MEDALS FOR THE 1897-1898 OVERLAND RELIEF EXPEDITION

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V14 2011 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 14, Number 10, March 6, 2011, Article 23

Who knew there could be so much interesting numisamtica relating to Alaska? Plenty of Alaskans, but not me. I'm always impressed with the issues Dick Hanscom produces of the Alaskan Token Collector & Polar Numismatist. The March 2011 issue of the newsletter has a nice article on the medals issued by the U.S. Mint for heroes of the 1897-1898 Overland Relief Expedition. Harry Waterson inspired the article by bringing Dick's attention to a Jarvis medal being sold on eBay. At my request Dick kindly provided images for The E-Sylum. Here are a couple brief excerpts. -Editor

"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby directed to bestow a gold medal of honor, of such design as he may approve, upon First Lieutenant David H. Jarvis, Second Lieutenant Ellsworth P. Bertholf, and Doctor Samuel J. Call, surgeon, all of the Revenue- Cutter Service and members of the overland expedition of eighteen hundred and ninety-seven and eighteen hundred and ninety-eight for the relief of the whaling fleet in the arctic regions, in recognition of the heroic service rendered by them in connection with said expedition."

Eight whaling ships failed to return to port by November, 1897. These ships were in the Arctic. It was presumed that they had been frozen into the ice. A plea for relief was sent to President McKinley.

The U.S. Revenue Cutter Bear was dispatched, hoping to reach Nome. Weather and slush ice prevented the Bear from doing this. They back tracked and landed at Tununak, opposite Nunivak Island.

Three men volunteered for the overland journey: 1st Lt. David H. Jarvis, 2nd Lt. Ellsworth P. Bertholf and Dr. Samuel J. Call. The plan was to take dog teams to the Seward Peninsula, purchase domestic reindeer from herders and drive them to Barrow.

The story of the expedition is well documented elsewhere, and Dick's account captures only a few of the highlights, including 438 reindeer, a suicide, and a baseball game on the ice in March. Very interesting? -Editor

It would be nice to know how many of these were made so that I could have the appropriate level of non-buyer's remorse.