Orders, Decorations & Medals - Other Countries

Lot 2417    Session 8 (2.30pm Wednesday)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Other Countries

Estimate $14,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au

USA, MEDAL OF HONOR (TYPE II) (1896-1904), reverse engraved, 'The Congress/to/1st Lt. Samuel B.Horne./Co.F.11th.Conn.Inf./for GALLANTRY at/Fort Harrison, Va./Sept.29./1864.' In original embossed case by Wm.Wilson & Son, Philadelphia, case hinge missing, with original breast and neck ribbon, both ribbons worn, medal extremely fine.

Medal for an action in 1864 but not awarded until 19 November 1897. Samuel Belton Horne, born 03Mar1843 at Belleek, Tullamore, King's County, Ireland; Enl.22Apr1861 at Winsted, Connecticut as a private; 07May1861 mustered into K Coy Connecticut 2nd Infantry, mustered out on 07Aug1861 at New Haven, Connecticut; 25Oct1861 mustered into E Coy Connecticut 11th Infantry (promoted Sgt 11Oct1861 and CO of E Coy; 1st Sgt 18Sep1862; 2nd Lieut 09Aug1863 as CO I Coy; 1st Lieut 09Apr1864 as CO F Coy; 26Sep1864 as CO H Coy; WIA 17Sep1862 Antietam, Maryland; 03Jun1864 Cold Harbor, Virginia; 29Sep1864 Chapin's Farm, Virginia; Disch.17Nov1864 as result of wounds; 11Oct1871 Samuel Horne of Grand Rapids, Michigan aged 28 married Etta D. Bartlett aged 18 of Maine, Connecticut at Winchester; Samuel Horne died 18Sep1928 at Winsted, Winchester, and was buried at Forest View Cemetery, Winsted. Samuel Horne, writing under the letterhead of 'Peck & Horne, Counselors at Law and Solicitors in Chancery of Grand Rapids, Michigan' on April 5th 1870 commenced a claim for compensation in respect of his Civil War service as he had not been correctly recorded as Captain nor paid in recognition of his promotion to the rank of Captain. His rank was officially corrected under Special Order No.282, Headquarters of the Army December 9, 1885. The financial reimbursement for such rank was rectified in the 54th Congress by a Bill H.R.7696 in House of Representatives on March 27, 1896 and S.2720 in the Senate on April 2, 1896. On July 28, 1897, Samuel B. Horne as Commissioner, Bureau of Labor Statistics for the State of Connecticut lodged an 'Application for a Medal of Honor'. In his application Horne states, 'On the 21st day of September, 1864, I was First Lieutenant of the Eleventh Regiment Connecticut Veteran Volunteers and Commissioned Captain on the 26th of the same month. That on the said 21st of September I returned from hospital with an unhealed wound and was detailed as acting provost marshall of the 18th Army Corps, Army of the James, which duty I assumed. That on the 29th day of the same month, said 18th Army Corps, then commanded by General Edward O.C. Ord, made a successful attack upon the enemy's line of works at Chapin's Farm, Virginia. That during the charge upon 'Fort Harrison' on said line, I was dispatched by General Ord with a verbal message to the colonel of one of the advancing regiments. I spurred forward my horse with all possible speed and soon came in direct range of and near the guns of the Fort. My horse, when at full gallop, was instantly killed by a grape shot, falling upon me with great force, cracking some of my ribs, injuring me internally and pinioning me to the ground, from which position I was at once relieved by Colonel Thomas G. Welles of the same staff with me, who was passing when the accident happened. That, although lacerated and in great pain and partly denuded, I proceeded on foot, delivered the message near the Fort and reported to General Ord and was with him when he was wounded on the parapet, and later with him, taken to the rear.' The application concludes with, 'Did I not do more than duty required? Was not my conduct under the circumstances an act of unusual bravery? At the time it was so regarded at Headquarters, but as General Ord was sent home and neglected to make official report of the battle until a year later, no personal mention is made of me except in a general way. To which report, I respectfully refer.' In Deeds of Valor, p433 it states, 'With two dangerous wounds in his body Lieutenant Samuel B. Horne, of Company H, Eleventh Connecticut Infantry, was carried off the field at Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, 1864, and sent to a hospital. Though his recovery proceeded slowly, he could not bear to be confined to his bed and three months later returned to his regiment, though still an invalid. Ten days later, at Chapin's Farm, Va., September 29, 1864, he won his medal by a display of courage almost superhuman.' This 'superhuman display of courage' was probably one of the factors why after investigating the claim, Horne received a letter from the Secretary of War dated November 4, 1897 which stated, 'You are hereby notified that by direction of the President and under provisions of the Act of Congress approved March 3, 1863, providing for the presentation of medals of honor to such officers, non-commissioned officers and privates as have most distinguished themselves in action, a Congressional Medal of Honor has this day been presented to you for Most Distinguished Gallantry in Action, the following being a statement of the particular service, viz: 'At Fort Harrison, Va., September 29th, 1864, this officer, then serving as First Lieutenant 11th Connecticut Volunteers, and acting as aide-de-camp to General Ord, while carrying an important message on the field was wounded and his horse killed; but not withstanding his severe wounds and sufferings, he continued on his way, delivered the order, and then joined his General but had to be taken to the rear on account of injuries received.' The medal will be forwarded by registered mail, as soon as it shall have been engraved.' In fact it was sent on November 19 and received by Horne on November 23, 1897. On January 31, 1908 the War Department advised Horne that he was to be issued with another Medal of Honor of the new design to be engraved, 'The Congress/to/Captain/Samuel B.Horne,/Co.H,11th Conn.Inf.Vols./Fort Harrison, Va.,/Sept.29,1864.' The new medal was sent to him on February 21, 1908 and received on March 2, 1908. In 1916 Horne applied for enrolment of his name on the Army and Navy Medal of Honor Roll. This was approved and on May 25, 1916 he acknowledged receipt of Medal of Honor Certificate No.68. With extensive research including 143 pages of photocopies of muster rolls, letters, death certificates, various application forms and statutory declarations, Medal of Honor file and other relevant files.