Medals Awarded by the United States to Foreigners

It is interesting to know that a large number of medals have been awarded to foreigners for meritorious service to the United States.

The first one struck was of silver, awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel Fleury, one of the young officers of the French army, who obtained leave to enter our service in 1777. In the assault upon Stony Point (July 15th, 1779) he commanded one of the storming parties, was the first to enter the main work, and struck the British flag with his own hands. For this achievement Congress voted him a silver medal. After the Revolution Colonel Fleury went to India, and in 1790 returned to France.

Chevalier John Paul Jones, captain of the French vessel "Bon Homme Richard," though a foreigner, was for some time in the service of the colonial government. By Act of Congress in 1787, he was awarded a gold medal in commemoration of his capture of the "Serapis," eight years before, off Flamborough Head, Yorkshire, England. A gold medal, known as the diplomatic medal, dedicated "To Peace and Commerce," and intended for presentation to distinguished foreign diplomats who were assigned to our government and marked their stay with us by acts of good will, was limited to two issues. One of these was awarded to Marquis de la Luzerne in 1791; he had shown his friendliness for our people by contracting a loan, on his own responsibility, to relieve the distress of the continental army, in 1780. Count de Monstier, French Minister to the U.S., 1787, was awarded the other in 1791.

Another medal, struck under Act of Congress, March 3d, 1847, in silver and gold, was presented to the officers and men on the French, British and Spanish ships of war in the harbor of Vera Cruz, who aided in rescuing officers and seamen of the U. S. brig "Somers," which was capsized and sunk in the Gulf of Mexico, December 10th, 1846. Medals were also awarded to three shipmasters, Creighton, Low and Stouffer, who, in December, 1853, at great risk to themselves and their ships, rescued about five hundred Americans from the sinking steamship "San Francisco," but it is by no means certain that Low and Stouffer were foreigners. Capt. Creighton was a Glasgow man. By Act of Congress, May 11th, 1858, a medal was given to Dr. Frederick Henry Rose, the British assistant naval-surgeon, for his services in behalf of the fever-stricken "Susquehannah," in April of the same year. A gold medal was ordered by the Department of State, and presented to the three principal envoys who came to the United States with the Japanese Embassy in May, 1860; the subordinate members of the Embassy received duplicates in copper. This medal bears a portrait of James Buchanan, then President of the United States.

October 8th, 1782, a medal was struck and a few copies given to sundry foreign notables who were interested in our infant republic, to celebrate the treaty of Amity and Commerce between the United States and the United Netherlands; another bearing date April 19th, 1782, but issued at about the same time, commemorated the acknowledgment of the independence and integrity of the United States as a Republic, by the government of the United Netherlands. Another medal struck the same year, though not strictly conferred upon any one by the United States, was minted and distributed by Benjamin Franklin in honor of the achievement of American liberty. Copies in gold, silver and copper were sent to the King and Queen of France, the Grand Master of Malta, Sir William Jones, and other eminent foreigners. While eighty-six medals in all have been struck since the foundation of the Government of the United States, only three of them commemorate episodes of the late war of Rebellion. One to General Grant for his victories, one to Cornelius Vanderbilt for patriotic generosity, and, at the close of the war, one to George Foster Robinson for saving the life of Mr. Seward, Secretary of State.

The "Medal of Honor" for the army was first established as a reward for military service by Act of Congress, July 22d, 1862. A long list is published of those who won this medal, and of course the list must contain the names of many foreigners who enlisted during the Rebellion. The Act of Congress of June 20th, 1874, authorizing the presentation of medals of honor to persons who distinguished themselves as life-savers has repeatedly done honor to foreigners, including John Horn, John Dean, and John Martin, all Englishmen, who have performed acts of special heroism.

There is published by the Navy Department a record of the medals issued to sailors and mariners of the U. S. Navy from 1862 to 1888. This list of course contains the names of several foreigners.