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A Civil War General's Gold Medal - History in Your Hands

ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,119 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited February 1, 2023 7:05AM in U.S. Coin Forum

Sometimes, you run across something so cool that you just need to have it!

I’ve been a big fan of American history ever since I was a kid at the public library. I have to admit I read way more books about American history (many naval battles) than played with coins when I was young. I've also been a fan of gold medals award to those in the line of a battle, such as George Washington and Stephen Decatur, reading about the latter recently in the book "Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates".

So when I ran across the following, I did a bit of research and decided it needed to be in my collection.

General John Gibbon's Gold Medal Award

General John Gibbon

General John Gibbon was a general who fought in the Civil War and Indian Wars. He fought on the side of the Union though his father (Assayer of the Charlotte Mint) and brothers were on the side of the Confederacy. He attended West Point and wrote The Artillerist's Manual in 1859, used by both sides in the Civil War. He led brigades in various battles including the Second Battle of Bull Run, the Battle of Antietam, and the Battle of Gettysburg. A hands on leader, he personally manned a piece of artillery at the Battle of Antietam. He was one of three commissioners for the Confederate surrender. He also participated in the Indian Wars that followed.

More at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gibbon

The Military Service Institution of the United States

The Military Service Institution was "a voluntary organization of officers of the Army for mutual improvement (the privileges of which are extended to officers of the National Guards of the States), fostered by Generals Sherman and Sheridan while they commanded the Army, and presided over by the senior major-generals, has now for many years been the constant means of widespread increase in the most advanced studies of the Science and Art of War." as described by Major-General John Schofield, commanding the Army in his 1892 Annual Report.

More at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_Service_Institution_of_the_United_States

Essay Competition and Gold Medal Award

The Military Service Institution sponsored essay awards each year for the two best essays on topics of current military interest selected by the Council.

  • First Prize. Gold Medal $100 and Life Membership.
  • Second Prize. Silver Medal, $50 and Honorable Mention.

General John Gibbon won the award the first year,1880. The engraving looks like it was a 1880 that became a 1881. The Journal indicates that the award decision wasn't made until 1881. The Journal of the Military Service Institution has been digitized by Google Books and I was able to find references to the contest in Volume 1 and John Gibbon as the winner and a concept sketch of the medal in Volume 2 with excerpt pages below.

Of note, the medal says "The Indian question" but the Journal indicates the title was "Our Indian question"

The Essay

The actual essay was included in Volume 2 of the institution's Journal, starting on page 101.

https://books.google.com/books?id=BrRMAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA101#v=onepage&q&f=false

Reference: The First Annual Contest in Journal Volume 1

https://books.google.com/books?id=QqpMAAAAYAAJ

Reference: The First Annual Contest Results in Journal Volume 2

https://books.google.com/books?id=BrRMAAAAYAAJ

A more elaborately formatted program description with a list of winners is available in later volumes:

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