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| The Pickens medal. |
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in Tennessee, he was raised to the rank of brigadier-general.
The Chamber of Commerce of New York included in their resolution to honor the defenders of Fort Sumter with a series of bronze medals,1 those of Fort Pickens, and these were presented to Slemmer, his officers and men, at the same time.
The medals were executed by the same sculptor (Charles Miller), and of the same sizes.
The engraving represents the one presented to Lieutenant Slemmer, on a smaller scale than the original.2
By the 1st of May there was a formidable force of insurgents menacing Fort Pickens, who were lying on the arc of a circle, from the water-battery beyond Fort McRee on the right, to the Navy Yard on the left.
They numbered nearly seven thousand, and were arranged in three divisions.
The first, on the right, was composed of Mississippians, under Colonel J. R. Chalmers; the second was composed of Alabamians and a Georgia regiment,
1 See pages 383 and 334.
2 This medal, made of bronze, is six inches in diameter. On one side is a medallion portrait of Lieutenant Slemmer, and the inscription, “Adam J. Slemmer.” On the other side is Cerberus, as the Monster of War, chained to Fort Pickens. By this design the artist intended to typify the forbearance of the Government and its servants, which was conspicuously exhibited during the defense of Fort Pickens. The initial letters U. S. on the collar of the monster indicate his owner. Amid the taunts and insults of the foe, he is kept chained to the fort. His impatience of restraint is shown by his actions. On this side of the medal is the inscription:--“the Chamber of Commerce, New York, honors Valor, forbearance, and fidelity. Fort Pickens. 1861.” Two sizes of medals bore these devices and inscriptions, and the other two, on the reverse side, a view of Fort Pickens, with the inscription:--“the Chamber of Commerce, New York, honors the defenders of Fort Pickens--far off, but faithful.”
The following are the names of the defenders of Fort Pickens:-- commissioned officers.--First Lieutenant, Adam J. Slemmer; Second Lieutenant, Jeremiah H. Gilman. non-commissioned officers.-- First Sergeant, Alexander Jamieson; Corporals, David H. Boyd, Patrick Mangan, James P. Caldwell, and Benjamin Webster; Fifer, Thomas Smith; Drummer, William Sheppard; Artificers, Frederick Bickel and Simeon Webster; Ordnance Sergeants, Robert Granger, Elias H. Broady, and John Flynn. Privates.--John Bainfield, Michael Burns, John H. Boyer, Francis Bohnert, Joseph Clancy, John Cannon, Jacob C. Deckert, James Dolan, James Foley, Lewis Holmes, Thomas Honlahan, Edward L. Hastings, John Jackson, Thomas Jackson, Martin King, John Kerns, Owen McGair, Jackson McLeod, Thomas Manning, Thomas McGuire, James Matthews, John Mealey, Theodore Meeker, John Miller, Michael Morris, Patrick Mulligan, Michael Murphy, Michael Murray, William Nelson, Patrick Norton, James O'Brien, Frederick O'Donnell, Bartholomew O'Neil, John J. Reilly, Thomas B. Shaw, David Summers, Patrick Travers, and Francis Winters. The whole number of officers and men who received medals was fifty-three. These were of the same regiment of Artillery (First, U. S. A.) as the defenders of Fort Sumter.
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