The Medallic History of the United States of America 1776-1876 Part 100

Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a life-saving medal of the first cla.s.s, and which has been awarded to you, under authority of the provisions of the seventh section of the Act of Congress approved June 20, 1874, for the extreme and heroic daring manifested by you in saving the life of Miss Edith May, and endeavoring to rescue the late Miss Adele Hunter and Mr.

William T. Garner and his wife, under the circ.u.mstances of peculiar peril and difficulty which attended the sinking of the yacht "Mohawk," on the 20th of July, 1876.

The sorrowful catastrophe of that day will not soon be forgotten, and will be all the more remembered for the n.o.ble manhood it called into action. The vessel sank within four minutes. In that brief time you saved one life from the sinking cabin. There you re-entered, and remained until submerged, engaged in the desperate and heroic efforts to save the others, escaping yourself finally only by swimming upward through the broken sky-light, guided by the faint light shed from the above through the water. In sending you this medal, the highest recognition of your conduct which the Government can give, it is felt that no words can add distinction to the splendid gallantry which the token seeks to commemorate and honor.

I have the honor to be, Sir, very respectfully, John SHERMAN, _Secretary_.

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_Carl Fosberg, for endeavoring to save the late Miss Adele Hunter (p. 448) and Mr. William T. Garner and his wife, at the sinking of the Yacht "Mohawk," in New York Harbor, July 20, 1876. Awarded June 8, 1877._

To Treasury Department, Office of the Secretary, Mr. CARL FOSBERG, Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C., September 22, 1877.

Quartermaster, Yacht "Madeleine,"

Care of Commodore John S. d.i.c.kerson, No. 29 Cliff Street, New York.

Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a life-saving medal of the first cla.s.s, which has been awarded to you, under authority of the provisions of the seventh section of the Act of Congress approved June 20, 1874, for the extreme and heroic daring manifested by you in endeavoring to rescue the late Miss Adele Hunter and Mr. William T. Garner and his wife, under circ.u.mstances of peculiar peril and difficulty, which attended the sudden sinking of the yacht "Mohawk," on the 20th of July, 1876.

It is regretted that, owing to the inability of the Department to discover your address, the medal could not sooner be forwarded.

In now sending it to you I recur to the circ.u.mstances of the conduct it is intended to recognize and commemorate. The record shows that the "Mohawk" sank within four minutes. During that time and when the vessel was on her beam ends, you rushed down into her cabin, where Colonel Crosby was already, and remained there with him until the cabin was almost filled with water, engaged in devoted though unavailing efforts to extricate the unfortunate ladies from the furniture which had fallen upon them, and escaping finally only by swimming upward through the broken skylight, guided by the faint light which penetrated the water.

It must be noted that you were not bound by any tie of friends.h.i.+p or kindred to those you tried to rescue, and that you were not impelled by any consideration of reward, but solely by the gallant instincts of manhood. Language has no power to add distinction to heroism like yours, but in sending you this medal, which is the highest tribute to your conduct that the Government can bestow, it is a satisfaction to be able to express the feeling that in men like you the traditional n.o.bility of the sailor is preserved.

Very respectfully, John SHERMAN, _Secretary_.

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_Report of the United States Life-Saving Service._

Treasury Department, To the Honorable United States Life-Saving Service, John SHERMAN, Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C., November 29, 1877.

Secretary of the Treasury, Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C.

Sir:

- - - - - AWARDS OF MEDALS.

Two life-saving medals of the first cla.s.s, and six life-saving medals of the second cla.s.s, have been awarded during the year under the provisions of the act of June 20, 1874.

The medals of the first cla.s.s were awarded to Colonel J. (p. 449) Schuyler Crosby, of New York, at this date the American consul at Florence, and Carl Fosberg, a seaman belonging to the yacht Mohawk, in recognition of their extraordinary gallantry upon the occasion of the sudden sinking of that vessel in New York Harbor on the afternoon of the 20th of July, 1876. The horror which this dreadful catastrophe diffused for days through New York and its environs was only relieved by their action, which revealed some of the n.o.blest traits of the human soul. The Mohawk was the largest and costliest of the fleet of pleasure vessels belonging to the New York Yacht Club. She was the property of Mr. William T. Garner, a wealthy merchant of New York, residing near New Brighton, Staten Island, and was sumptuously furnished and appointed. On Thursday afternoon (July 20, 1876) she lay at her anchorage in New York Bay, off Stapleton, Staten Island. At about half past three o'clock Mr. Garner arrived on board with a party of friends, consisting of Mr. Gardiner G. Howland, Mr. Louis B.

Montant, Colonel J. Schuyler Crosby, Mr. Frost Thorne, together with Mrs. Garner, Miss Adele Hunter, and Miss Edith May, arrangements having been made for a sail down the bay. The day had been somewhat dark and cloudy, with occasional squalls and showers, and at the time of the company coming on board a thunder-storm was rising in the southwest, of which no other notice was taken by the guests than to retreat into the cabin from the already dropping rain. The order had been given by Mr.

