USMC Civil war campaign medal #49

[RAELAND]

Finally found the time to share an ancestor's medal with the members. The rim number is 49, having a hard time getting that photo. I've attached what's left of the Dayton Ohio newspaper articles from his being awarded the medal and his obit. He lived out his final days at the National Soldier home in Dayton Ohio.

 

 

[KurtA]

Wow.  REALLY nice and RARE original issue USMC CW.  I like the way he had it named on the reverse.

 

Are you able to tell the date of that newspaper article?

[iron bender]

That is great!

[RAELAND]

Thank you for your compliments. I was never able to determine the newspaper date, just that is was in Dayton Ohio. I assume it was shortly after the medals were released.

My apologies for the poor quality of the newspaper clippings. they are crumbling into dust. The article describes the medal and list some of his career. It says he witnessed the Monitor and Merrimac battle, fought at the first battle of Bull Run and he was assigned as a orderly to Admiral Farragut on the USS Hartford.

I received the medal, newspaper clipping, his officer sword and some other paperwork about 50 years ago from my grand parents. My brother received his pocket watch inscribed to Abraham Thompson from George McClellan.

About 15 years ago I took a chance and emailed the old soldiers home in Dayton Ohio hoping that he had lived there and surprisingly got a response back a week later confirming that he was a resident there and they supplied a copy of his death certificate

[Ivydiv]

My Great, Great, Grandfather was Surgeon Discharged in 1864. His wife died in 1869. It was then that he also went to the Soldier and Sailors National home which was located in Dayton, Oh. He died there and was buried in their cemetery. I found online information when he signed into the home, and have a grainy black and white photo of his funeral service at the cemetery. I could never find out why he was buried at Dayton, and not at Tiffin, Oh with his Son, who was also a CW Vet. A guy told me to look up the info for the Home, and sure enough he was there for the rest of his life.  Great medal. You are very fortunate. Dave

 

[RAELAND]

Thanks, it’s neat hearing about other families connections and our intertwining histories. 
The National home is a great resource. 

[katieony]

A very rare medal!  Nice to see it still in the family and appreciated!

[KurtA]

Can you post a photo of his sword?

[Brian Dentino]

39 minutes ago, KurtA said:

Can you post a photo of his sword?

Or more photos of ANYTHING concerning this amazing and rare CW group.  I am happy to see it still in familial hands and hope they remain where they belong for a long, long time!  Can you post better pics of the front/back of the medal as well as the rim numbering?  I too would love to see some nice pics of his sword.  Man, what a family group!  Not sure how many CW USMC medals out there..........but there are not many, that's for sure.

[RAELAND]

[RAELAND]

[RAELAND]

Having a tough time with the sword photos, here's some for now. The sword isn't in the best condition, but we still have it.

I hope the medal photos are better. I sure some have wondered what is on the medal pin. When I received it, it was attached to fabric that had a foam backing. The foam kinda melted and stuck to the pin. I don't have the experience or nerve to remove it without fear of causing any other damage, so I just  left it alone.

I've included his citizenship paper from 1866. hopefully it's clear enough to read. It's a serious bit of business regarding any further alliance with the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland

[KurtA]

Sword is a Model 1850 US Army Staff & Field Officer’s Sword

Thanks for posting it! 

[RAELAND]

Thanks for the info

[Jim T]

.

 

   I know nothing about edged weapons but that medal is outstanding...And to have survived the century+ with its original first (moiré) ribbon in such excellent condition!

 

   As you can infer from the attachment there definitely exists in the National Archives his personnel file. Given a medal of this significance, investing in a copy of that is pretty much a mandatory. 

 

   Congratulations. 

 

.......

 

Jim T

 

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(info credit: The Gleim Medal Letters)

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[RAELAND]

Thank you for your compliments.

How would I go about getting a copy of his personnel file ?

 

[SgtMaddoxUSMC]

Rick,

Shoot me an email and I will walk you through it if you want!

S/f
Maddox

[Jim T]

RAELAND...

 

           Short of visiting the National Archives yourself (and reinventing the wheel with the attendant expenses), you've got a couple of options:  

 

 1.  Submit a request to the National Archives yourself (there is an option for that at their website) 

         ...or...

 2.  Hire a professional researcher.

 

      I've personally gone both routes and recommend the second.

 

   The results of submitting my own request directly to the NA were adequate but took forever; I wouldn't recommend that route especially in these days of government downsizing. Unless you enjoy watching grass grow hire a pro. Periodically you'll see advertisements for researchers at the bottom of USMF pages but also, (when logged into USMF) you can go to:

 

        Home/Collection Assistance/Individual And Unit Research/  (then scroll down thru  the posts. Links to the NA and researchers are there)

 

     The professional researcher route has the added benefit in that you don't know the full extent of what else may be available:  as a minimum you'll want his personnel file but there may also be other documents of interest (muster rolls, pension documents etc ). A knowledgeable researcher will know what you want (even if you don't) and how to find it and get it. If I'm not mistaken the CW records are in DC so that researcher would have to know the ropes there. 

      

   This is interesting stuff. If you do, initially, just go for the personnel file think about posting, at least, the receipt here:  you've got a captive audience clamoring for more.  

 

    Best of luck 

 

.......

 

Jim T

[aerialbridge]

I have no financial interest or favor for giving you a name, but I've used Geoff,  owner of Golden Arrow Research on a few occasions, most recently about 7 years ago to get my ancestor's  naval OPF 1912-21 from NARA in St. Louis,  coincidentally whose M1872 sword and engraved pocket watch I own, similar to your situation.   Congrats on having a tremendous, historic,  family heirloom group.  For the same price as NARA (at least it was 5 years ago),  from Golden Arrow you'll get high resolution color scans of the COMPLETE file, every page in it, rather than crumby Xerox copies where you very likely won't get every page copied, particularly if it requires unfolding or copying a back, since the concept of customer service at NARA is spotty at best.    Geoff also gives a discount to USMF members.  Good luck

 

 

https://www.goldenarrowresearch.com/

 

[RAELAND]

Thanks for all the great information !!!!

I think I'm going to go the professional route. I'm currently having some family health issues requiring most I my free time.

I'll keep you all appraise of my progress.

Again, many thanks to all .

[dskjl]

Great medal, even better that it stayed in the family. Well done.

i actually have #51 to Andrew Leslie it’s rim engraved and clearly worn, so much so the the ribbon had been replaced over the years.

 

Congrats on all counts and thank you for sharing.

 

[Primoris Scio]

Epic grouping, I did not see it mentioned but did your family know which unit he was assigned to, or any of his CW history, service, battles?

[RAELAND]

The only information we have on his service is from the newspaper article. Hopefully I can get his official service history sometime in the near future.

Thanks for your interest.

Rick