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USMC "Sampson" Medal - USS BROOKLYN - Pvt. Joseph Richmond


bobgee
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I thought I'd share one of my favorite and more interesting SpanAm groups with the Forum. This is a group of three medals awarded to Pvt. Joseph Richmond, USMC. It includes his quite scarce "City of Brooklyn" Commemorative medal awarded to the crew for their service in the SpanAm War and their contribution to the defeat of the Spanish fleet at Santiago de Cuba on July 3, 1898.

 

Pvt. Joseph Richmond was born in Lifford, County Donegal, Ireland on Jany. 8th, 1866. He enlisted in the USMC for 5 years in Boston on June 2nd, 1891, age 24, stating his occupation as rubber worker. During his first hitch he served at NYd, Portsmouth, NH, NYd Brooklyn, NY and aboard USS Chicago for over 2 years. During that hitch his record reflects numerous infractions, most of which dealt with alcohol related events.

 

Completing his five-year enlistment, he re-enlisted on June 19, 1896 at Boston Navy Yard. He joined the Marine Guard aboard the Armored Cruiser U.S.S. Brooklyn (ACR-3) on 1 December 1896. This vessel became Commodore Schley's Flagship during the war with Spain.

 

For his service he received a Type I "West Indian Campaign Medal", unofficially known as the "Sampson Medal" as it depicts a bust of Admiral Sampson on the obverse, awarded by Act of Congress. "BROOKLYN's" medals have the reverse, "Santiago de Cuba, July 3," and impressed naming, "Joseph Richmond, Private". He acknowledged receipt of this medal on Feby. 3, 1904 while residing in Florence, Mass. Here are the obverse & reverse of Richmond's 'Sampson' medal.

 

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Less is known of a commemorative medal presented to the crew of USS BROOKLYN by the citizens of the City of Brooklyn (NY) which was not yet part of the City of New York. Richmond also received the City of Brooklyn Commemorative medal. In keeping with a tradition from the Civil War, the Citizens of Brooklyn, N.Y. wished to honor the Sailors and Marines who served aboard U.S.S. BROOKLYN, Commodore Schley's flagship and one of the major combatants at the naval Battle of Santiago. In order to do so they struck a fine heavy bronze medal and presented them to the crew of the vessel. The planchet of the medal features a detail of the ship under steam and reads "U.S.S. BROOKLYN - SANTIAGO DE CUBA. JULY 3, 1898". The reverse of the medal is headed by the German motto "Ein Dracht Macht Maght" (roughly Might makes right) and reads :

"IN COMMEMORATION OF THEIR HEROISM AT THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SPANISH FLEET FROM THE CITIZENS OF BROOKLYN TO THE MEN BEHIND THE GUNS".

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More to follow: Bob

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Richmond was honorably discharged July 5th, 1899, as a private, upon report of medical survey. (He suffered from chronic diarrhea contracted in the tropics.) During his service he had more than his share of offenses, mostly alcohol-related which was not uncommon during those times, He did not receive a Good Conduct Medal..

 

The group as obtained also includes a Spanish Campaign Medal 3-ring Bastian Bros. production with U.S. Navy reverse and officially hand engraved on the rim "1257" of the type which the USMC awarded in the 1920's after the initial supply of USMC reverse Spanish medals had been expended.

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The Marine Guard of the Brooklyn consisted of 1 Captain, 1 Lt, a 1st Sgt, 4 sergeants, 3 corporals, 57 privates, 1 fifer & 1 drummer. "Sampson" medals to Marines comprise only about 10% of those awarded. Finding a "Brooklyn" Marine group with the City of Brooklyn medal and an engraved rim-numbered Spanish Campaign is especially interesting.

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Richmond died Sept. 29th 1940 and is interred in St. Michael’s Cemetery, Springfield, Mass. While on a visit to that area I was able with the help of the man who originally owned this group to locate and visit his grave to pay our respects.

Semper Fi.....Bobgee

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teufelhunde.ret

Amazing medal grouping Bob! The number of preserved Marine Corps groups with a West Indian Campaign Medal, Navy type Spanish Campaign Medal and with named commemorative medal must be infinitesimal - !!! And particularly appreciate the research and history lesson as well.

 

Re the Spanish Campaign Medal, were there more of the USMC or Navy versions presented to Marines? Would he have applied for it - or automatically sent to him?

 

Thank you preserving his history and sharing it with us! Semper Fi, Darrell

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Amazing medal grouping Bob! The number of preserved Marine Corps groups with a West Indian Campaign Medal, Navy type Spanish Campaign Medal and with named commemorative medal must be infinitesimal - !!! And particularly appreciate the research and history lesson as well.

 

Re the Spanish Campaign Medal, were there more of the USMC or Navy versions presented to Marines? Would he have applied for it - or automatically sent to him?

 

Thank you preserving his history and sharing it with us! Semper Fi, Darrell

 

Darrell - When the SpanAm USN/USMC Campaign medals were first authorized and produced around 1908, the first 4,000 USN & 400 USMC reverse medals were designated as "West Indies" Campaign Medals. The "Sampson" Medal had been officially designated as the "West Indian Campaign" medal but they were considered to be "commemorative" medals, authorized by Congress, as opposed to "campaign" medals.