Garner to get under way, and under the direction of the sailing-master, Rowland, the anchor had been lifted from the bottom, but was still in the water, and all the working sails were set except the flying-jib. The neighboring craft, of which there was a number, had all taken in sail, and the men upon the decks waited to see how the Mohawk would behave in the coming squall. At that moment although there was hardly a breath on deck, a wind smote the upper sails, and the sailing-master gave orders to let go the fore-sheet, the jib-sheets, and the fore-topsail. The order had only been obeyed in respect to the fore-topsail, when the squall struck the yacht with such fury that she careened, and lurched violently to port.

There was an instant tumult of cries, and the gentlemen rushed up on deck from the cabin. In a moment the vessel was on her side with the water pouring over the rail. While she was going over, Mr. Garner and Colonel Crosby hurried back into the cabin to save the ladies. Miss May was far over on the port side as they entered, and Colonel Crosby, calling to her to get out as quickly as possible, met her half way as she came across, got her to the companion-way, where he pushed her up to Mr. Howland and Mr.

Montant, and sprang back into the cabin. The bravery of this action will be realized when it is stated that the water was then pouring down the companion-way in a steady stream. To enter the filling cabin down this narrow way, in a vessel keeled over on her side and rapidly sinking, seemed certain death. This Colonel Crosby did, and with equal courage, the seaman Fosberg rushed in with him. The scene in the cabin was frightful. The rich and heavy furniture had s.h.i.+fted, and Mrs. Garner and Miss Hunter were caught and pinioned by it against the sideboard. Mrs. Garner was screaming and her husband was making frantic efforts to release her and her companion, by throwing off the heavy articles which held them down. In these endeavors Colonel Crosby and Carl Fosberg desperately joined, pulling away the furniture and handing it up to Mr. Montant and Mr. Howland, who threw in (p. 450) out on deck. The water, meanwhile, continued to pour in and the cabin rapidly filled. Although nearly submerged, the three men never stopped their perilous work while it could be continued. Their labors were, however, ineffectual, and were ended by the sinking of the vessel. It was only four minutes from the moment she capsized till she went down. Mr. Garner was drowned, clinging to his wife, whom he would not leave. Colonel Crosby and Carl Fosberg, toiling to the last second, were engulfed, and nearly lost their lives. Swallowed by the flood in the cabin, they only escaped by swimming upward, guided by the faint light shed through the water from the broken skylight. The aperture was fortunately large enough to enable them to pa.s.s through, and they reached the surface, and were picked up by one of the many boats which at once began to gather around the sunken vessel.

The yacht sank so rapidly that Miss May, after being saved by Colonel Crosby from the cabin, was again placed in the greatest danger. She had not instantly quitted the vessel, being advised to remain by Mr. Montant, who, with Mr. Howland, was engaged in throwing the cabin furniture out on deck from the companion-way.

Consequently, when the vessel went down, they were all three caught between the companion-way and the furniture, which was now washed back into the cabin, and were completely covered by the rus.h.i.+ng flood. Fortunately, Miss May had her arm outside the companion-way, which prevented her from being swept back into the cabin, and Mr. Montant, in his struggles, losing hold of her, she was enabled to swim, and with a few strokes gained the surface of the water, coming up near Mr. Howland, who supported her till they were picked up by a boat from a neighboring yacht. Mr.

Montant also escaped, though unhappily he did not long survive the shock of the disaster.

The gold medals of the life-saving service have never been awarded more deservedly than in this instance. It was no common courage and humanity that impelled these two brave men to plunge within the sinking vessel, where in the half darkness, amidst the confusion of huddled furniture and rus.h.i.+ng water, they strove for the lives of the unfortunate victims. The perfect behavior of the one in his manful efforts for his friends is matched by the action of the other in imperilling his life for strangers.

Writing of him to the department, Colonel Crosby expresses a true feeling, the utterance of which adds new honor to his own conduct, in these words: "Too much cannot be said in favor of this man, who was governed simply by his own brave instincts rather than the hope of any reward. Nor did he have friendly or loyal considerations to prompt him to risk his own life, which he did by remaining to the last moment on board."

It deserves to be stated in this connection that Mr. Carl Fosberg completed his gallantry by his modesty. After the affair in which he behaved so well, he kept out of the way. When reporters sought him he hid. It was with difficulty, and after some time, that he could be found to give him the medal to which his conduct had ent.i.tled him.

