ALEXANDER MACOMB GOLD MEDAL REOFFERED

When the Congress of the United States of America wants to bestow a particularly high honor, it awards the Congressional Gold Medal. It does so since 1775, when General George Washington was decorated this way. Since that time, many distinguished honorees received this medal. The recipients include Neil Armstrong, Winston Churchill, Walt Disney, Thomas Edison, George Gershwin, Ulysses Grant, Martin Luther King, Charles Lindbergh, John Pershing, Frank Sinatra, Mother Theresa, John Wayne, and the Wright brothers. Among them was Alexander Macomb praised by his contemporaries as the Hero of Plattsburgh.

By resolution of 3 November 1814, he had received the gold medal from President Madison himself. He was one of only 27 men who were decorated this way, in recognition of their achievements in the Second War of Independence.

Manufactured by the die cutter Moritz Fürst, who was a Jew born in Preßburg, the medal's obverse features the portrait of Alexander Macomb clad in his uniform, with his military title, while the reverse depicts the decisive naval battle and fighting land forces in the foreground.

The medal stems from the family possessions of the direct descendants of Macomb. Through marriage, Susan Watts Macomb (1849-1928), direct heir of the hero of Plattsburgh, the medal passed into the possession of the Grand d'Hauteville noble family.

And Alexander Macomb? On 29 May 1828, John Quincy Adams promoted him to the U.S. army's Commanding General. In this capacity, he reformed the army. By increasing listed pay, he fought the frequently occurring desertions. He installed a relief system for widows and orphans of the officers who had died in battle. In addition, he established an officer retirement system to prevent over-ageing. He died on 25 June 1841 – not on the battleground, but sitting in his office – and was honored with a grave at Congressional Cemetery.

The medal offered by Künker is a high-class historical testimony recalling one of the pivotal moments in American history.

To read the complete article, see:
The Hero of the Second War of American Independence (www.kuenker.de/en/information/presseinformationen/aktuelle-mitteilungen/112)

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
MACOMB BATTLE OF PLATTSBURGH GOLD MEDAL OFFERED (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v18n36a21.html) NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: SEPTEMBER 13, 2015 : Macomb Medal Brings $238,000 (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v18n37a12.html) MACOMB MEDAL JUST ONE HIGHLIGHT OF SALE (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v18n38a11.html)

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