Sampson Medal issued to USS Indiana Crewmen

[gap]

I did some research and Cornelius Tatem was a Mess Attendant (M.A.) on the USS Indiana. Not exactly a glamorous duty, but still very cool! Indiana was the first US battleship (BB-1)

 

How hard will it be to acquire the correct suspension ring, ribbon and brooch?

 

[CAC1901]

Nice find. Can't say on getting the righ brooch and ribbon but hopefully someone here will know. Mess attendents are still pretty glamourous in my book! He would have had a battle station. His rate was his primary job and pay grade but mess attendents were still sailors. I have several cook groupings and effects and every one of them were in combat at some point in their service. 

[gap]

Good point! And, a Navy travels on It’s stomach! 

[Allan H.]

I would tell you that acquiring a drape and ship's bar is possible, but it isn't necessarily simple. There are a few very senior and seasoned collectors who have picked up pieces of medals over the years and I recall back in the day that there were some that had a number of ships' bars in their cabinets of medal accoutrements. You might be able to acquire a ship's bar through OMSA, the Orders and Medals Society of America. Otherwise, you might look for a Type 3 medal that isn't named and simply switch the drape from that medal to your pendant. 

 

Good hunting,

 

Allan

[gap]

Thanks for that advice Allan!

[Hmsbrinmaric]

Hello everyone,

This is my Sampson Medal that I got recently. It’s named “impressed” on the rim to Richard B. Bell Pvte. It can with the case and the original envelops with the information printed on it, I found Bell listed on the 1st Battalion company B roster, but haven’t been able to find any information on him other than that. Where else can I try?

 

thanks for looking

Keith  

[warguy]

Keith, I for one would love to see more of your medal, engraving, reverse, etc. I believe you have a medal named to a Marine in the Huntington battalion. If I recall correctly, these medals had a blank top bar, as they didnt serve on a ship during the engagement. Marine Sampson’s are rare! I have a cased one named to one of the Marines on the Indiana. It was listed on ebay years ago and had a buy it now price that matched the selling price for a named Navy, but the Marine medals are so much more rare. I got lucky that day. Congrats, looks like you have a great meal there. I have some reference materials at home that might help, but I am away for the weekend. In the meantime, you need to check the muster rolls on Ancestry for your Marine. Kevin

[warguy]

A quick peek at the Muster rolls confirms Bell was in Guantanamo throughout the month of June. I couldn’t find the one that gave specicfics on his assignment during June and July, key to this medal, but someone better at searching ancestry might pick it up. The rolls also confirm he was assigned to the USS Brooklyn later in the summer of 2898 and looks like he stayed there until 1900 or so. 

[warguy]

Sorry, hate trying to type on the fly…..to clarify, he was in Guantanamo in June 1898, and transferred to the Brooklyn later in the summer of 1898. Sorry about that. 

[Hmsbrinmaric]

Thanks so much! I’ll get some more photos of the medal asap! 
 

Keith 

[Hmsbrinmaric]

Here are more photos 

[warguy]

Beautiful!! Where did you acquire it? 

[Hmsbrinmaric]

Kevin I got it online about 2 weeks ago. I wasn’t sure if I was actually going to receive it or not, the seller stopped answering questions.