MEDAL, a piece of metal in the form of a coin, stamped with a figure or device to preserve the portrait of some eminent person, or the memory of some illustrious action or event. and not to be circulated as money. Medals be long to two periods, ancient and modern, sep arated by a wide interval. Early Greek and Roman medals were struck for prizes in athletic games, or in commemoration of great events The Roman series of medals or medallions is very extensive in gold, silver and brass or cop per. The gold medals begin with Constantine and continue to the fall of the empire; the silver begin under Gallienus and continue as long; the copper from Augustus to Alexander Severus.
In more modern times the art of medal-mak ing has been brought to great perfection, and most of the principal nations have adopted the plan of preserving their history by these durable monuments. The French series is deserving of special mention as the most perfect and com plete in the world. It commences under Limn XI and continues to the present date, illustrat ing every important event in the history of France. The English series commences under Henry VIII, but as works of art the medals have not high rank. The British battle medals, however, form an admirable series.. The Italian and German medals of modern date are very fine. The media-val are interesting and bold in design, but rude in execution. The papal series, commencing with Paul II, are worthy of atten tion.
One of the earliest American medals is that presented to Gen. John Armstrong for his successful attack in 1756 on the Indians at Kit tanning. Most of those struck during the Rev olution were made in France. The next Amer ican medal of which there appears to be any record is that which was presented to General Gates after the surrender of Burgoyne, 17 Oct. 1777. On 25 March 1776, when news of the British evacuation of Boston reached Congress, that body resolved that its thanks be presented to the commander-in-Chief, and that a gold medal be struck in commemoration of the event. This medal was nearly two and three-quarters inches in diameter. On one side was a profile head of Washington, with the legend in Latin : The American Congress to George Washing ton, the Commander-in-Chief of its armies, the asserter of freedom." On the reverse the de vice showed troops advancing toward a town, others marching toward the water, ships in view, General Washington in front, mounted, with his staff, whose attention he is directing to the em barking enemy. The legend is: directing enemy
for the first time put to flight.)) Then, too, at the time of his death, among minor honors paid to the great general's memory, was the publish ing of a silver commemorative medal.
There is the record of one medal only granted by Congress in commemoration of any naval victory during the War of the Revolution, and that was a gold one presented to Paul Jones for his defeat of the British frigate Sera pis when commanding the Bonhomme Richard, 23 Sept. 1779. Other gold medals were those presented to Commodore Perry and Lieutenant Jesse D. Elliot for the part which they took in the battle of Lake Erie, 8 Oct. 1812; to Captain Lawrence, who, in command of the Hornet, 24 Feb. 1813, captured the British brig Peacock; to Captain Warrington of the Peacock—then under the Stars and Stripes — for the capture of the Epervier, 20 April 1814; to Capt. Thomas Macdonough, who commanded the American squadron in Plattsburg Bay, August 1814 ,• to Captain Decatur, who, in command of nited States, captured the British frigate Macedonian, 25 Oct. 1812; and to Captain Jones and Captain Blakely, who, when commanding the Wasp — the one, 12 Oct. 1812, and the other 28 June 1814— captured respectively the Frolic and the Reindeer from the British navy.
The giving of medals went out of fashion after the second war with Great Britain, and but little was done by the government during the War of the Rebellion. Maj. Robert Ander son received two medals for his gallant defense of Fort Sumter, hut one was presented by the citizens of New York and the second by the Chamber of Commerce of the same city. After the successful operations by Grant in East Ten nessee and at Chattanooga, Congress voted him thanks and a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices and inscriptions. It is worthy of re mark that no less than 189 medals were struck in honor of Abraham Lincoln, and later medals have been issued in memory of Garfield and McKinley, and in honor of Sampson, Schley, Dewey and others in the Spanish-American War. (See also COINAGE; NUMISMATICS; TOKEN MONEY). Consult Hawkins, 'Medallic Illus tration of the Histor5 of Great Britain and Ireland) (London 1885 ; Loubat, J. F., 'Medal lic History of the United States' (New York 1878) ; Leduc, 'Histoire des decorations en (Le Mans 1890) ; Hill, G. F., 'Por trait Medals of Italian Artists of the Renais sance) (New York 1912).