Evening star., 1943-08-15
Capital SideIiehts
By Will P. Kennedy.

Tomorrow Chairman Sol Bloom of the
House Foreign Affairs Committee will
celebrate an interesting event, the 50th
anniversary of the presentation to him
of diamond-studded gold medal by the
Midway Plaisance Concessionaires Club
of the Worlds Columbian Exposition in
Chicago. After having been engaged in
the newspaper, theatrical and music
publishing businesses, at the age of %,
Mr.. Bloom was superintendent Of con-
struction of the Midway Plaisance.
An editorial in the Harrisburg Patriot
and Nation November "a. 1863, said: "The
President succeeded on this occasion be-
cause he acted without sense and with
out constraint in panorama that was
gotten up more for the benefit of his
party than for the glory of the Nation
and the honor of the dead We pass
over the silly remarks of the President;
for the credit of the Nation we are will
Ing that the veil of oblivion be dropped
over them and that they shall no more
be repeated or thought Of" These "silly
remarks" mentioned above were Lin
coins Gettysburg address, delivered by
the President at the dedication Of the
Soldiers Monument at Gettysburg, Pa,
November 10, 1863.
The only original Purple Heart known
to exist is the property of the Society
OF the Cincinnati in the State of New
Hampshire, and is a treasure rescued
from moths. cobWebs and dust in an
old barn in Deerfield, N. H., five or
six years ago by Capt. william L.
Wiley Of Cambridge. vice president OF
the New Hampshire Society. He found
the tattered remnants of Revolutionary
Army overcoat hanging on a peg near
the horse stalls, and was permitted by
the owner of the stable to take it away.
On the left breast Of the coat was sewn
what appeared to be a heart-shaped
piece Of steel-gray silk. When cleaned
Is proved to be one Of the only three
badges of military merit of the Order
OF the Purple Heart, presented to non-
commissioned officers who fought in the
Revolution. The badge is of purple
sprlgged silk, faded to steel gray, edged
with narrow binding of silver braid.
1t was sewn to the left breast over the
heart. The Purple Heart Badge was
created by Gen. George Washington, as
commander in chief of the Continental
Army, on recommendation of Gen. Baron
Won Steuben, August 7, 1882 This was
in he 0f
United States Army that an honor badge
for distinguished service was provided
for the enlisted man in the ranks and
the non-c commissioned officers. 1t was
awarded for outstanding military service
to private and nom commissioned officers
Commissioned officers were not eligible.
The three who received this honor were
all Connecticut soldiers: Sergt. Daniel
Bissel of Capt. David Humphreys COM
pany, I'd Connecticut Regiment: Sergt.
William Brown of Capt. Samuel Com
stocks company, 5th Connecticut Reei-
ment, and Sergt Elijah Churchill of the
4th Troop of the I'd Regiment, Light
Dragons, which was recruited in Con-
necticut. The Purple Heart Order was
revived by President Herbert Hoover by
general order No g. dated February %,
1888, on the opening day of the George
Washington Bicentcnnial celebration,
"out of respect to his memory and mill
tary achievements The present Purple
Heart is heart shaped metal decoration
with The figure of George Washington
in Continental uniform on the diverse
and the words For Military Merit" in
gold on the reverse, with space for the
name of the recipient. 1t was designed
by John r. Snnock of Philadelphia.
The award of the Purple Heart for
acts of service performed prior to Feb
ruary %, 1882, is confined to those per-
sons who. while serving IN the Army Of
the United States, were awarded the
Meritor:ous Service Citation Certificate
by the commander in chief, American
EXpeditionary Forces, or who were
wounded in action, in any war or cam
paien under conditions which entitle
them to wear wound chevron. For
February % 1882 the decoration is
authorized to be awarded to persons who
while serving in the Army of the United
States perform any singularly merito-
rious act OF extraordinary fidelity or
essential service quoting words in
Washingtons original order. wound
received In action may be construed as