 

The new Campaign medals were issued with unpre-fixed stamped numbers on the rim. Many are traceable to the recipient. In 1910, the "West Indies Campaign" medal was replaced with the issuance of the "Spanish Campaign" medal. Aside from the inscription on the obverse, the medals are identical.

 

In the Marine Corps, "West Indies" Campaign medals will be found attributed to Marines who were with Dewey's Fleet at Manila in the Phillipines and who never served in the West Indies......and vice-a-versa. USMC West Indies Campaign Medals numbered under '400' are extremely scarce.

 

In the early 1920's, the criteria for the award of the 'Spanish Campaign medal was relaxed, authorizing the award of the medal for ALL USN/USMC members who had served during the SpanAm war regardless of where they served. It is estimated that about 6,000 USN medals were issued and about 500 Marines received them. The on-hand stock of numbered USN/USMC medals were expended and a new contract was let by the Navy to the Bastion Brothers firm in 1923. That is the type that is in Pvt. Richmond's group. Note the unusual 3-ring suspension, which is unique to this medal.

 

When the USMC ran out of numbered original strike USMC reverse "Spanish Campaign" medals they procured the Bastion Bros. USN reverse medals from the Navy, engraved the rim with the appropriate number and issued them. They obviously recorded the number somewhere but a list is unknown to me. The correspondence in Pvt. Richmond's file ends in 1914 and there is no transmittal letter for this particular medal to him.

 

Semper Fi......Bobgee

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FrankEaton01

Outstanding group, thanks for sharing it! thumbsup.gif I have a West Indies Campaign medal attributed to one of the naval officers on the USS Brooklyn, so I always have an eye out for Brooklyn Sampsons. Great follow-up information, too. In addition to the Bastion Brothers contract you mentioned, there are also some USMC Spanish Campaign medals made by BB&B prior to 1923 that have officially hand-engraved rim numbers.

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I don't believe the 3 ring Bastian Brothers contract medal was sent out with an officially engraved number. I would theorize this Marine was originally issued a BB&B-produced first run medal #'d 1257 (either a Spanish or West Indies Campaign) and after losing it/having it stolen, requested a replacement in the early 1920's. He would have received an un-numbered 3 Ring Navy Spanish Campaign and had it engraved privately with the number of the medal he was originally issued.

Really nice trio of medals!

Kurt

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I don't believe the 3 ring Bastian Brothers contract medal was sent out with an officially engraved number. I would theorize this Marine was originally issued a BB&B-produced first run medal #'d 1257 (either a Spanish or West Indies Campaign) and after losing it/having it stolen, requested a replacement in the early 1920's. He would have received an un-numbered 3 Ring Navy Spanish Campaign and had it engraved privately with the number of the medal he was originally issued.

Really nice trio of medals!

Kurt

 

Kurt - I beg to disagree. We're talking about Marine Corps issued 3-ring Bastion Bros. medals not awards to U.S. Navy men. There are several known attributed rim-engraved Bastion Bros examples in collections. Cpl Frank Linnehan USMC received a 3-ring Bastian Bros. USN Spanish Campaign medal engraved “1271”, date of issue unknown. Ref: Gleim NML C10. Group auctioned in Auction #34. Pvt George Garbarino who served aboard USS TEXAS was awarded Spanish Campaign Medal #1302 in July 1940. This info is in a copy of a letter in his file dated Sept 1954 from J.F. Blakeney, Head, HQMC Decorations & Medals Branch. It also states that if lost, a duplicate of the Spanish Campaign Medal may be obtained for $1.03. I have his 7-Bar Type III Sampson but not the #'d Spanish Campaign. The 3-Ring Bastion which came with this group is un-numbered. BTW the letter also states that "if you have lost the Sampson Medal, notify this HQ and a letter of authorization for the purchase of a duplicate medal will be forwarded to you."

 

Can't find my Al Gleim NML Reference at the moment but Scott Smith's latest compilation of USMC Campaign Medal indicates the following Rim Numbers/Dates: "1-400 - 1908 - West Indies only; 401-700 - 1908 Spanish Campaign; 701-800 - 1914; 801-850 - BB&B USMC Reverse, engraved #; 851-1250 - 1922 - 3-Ring Bastian Bros., USN Reverse, Thinner Planchet, Engraved; 1251-1350 - USN Reverse, Thicker Planchet, Engraved #'s.

 

I'll stand by my statement regarding rim-engraved 3-Ring Bastian Bros "Spanish Campaign" Medals to Marines in the 1920's and later. Perhaps another Forum member has info on the subject? Jump in!

 

Thanks for your interest - Semper Fi......Bobgee

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Bob-

I just read the lengthy description in Al Gleim's Auction #34 that you referenced re: the USMC 3 Ring Span Am medals being engraved with #'s by the Marine Corps. I guess I'll have to disagree my prior posting also! I never noticed that excellent write-up he buried in a medal lot description. The article of Gleim's I based my opinion on (in his "New Medal Letter" book) did reference the Navy only, as you stated.

Kurt

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