The Medal of Honor was introduced back in 1862 and the first medals were actually presented on March 25 of that year. Later other medals would be awarded and some of these would be backdated to events and dates earlier than those first presented to the six Andrews Raiders. I have had the incredible pleasure in interviewing a descendant of the very first recipient of the Medal of Honor, being one of the Raiders and that story will come forth in a future blog. Some very interesting facts will be shared in that article so please stay tuned.
In the mean time, just short of 3,500 Medals of Honor have been awarded and as history clearaly claims..only one went to a woman. This of course was the very well qualified Docctor Mary Walker, whom also you will hear much about at a later date in this space.
But today I want to share with you some intersting facts about another woman who was awarded the Medal of Honor. Yup! Another woman.
In the mean time, just short of 3,500 Medals of Honor have been awarded and as history clearaly claims..only one went to a woman. This of course was the very well qualified Docctor Mary Walker, whom also you will hear much about at a later date in this space.
But today I want to share with you some intersting facts about another woman who was awarded the Medal of Honor. Yup! Another woman.
But today's hero is not Mary Walker. It is Juliet Ann Opie Hopkins and that is an image of her in the bottom right corner of this State of Alabama 50 cent piece... then called a Fractional Note. It of course was Confederate Money for a Confederate State, and Hopkins was of course a Confederate as was her MEDAL OF HONOR. But more on that in a minute.
Look carefully in the upper left hand corner and you can see this note has a number of it... it is handwritten as were all notes of that day. Now, look at the image below it and look over to the right. There is the same number, but backwards, because you are looking at the reverse... a blank reverse... of the fractional note. Again that is the way these were made in Civil War days in the south.
There were about 45 million who have served in the US military since day one. Two have been awarded the Medal of Honor. Mary Walker and Juliet Hopkins. One for the North and one for the South. Bet you did not know that!
Look carefully in the upper left hand corner and you can see this note has a number of it... it is handwritten as were all notes of that day. Now, look at the image below it and look over to the right. There is the same number, but backwards, because you are looking at the reverse... a blank reverse... of the fractional note. Again that is the way these were made in Civil War days in the south.
There were about 45 million who have served in the US military since day one. Two have been awarded the Medal of Honor. Mary Walker and Juliet Hopkins. One for the North and one for the South. Bet you did not know that!
In 1862 the Southern Congress approved the creation of what they called the Southern Cross of Honor, pictured to right. It was to be be their equivalent to the US Medal of Honor. It was to be awarded to all ranks who performed valorous acts during the Civil War. Some 2,000 names were to be entered on a Role of Honor as well. But very soon the creation of actual medals slowed down. They needed the medal for other more important war efforts. Those issued, had the Maltese Cross shape with an engraved flag surrounded by a laurel wreath on the front and the words... " Southern Cross of Valor." The reverse, shown here had the war dates enscribed as well as the Southern States' motto.
Years later a second version of the medal was created by the United Daughters of the Confederacy. A book... "Valor in Grey" apparently has a list of all recipients, and it available today on the net for those wishing further information on the medal and its recipients.
Years later a second version of the medal was created by the United Daughters of the Confederacy. A book... "Valor in Grey" apparently has a list of all recipients, and it available today on the net for those wishing further information on the medal and its recipients.
Juliet Hopkins was born in the early 1800's in Virginia. In her youth she would take up nursing and would soon be working as an adminstrator. She would ultimately start up numerous hospitals in several states and would have almost 100 different auxiliaries of other women who came forth to help her in these efforts. As a stong supporter of the Confederacy, she, would donated over $500,000 to the cause and would be even known to sell off possessions to raise more money to help veterans. She would also roll up the carpets in her homes to give to the Confederacy to be cut up in smaller pieces to make blankets for the suffering troops. Providing services to the wounded came as a second nature. Hopkins, despite being warned not to, would often go out into enemy territory to bring back the wounded. She would soon become known as the Florence Knightengale of the South. Two wounds in her leg would see her limp her entire adult life. Many would praise her work as did a fellow named Robert E Lee.
Hopkins would start a program of writing letters home for veterans, she would send locks of their hair back to family and donate many a book for their reading and taking minds off horrible injuries. For all of this she would be awarded the South's Medal of Honor, and at death she would receive a full military funeral.
Hopkins would start a program of writing letters home for veterans, she would send locks of their hair back to family and donate many a book for their reading and taking minds off horrible injuries. For all of this she would be awarded the South's Medal of Honor, and at death she would receive a full military funeral.
Here are a few more examples of Confederate money during the Civil War.
First notice the handwritten numbers on the three samples to the left. There must have been quite a crew of folks that simply had the job to write out these numbers. Apparently they did not have presses that would automatically change the number each time an image was made.
The images on the right show another lack of developement. The bills were obviously printed in two different processes. The first with the bill. The second with the 50 cent stamp in blue. Carefully study these and you can see that each one is in a slightly different place.
hehe..
Bart
First notice the handwritten numbers on the three samples to the left. There must have been quite a crew of folks that simply had the job to write out these numbers. Apparently they did not have presses that would automatically change the number each time an image was made.
The images on the right show another lack of developement. The bills were obviously printed in two different processes. The first with the bill. The second with the 50 cent stamp in blue. Carefully study these and you can see that each one is in a slightly different place.
hehe..
Bart
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