Adam R Posted April 30, 2010 Share #1 Posted April 30, 2010 At the risk of being accused of shameless self-promotion (which it is), I thought I’d post the write up and images from an attributed Indian Wars Medal that I just listed for sale on eBay. By doing so, even after the auction is over this information will still be online here for future reference. It will also allow others to post questions and/or comments. The eBay item # is 180500890110. ----------------------------------- Original US Army Indian Wars Campaign Medal, officially numbered on the rim “No. 1175”. The Indian Wars Medal rolls (based on Quartermaster records in the National Archives) show that this medal was issued on January 23, 1909 to Sgt. Owen Davis, who at that time was serving with the 146th Company of the Coast Artillery Corps. Additional Quartermaster records for this medal show that Sgt. Davis’ qualifying service for the medal with Troop K of the Second U.S. Cavalry Regiment. Owen Davis was born about 1859 in Chester, England. Supposedly he had four years service in the British Army before immigrating to America in the late 1870s. In December 1880 he enlisted in the US Army at Boston and was assigned to Troop A of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. Between 1880 and 1900 he served with the 2nd and 4th Cavalry Regiments and the 5th Artillery. In December of 1885 he was serving with Troop K of the 2nd Cavalry when that unit was sent to Arizona to assist the 4th Cavalry in the capture of the Apache chief Geronimo. It was this service that qualified him for the Indian Wars Medal. Following the campaign Sgt. Davis returned with his Troop to the Presidio at San Francisco. Click here for more information about Geronimo and his capture in 1886. In 1899, while serving with the 4th Cavalry, Sgt. Davis was sent to the Philippines to assist in the suppression of the Insurrection that started earlier that year. A full page San Francisco newspaper article from June 1900 describes how Davis, in command of only six cavalry troopers, compelled the surrender of 800 armed Filipinos. From 1900 until his retirement in 1910 Sgt. Davis served with the 18th Infantry and the Coast Artillery. He was stationed at the Presidio for many years and was apparently there during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. During his military career he also gained national reputation as a master swordsman and participated in many competitions. Sgt. Davis retired from the US Army in March 1910 at Ft. McDowell, California. He died on December 14, 1930 and is buried at the San Francisco National Cemetery at the Presidio. This outline of his service is based in part on Regular Army enlistment ledgers and other records, which are online at Ancestry.com. The location of Davis’ Philippine Campaign Medal (No. 14348) is unknown. He was also entitled to a Spanish War Service Medal but there is no record that he ever claimed it and there is no record that he had any other medals. This medal was struck by the US Mint at Philadelphia in 1908. It has been recently re-ribboned with the first pattern ribbon that was used until 1917, and has the original full wrap brooch with open catch. The brooch was cleaned when it was re-ribbond so it has a bright finish. Heritage Auctions originally sold this medal at the Long Beach Coin Show in September 2008. The two medal cards shown below were scanned from Quartermaster records in the National Archives. The photo of Sgt. Davis was taken from a 1900 newspaper article about his service during the Philippine Insurrection. The majority of the attributed Indian Wars Medals were issued for service in the Pine Ridge campaign of 1891. Medals that are documented as issued for service in the campaigns of the 1880s are especially rare. It is also very unusual to find a photograph of an enlisted man, as most photos of recipients are of officers. The last two Indian Wars medals that I auctioned on eBay sold for $4300 in 2005 and $4200 in 2007. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted April 30, 2010 Author Share #2 Posted April 30, 2010 Rim number of medal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted April 30, 2010 Author Share #3 Posted April 30, 2010 Below is the name index card for the Indian Wars Medal. Note that the “Serial Number (1393)” is not the medal serial number; this is the Adjutant General’s Office medal application number. The actual medal number, 1175, was written on the card at the time of issue, just below the date stamp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted April 30, 2010 Author Share #4 Posted April 30, 2010 Photo taken from a 1900 newspaper article about Sgt. Davis. His Philippine Campaign Medal card states that he had service with Troop B of the 4th Cavalry and this is the insignia that is on his campaign hat in the photo. Below is the card for the Philippine Campaign Medal, showing service with Troop B, 4th Cavalry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted April 30, 2010 Author Share #5 Posted April 30, 2010 Army Register of Enlistments from 1891, showing Sgt. Davis on the bottom line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted April 30, 2010 Author Share #6 Posted April 30, 2010 Close up of obverse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted April 30, 2010 Author Share #7 Posted April 30, 2010 Close up of reverse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted April 30, 2010 Author Share #8 Posted April 30, 2010 1900 San Francisco newspaper article about Sgt. Davis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted April 30, 2010 Author Share #9 Posted April 30, 2010 First paragraph of article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vernon Posted April 30, 2010 Share #10 Posted April 30, 2010 Many thanks for sharing with us Adam. Great history indeed. Vern Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROY222 Posted April 30, 2010 Share #11 Posted April 30, 2010 Wow what a great item. I love seeing these old medals with the history with them. Sorry I cannot bid on it but thanks for sharing it with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medalman90 Posted September 23, 2011 Share #12 Posted September 23, 2011 :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted September 23, 2011 Share #13 Posted September 23, 2011 Adam- That's simply incredible!!!! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmpmstr Posted September 23, 2011 Share #14 Posted September 23, 2011 Adam, fantastic, as a 2d Cavalry veteran, it's great to see something of my regiment's long storied history. I second Dave's emotion!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfields Posted September 23, 2011 Share #15 Posted September 23, 2011 Anybody know how much it ended up going for ? Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emccomas Posted September 23, 2011 Share #16 Posted September 23, 2011 Anybody know how much it ended up going for ? Kim Item has been removed or is no longer available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted April 2, 2012 Author Share #17 Posted April 2, 2012 Anybody know how much it ended up going for ? Kim It sold for $3950. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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