Medal of Honor

“ The Legislature has ordered a medal to be struck in honor of a boy who had defended his ensign. No man can make a public speech in Kentucky without mention of Encancion and Monterey, or of the long line of battles in which every generation of our people has fought. This is the other proof that in times of peace we do not forget. It is not much, but it is of the right kind—it is the soldier's monument, it is the soldier's medal, it is the soldier's funeral oration, it is the recognition by the people of its ideal of courage in times of peace. ”

“ Thirty-nine of them have received the Medal of Honor, America's highest military decoration. This is a higher proportion of such heroes than in any other group, and we salute their sacrifices and bravery. ”

“ Our medal of Honor ranks with that of the cross of the Legion of Honor of France, and the Victoria Cross of England, and only 1,400 were awarded a distinction greater than can be conferred by any potentate in Europe, because granted to so few of the two million seven hundred and fifty thousand men who were mustered into the armies of the United States between 1861-65. ”

“ The United States Medal of Honor was instituted by Congress in 1862, and is similar in character to the "Badge of Merit " instituted by Washington, the Victoria Cross, etc. It is the only authorized military decoration for valor in this country, and this volume has been planned to present some of the most stirring and dramatic incidents connected with the history of the medal. The narratives are, in many cases, related by the actors. ”

“ The President of the United States is hereby empowered to prepare a suitable medal of honor to be awarded to any officer of the Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard who shall have distinguished himself in battle or displayed extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession. ”

“ The presentation of a medal of honor to an officer or enlisted man in the military service, awarded under the joint resolution of Congress approved July 12, 1862, and the act of Congress approved March 3, 1863, will always be made with formal and impressive ceremonial. ”

“ The cross is of white enamel resting on gold scrolls and bears at the center an iron crown. It is awarded to officers of high rank for services in war.
The Medal for Military Valor.—This medal of two classes, gold and silver, corresponds to the French Croix de Guerre, and is awarded to soldiers and sailors for conspicuous acts of gallantry in action in the presence of the enemy. The gold medal is very rarely bestowed except as an honor to the memory of a soldier or sailor who has lost his life in the execution of the deed which the medal commemorates. The ribbon is blue. ”

“ Supreme Commander Robert Gordon, Comrade and Friend: I now have the greatest honor that has ever been conferred upon any man,—that of presenting to you the highest medal that the United States can confer. This medal is emblematic of your great work and the duty and loyalty you have shown to your country. It is made of gold with a triple triangle in the three royal colors, purple, blue and gold. The words in the center of the triangle are 'I am God-Love.' Around the triangle are the words, Faith, Hope and Love. ”

“ Don, I plan to spend that time here alone in my apartment, possibly crying a few tears for a man who died for me and the rest of the human species under such extreme conditions of gallantry that he was awarded the highest honor of which man has ever conceived. ”

“ A certificate of service and of the act of heroism, gallantry, bravery, or intrepidity for which the medal of honor was awarded, and of enrollment under this act, and of the right of the special pensioner to be entitled to and to receive the special pension herein granted, shall be furnished each person whose name shall be so entered on said roll. ”

“ Shall we refuse a medal, the appropriate reward of the brave Preble, and offer a sword, which was given to the subordinate naval officers, when the services of Preble, however meritorious, and greatly meritorious they were, failed of effecting the object which the world believes that Eaton has accomplished? By the modern notions of martial etiquette and honor, a sword is the appropriate token of distinction and reward for officers of subordinate rank. ”

“ In general.—Following the award of the gold medal in honor of the 369th Infantry Regiment, the “Harlem Hellfighters”, the gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution, where it will be displayed as appropriate and made available for research. ”

“ Hanging in my husband's library, among other war relics, is a heavy silver medal, representing in high relief a soldier charging a cannon. On the obverse side is a laurel wreath, space for a name, and the words, "Distinguished for courage: U. S. Colored Troops." No such medal was ever given by our government to its hardly used, poorly paid private soldiers. Some of them fought through the war. They starved and froze in the trenches during that last dreadful winter, but no precious star or ribbon was awarded, to be hung with the sabre or musket and venerated by generations yet to come. ”

“ That the thanks of the United States in Congress assembled, be presented to the officers and men of the militia, who formed the front line in the order of battle, and sustained their post with honour, propriety, and resolution, worthy of men determined to be free.
Resolved, That a British standard be presented to Major-General Greene as an honourable testimony of his merit, and a golden medal emblematical of the battle and victory aforesaid. ”

“ Cincinnatus, Hector, Ajax, Pheidippides, have come to fame, which is generally considered reward enough for any hardship; but most of the world's heroes are unknown or forgotten. Every soldier can relate courageous deeds which he has witnessed but which live only in his memory or in those of his comrades. In fact, we are told that heroism is so common in the present war that almost every soldier deserves a medal. ”

“ THE GRANTING OF MEDALS One illustration will suffice to show the working of this new invention by which the general-in-chief was still further removed from the commander-in-chief, whose chief military adviser he was supposed to be. An act of Congress authorized the President to confer medals of honor upon soldiers of all grades who might be most distinguished for bravery in action. It is the most highly prized of all military rewards because given to the soldier, without regard to rank, for that service which every true soldier regards as of the greatest merit. ”