The life-saving medals of the second cla.s.s were bestowed upon six men who, at the risk of their own lives, saved a crew of nine persons from the wreck of the bark Tanner. This vessel, bound for Buffalo with a cargo of wheat, stranded about ten o'clock (p. 451) on the night of September 9, 1875, on the beach south of the harbor of Milwaukee. A severe northeast gale was prevailing, and the vessel being submerged in about 20 feet of water, her captain and crew were forced to take to the rigging, where they remained all night, with the heavy sea breaking over them. At daylight the captain jumped into the sea, and in the effort to gain the sh.o.r.e was drowned. The unfortunate crew remained in the utmost peril, one of the masts of the sunken vessel having fallen, and the vessel herself fast going to pieces. Their rescue was ineffectually attempted by the revenue-steamer Johnson, aided by the tug F. C. Maxon. It was finally accomplished toward noon of that day (September 10, 1875) by the following contrivance: A scow held by a long line from a steam-tug was allowed to drift down near the wreck, and a yawl-boat, similarly held to the scow, was let down still nearer. The men in the rigging then dropped one by one into the water and were picked up by those in the yawl, which was then drawn up with its burden to the scow, which in turn was drawn to sh.o.r.e. The six men referred to manned the yawl and scow, volunteering for this difficult and hazardous duty. Their names were Henry M. Lee, N. A. Petersen, Barnt Oleson, Anton Oleson, Henry Spark, and John McKenna. The skill and daring they displayed in the task of deliverance won hearty applause from many spectators, and fully ent.i.tled them to the recognition expressed by the medals awarded them.

The twenty-seven gold medals, mentioned in the last report as having been awarded to the crew of the life-boat of the Royal National Inst.i.tution, and the twelve survivors of the crew of the Mersey Docks and Harbor Board life-boat, in recognition of their efforts to rescue the persons on board of the American s.h.i.+p Ellen Southard, wrecked at the mouth of the river Mersey, near Liverpool, on September 26, 1875, efforts which cost three of the life-boatmen their lives, have since been struck, and delivered to the members of the respective crews. The presentation took place on the 16th of April, 1877, at the Town Hall, in Liverpool, the proceedings being attended by a large number of corporation officials, officers of mercantile a.s.sociations, the princ.i.p.al American merchants in Liverpool, and most of the masters of American s.h.i.+ps in port. The deputy mayor of Liverpool presided, and the affair a.s.sumed the gratifying character of an ovation to the brave recipients of the medals, and was also the occasion for cordial and enthusiastic references, on the part of the distinguished gentlemen at the meeting, to the action of our government in the matter, which met with a suitable response from General Fairchild, the American consul at Liverpool, who was also present. The same cordial spirit appeared in the comments which the occasion elicited from the English press.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, S. I. KIMBALL, _General Superintendent_.

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_Philip C. Bleil, of the Metropolitan Police force of New York (p. 452) City, for rescuing, at different times, several persons from drowning, from November, 1876, to June, 1877. Awarded January 4.

1878._

To Treasury Department, Office of the Secretary, Mr. PHILIP C. BLEIL, Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C., January 15, 1878.

Patrolman, New York Metropolitan Police, New York City.

Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a life-saving medal of the first cla.s.s, which has been awarded to you under authority of the Act of Congress approved June 20, 1874, in recognition of your services in rescuing from drowning, at the peril of your own life, six persons, on as many occasions, since 1875.

The papers in your case, transmitted to the Department, show that in twelve other instances you rescued persons from drowning. It is regretted that as these rescues were effected prior to the date of the Act of June 20, 1874, they cannot be recognized and honored by the inscription upon the medal awarded you. It is, however, proper that they should be remembered here, in connection with the six deliverances which the medal aims to commemorate, and that thus due acknowledgment should be made of your gallant record as the preserver of eighteen human lives. No record could be prouder, nor could any give you a better t.i.tle to the respect and grat.i.tude of your fellow beings. In sending you this token of the public appreciation of your n.o.ble courage and humanity, it gives me the truest pleasure to add an expression of my sense of your heroism, together with the hope that you may long adorn the force with which you are connected and the community which must rank you among its worthiest citizens.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, John SHERMAN, _Secretary_.

No. 85. (p. 453) PLATE Lx.x.xV.

_June 20, 1874._

Life Saving medal of the second cla.s.s. United States of America.

[Rx]. In testimony of heroic deeds, etc.

LIFE SAVING MEDAL OF THE SECOND CLa.s.s.

[_Saving Life from the Perils of the Sea._]

LIFE SAVING MEDAL OF THE SECOND CLa.s.s * UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. * A female figure hovering in the air, and saving a man from the deep.

IN TESTIMONY OF HEROIC DEEDS IN SAVING LIFE FROM THE PERILS OF THE SEA. Within a wreath of laurel: ACT OF CONGRESS JUNE 20TH, 1874, and a vacant s.p.a.ce for the name of the recipient.

This medal, though not signed, is by Paquet.

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ORIGINAL DOc.u.mENTS.[133]

[Footnote 133: The act of Congress inst.i.tuting this medal is given under No. 84, page 441.]

_John O. Philbrick and Otis N. Wheeler of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, for rescuing two men wrecked on Watts' Ledge, Maine, November 30, 1875.

Awarded June 23, 1876._[134]