The Connecticut labor news., 1921-09-02
SEN. M'LEAN'S BILL
 FULFILLS PROMISE
 OF THE CIVIL WAR
Finally Gets Medals for Volunteers Who Stormed Port
 Hudson.

Washington, Sept. /. - Following a favorable report from the COmm1tteC on military affairs, the Senate this week passed bill introduced by Sen ator Mclean of Connecticut on April I2, 1921, to grant medals to SurvlVOrs and heirs of volunteers of the Port Hudson forlorn-hope storming party.
 During the siege of Vicksburg in the Civil war, Major General N. r, Banks, commanding the Union forces, after the repulse of several attempts to carry the works by assault, issued the following order:
 Headquarters Department of the
 Gulf,
 Nineteenth Army Corps, "Before Port Hudson, June IS, 1863.
 The commanding general con- graduates the troops before Port Hudson upon the steady advance made upon the enemy's works and is confident of an immediate and trium- phant issue of the contest. We are at all points upon the threshold of his notifications. One more advance and they are ours.
 For the last duty that victory i'm poses the commanding general sum mons the bold men of the corps to the organization of storming column of thousand men to vindicate the flag of the Union and the memory of it's defenders who have fallen. Let them come forward
 "Officers who lead the columns of victory in this last assault may be as sured of the just recognition of their services by promotion, and every off cer and soldier who shares it's perils and its glory shall receive a medal fit 10 commemorate the first grand sue cess of the campaign of 1902 for the freedom of the Mississippi. His name will be placed in general orders upon the roll of honor.
 Division commanders will at once report the names of the officers and men who may volunteer for this serv- ice in order that the organization of the solemn may be completed without delay.
 By command of Major General Banks
 "Richard B. Irwin,
 Assistant Adjustant General
 Promise Never Kept.
 Under this order a body of volun- teers, as a forlorn hope, was assem- bled and organized and encamped for about two weeks, awaiting an assault.
 The surrender of Port Hudson re- leased the gallant volunteers from their special duty. The medal was never awarded, although similar measures have been before Y Con- gresses, commencing with the Forty ninth (1885) and appearing in all in 'tervening Congresses except the Fifty-sixth.
 The bill was nine times favorably reported in the Senate and eight times passed and three times favorably re- ported in the House of Representa- tives.
 The principal objection to the final enactment of the proposed legisla- ton in the past has been due to a misapprehension that it was intended or designed to grant to the volunteers a Congressional Medal of Honor, but Senator Warren of the Committee on military affairs explains that such is not the intention of Senator McLean's measure. "The medal provided by this bill," said Senator Warren, ''is intended to recognize the service for which the men volunteered, and, therefore, your committee believes the fact that the thing for which they volunteered was rendered unneces- sary by reason of the surrender of the garrison should not enter into the question"