“ His Majesty the King, recognizing that many most deserving juniors amongst his faithful soldiers could hope for nothing beyond the universal War Medal, instituted on the 28th December, 1914, the Military Cross, limited to officers below the rank of major, and certain warrant officers, and many a gallant young fellow can now vie with his senior in the legitimate and proper display of trophies. ”

“ The hardy courage and humanity of your action in springing overboard in a squall of violent wind and rain, at the peril of your life, and saving this stranger, cannot fail to be appreciated, and fully deserves the public recognition and esteem which the award of a medal to you, involves. In sending you this testimonial to your brave and humane conduct, I am deeply gratified that it was so well won, and by a seaman of the revenue marine. ”

“ During the hardships and dangers of war, chaplains and Sisters could not fail to invoke the Blessed Virgin, and the Miraculous Medal naturally became the sign of the soldier's devotion and the pledge of our merciful Mother's protection, against the moral and physical dangers war brings in its train. ”

“ Although the striking of medals to commemorate important events is a practice of considerable antiquity, yet the custom of using the medal as a decoration, and especially as a decoration to do honour to those who have rendered service to the state
in time of war, is comparatively modern. ”

“ To the native commissioned officers and non-commissioned officers, sergeants, bandsmen, and trumpeters of European corps, and to others who might be ranked as non-commissioned officers, the bronze medal was also granted, while the tin medals were given to corporals, gunners, and European privates, and to native doctors, guides, and general-utility men with the Army. ”

“ This puts me in mind of a medal I have had a mind to strike since the late great event [55] you gave me an account of, representing the United States by the figure of an infant Hercules in his cradle, strangling the two serpents; and France by that of Minerva, sitting by as his nurse, with her spear and helmet, and her robe specked with a few "fleurs-de-lis". The extinguishing of two entire armies in one war is what has rarely happened, and it gives a presage of the future force of our growing empire.... ”

“ It is in this way, too, that the different members of the Union may nobly indulge their local feelings, and display their honest homebred affections. Let them exemplify their desire to appropriate to themselves the fame of their distinguished citizens, by their peculiar care in honoring their memory and cherishing their helpless orphans. A gold medal (see [296] Plate XIV.) was, by a vote of Congress, presented to Captain Blakeley, for the capture of the British sloop-of-war Reindeer, Captain Manners, June 28th, 1814. ”

“ The British government is far in advance in the system it has adopted for military decorations. A war medal is struck after every campaign, and given to every man who has shared in it, the soldiers receiving88 a silver medal, and the camp-followers, drivers, etc., a bronze one. ”

“ What do you want the Gold Medal for?”
“He’s crazy, don’t you listen to him!” Pee-wee shouted at Dub. “You win the life-saving badge by rules and you win the Gold Medal by being a hero. And if you get the Gold Medal, that doesn’t give you the life-saving badge.” ”

“ I have a few citations and letters and one signed testimonial by white and colored officers who were witnesses, for coolness, bravery and the like. Thirty-five or forty officers and men were cited for bravery in Division orders. Medals? No, I have received no medals or special decorations. [9] Nor has any living member, officer or man, of my Battalion. In fact, to my knowledge, not one living officer or man of the entire Three Hundred and Sixty-fifth Infantry has received any decoration or medal of any sort whatever—American, French, Belgian or any other kind. ”

“ To authorize officers and enlisted men of the armed forces of the United States to accept decorations, orders, medals, and emblems tendered them by governments of cobelligerent nations or other American republics and to create the decorations to be known as the ‘‘Legion of Merit’’, and the ‘‘Medal for Merit’’. ”

“ First Distinguished-conduct Medal.—The first record we have of the bestowal of a medal for conspicuous conduct in the field is in the award made to an Irish commander who distinguished himself at the Battle of Edge Hill—the first battle of the Civil War, fought on October 23rd, 1642—by the recovery of a Royal [Pg 4] standard, and certain military accessories. The gallant soldier, who became Sir Robert Welch, was subsequently presented with an oval gold medal specially cut to the King's orders by the Royal "graver of seals and medals," Thomas Rawlins. ”

“ Campaign medals considered—Waterloo—Burmah—China—Cabul—Jellalabad—Scinde—Meeanee —Sobraon—The men's Peninsular medal—Punjab—Indian General Service medals—South Africa, 1850-3; also 1877-9—Baltic—Crimea—Indian Mutiny—Abyssinia—New Zealand—Later awards
In these days when the deeds of brave men, whether they be of high or low rank, are acclaimed with equal praise, it is extremely difficult to understand the feelings which actuated the authorities a hundred or more years ago when awarding military medals. ”

“ The standard of merit deserving that reward is essentially the same in all the armies of the civilized world, and the medal is made of iron or bronze, instead of anything more glittering or precious, to indicate the character of the deed it commemorates. ”

“ And I think the man who wins this medal, as he does in the sudden appalling accidents which occur in big cities, mines, and factories, in everyday life, is no less a hero than the soldier who rushes into the thick of the fight to rescue a comrade amid all the excitement and glamour of the battle. ”

“ Atwot.—The bar inscribed ATWOT in English and Arabic was granted to all troops taking part, and the following non-combatants were entitled to the medal and bar in silver, who participated under the same conditions as the troops: Government Civil employees; engineers of steamers; Raises of steamers; Sheikhs; Armed Guides; whilst non-combatants, i.e. Civilian Syces of Officers, Civilian Servants of Officers, and Transport Drivers, were granted the medal in bronze without bar. ”