all the hostiles escaped.
Their animals and camp equipage
with a large amount of dried beef,
ETC., fell into our hands, but the hos
tiles scattered and escaped on foot"
Wasn't Eligible.
1t is clear enough from this con-
temporaneous account that there was
no lighting at the camp. Moreover,
Lawton later stated in a report which
he was endeavoring, in the interest of
Wood, to make as much as possible
of this trifiing incident, that 'the
scouts fired upon the camp, but no
return fire was given"
Wood at that time was merely
civilian contract surgeon-a physi-
can under contract to render services
to men in the army. The ineligibili-
ty of contract surgeon, under the
law, to receive the medal of honor
even for the most distinguished con-
duct in action, and even though he
subsequently became commissioned
officer, was fully set forth by Secre-
tary to the house of representatives