kanemono Posted February 15, 2014 Share #1 Posted February 15, 2014 Here is a Dewey Medal and a Navy Good Conduct medal to William Ellison Fireman 1st Class USN. Ellison enlisted in the USN, August 2, 1899, He served on the USS Franklin, USS Constitution, USS Alliance and the USS Monocacy . He was discharged at Shanghai, China August 1, 1892. Ellison then reenlisted onto the USS Monocacy on September 30, 1892 and served on her until he was discharged at Chefoo, China on August 2, 1895. He reenlisted back onto the USS Monocacy as a Coal Heaver on September 30, 1895 and continued to serve on her until being transferred to the USS Olympia on April 7, 1898. Ellison was on the USS Olympia during the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898 and at the bombardment of Manila on August 13, 1898. Ellison was promoted to Fireman 1st Class on December 31, 1898. He was discharged at Manila, PI, on February 6, 1899. He reenlisted onto the USS Monocacy on March 31, 1899 as Fireman 1st Class, Oiler. Ellison is listed as deserting the USS Monocacy at Yougky, China on December 6, 1900. However, Ellison was owed $53.49 back pay when he “deserted.” Along with the Dewey Medal and the Good Conduct Medal, Ellison was entitled to the Spanish Campaign and the Philippine Campaign Medals. These two medals were never issued because of Ellison’s “desertion.” Ellison is described as five feet, eight inches tall with blue eyes and light brown hair. He was tattooed on the chest and both arms and forearms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted February 15, 2014 Author Share #2 Posted February 15, 2014 Here is the form awarding Ellison the Good Conduct Medal and his discharge from the Olympia. Also a portion of his records showing his presence on the USS Olympia during the Battle of Manila Bay and the Bombardment of Manila. Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medalman90 Posted February 15, 2014 Share #3 Posted February 15, 2014 I have never seen a dewy group before. Thank you for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk Posted February 16, 2014 Share #4 Posted February 16, 2014 Very nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Javelin4life Posted February 16, 2014 Share #5 Posted February 16, 2014 Great set! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack's Son Posted February 16, 2014 Share #6 Posted February 16, 2014 I'm not having a good day Dick, but this is the high point! very nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted February 16, 2014 Share #7 Posted February 16, 2014 Marvelous medals, Dick. In case you didn't have this, Ellison appears on the 1900 Census, return dated 10/30/00 on the Monocacy at China. Rate listed as "oiler", born in Richmond, VA in Feb. 1868. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted February 16, 2014 Share #8 Posted February 16, 2014 Adam Rohloff will cry tears of joy when he sees this! Exceptional group, Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted February 16, 2014 Share #9 Posted February 16, 2014 Great pair of medals from one of America's most historic ships. Beautiful condition. Thanks for sharing, Dick. Bobgee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brig Posted February 16, 2014 Share #10 Posted February 16, 2014 Why, may I ask, do you keep putting the word desertion in quotes, as if it's untrue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share #11 Posted February 16, 2014 Brig, I am afraid I was editorialising. I don't know if Ellison deserted or not, however, the value money owed to him, $53.39, would be at a minimum $1250.00 in the US today (much more if one went by the wages paid then) and in China the value would have been many times that amount. The records indicate he never returned to the ship and it was assumed that he deserted. From his records he was a very dependable and valued member of the crew. My feeling is that he was murdered or Shanghaied in Shanghai and not a deserter. I doubt he would have left that amount money behind. Thus the quotes. Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brig Posted February 16, 2014 Share #12 Posted February 16, 2014 Very interesting, thank you for elaborating. This is why you should always have a liberty buddy when out and about, I'm surprised there was no further investigation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share #13 Posted February 16, 2014 There may have been further investigation but I guess that would be in the log of the USS Monocacy. Ellison seems to have spent a great amount of time in China. Every time his enlistment expired he was discharged in China or the PI, He spent a month or two in China then usually re-enlisted in Shanghai. This happened a number of times. He must have been very comfortable in China. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted February 16, 2014 Share #14 Posted February 16, 2014 This is as good as it gets. It doesn't get any better. (Waiting for Kurt to come wipe away my tears of joy...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share #15 Posted February 16, 2014 Thanks Adam! Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmar Posted February 17, 2014 Share #16 Posted February 17, 2014 Hello Dick! What an truly wonderful group. rare, historic medals and excellent research, it doesn't get much better than this. Thank you very much for sharing them! Best wishes, Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted August 2, 2015 Author Share #17 Posted August 2, 2015 I was doing some research on the Dewey medal and thought I would bring this back. Ellison was the epitome of an "old China hand." Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted August 2, 2015 Share #18 Posted August 2, 2015 Is the last trace of Ellison the record of his "desertion" at "Yougky", China in December 1900? I think that might have been a misspelling in the record since no such city under that name. Given that it was 1900 in China and time of the Boxer Rebellion, I wouldn't be surprised if he was the victim of foul play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PVON Posted August 2, 2015 Share #19 Posted August 2, 2015 Thanks for sharing these items and research! very interesting indeed! PVON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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