Part 100 (2/2)
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._
ToTreasury 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]
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