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Thanks of Congress

February 15, 2024

The Thanks of Congress is a series of formal resolutions passed by the United States Congress originally to extend the government's formal thanks for significant victories or impressive actions by American military commanders and their troops. Although it began during the American Revolutionary War, the practice peaked during the American Civil War. Similarly, the Confederate Congress also passed resolutions honoring extraordinary performance to individuals or military units.[1]

Early years edit

During the American Revolution, the official Thanks of Congress from the Continental Congress was often accompanied by a specially struck commemorative gold or silver medal. Among the recipients were George Washington, Horatio Gates, John Eager Howard, John Stark, Baron von Steuben, and Henry Lee (See also List of Congressional Gold Medal recipients).[1]

Other recipients in the early years of the United States include all participants in the Battle of Tippecanoe (1811), Alexander Macomb (War of 1812) (1814), Oliver Hazard Perry (War of 1812) (1814), James Lawrence (War of 1812) (1814), Charles Gratiot in the same war, and Andrew Jackson (epilogue to the War of 1812) (1815), William Henry Harrison (1818) and Zachary Taylor (1847).[2][3]

American Civil War edit

During the American Civil War, the Thanks of Congress were joint resolutions of Congress which were published in the Statutes at Large to honor officers from late 1861 through May 1866 for significant victories or impressive actions.[4] A total of thirty officers were named in these acts during the war, fifteen in the Union Army and fifteen in the Union Navy.[1] Two naval officers were immediately promoted after receiving the award, John L. Worden of USS Monitor[5] and William B. Cushing.[6] Because the Thanks of Congress was only awarded to officers, the Medal of Honor was created at this time to honor soldiers in the Army, and over 1,500 men received the medal by the end of the war.[1][7] Only one officer, General Ulysses S. Grant, received both the Thanks of Congress and a Congressional Gold Medal during the Civil War.[7]

The first citation during the American Civil War recognized "the gallant and patriotic services of the late Brig. Gen. Nathaniel Lyon, and the officers and soldiers under his command at the Battle of Wilson's Creek, 10 Aug. 1861."[8] Admiral David Dixon Porter was honored the most, on four occasions.

Civil War recipients edit

Recipient Date of approval Military action Ref.
Nathaniel Lyon and officers and men under his command December 24, 1861 Wilson's Creek, 1861 [8]
Samuel F. Dupont, and officers, petty-officers, seamen, and marines under his command February 22, 1862 Port Royal, 1861 [9]
Officers, soldiers, and seamen of the army and navy February 22, 1862 General award [10]
Andrew H. Foote, and to the officers and men under his command in the Western Flotilla March 19, 1862 Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, 1862 [11]
David G. Farragut and officers and men under his command July 11, 1862 Forts Jackson & St. Philip, 1862 [12]
Louis M. Goldsborough and officers, petty officers, seamen, and marines under his command July 11, 1862 Roanoake Island, 1862 [13]
John L. Worden and crew of the USS Monitor July 11, 1862 Hampton Roads, 1862 [14]
Andrew H. Foote July 19, 1862 Island No. Ten, 1862 [15]
John L. Worden February 3, 1863 Hampton Roads, 1862 [5]
Charles H. Davis February 7, 1863 Memphis, 1862 [5]
John A. Dahlgren February 7, 1863 None [5][16]
Stephen C. Rowan February 7, 1863 Battle of New Bern [5]
David D. Porter February 7, 1863 Arkansas Post, 1863 [5]
Silas H. Stringham February 7, 1863 Forts Hatteras and Clark, 1861 [5]
William S. Rosecrans, and the officers and men under his command March 3, 1863 Stones River, 1862–1863 [17]
Ulysses S. Grant, and officers and men under his command December 17, 1863 "The Rebellion" [7][18]
John Rodgers December 23, 1863 Battle of Wassaw Sound [19]
Nathaniel P. Banks and officers and men under his command January 28, 1864 Port Hudson, 1863 [20]
Ambrose E. Burnside January 28, 1864 Knoxville, 1863 [21]
Joseph Hooker, Oliver O. Howard, George G. Meade, and the Army of the Potomac January 28, 1864 Gettysburg Campaign, 1863 [22]
Cornelius Vanderbilt January 28, 1864 None [7][23][24]
William T. Sherman, and the officers and soldiers under his command February 19, 1864 Chattanooga, 1863 [25]
Volunteer soldiers who have reenlisted March 3, 1864 None [26]
Cadwalader Ringgold and the officers and crew of the USS Sabine March 7, 1864 rescue of the USS Governor, 1861 and USS Vermont, 1862 [27]
David D. Porter April 19, 1864 Vicksburg, 1863 [28]
Joseph Bailey June 4, 1864 Red River Campaign, 1864 [29]
William B. Cushing and the officers and men who assisted him December 20, 1864 Sinking of the CSS Albemarle [6]
John A. Winslow and the officers and men under his command on board the USS Kearsarge December 20, 1864 Sinking the CSS Alabama, 1863 [30]
William T. Sherman and officers and soldiers of his command January 19, 1865 Atlanta Campaign and March to the Sea, 1864 [31]
David D. Porter, and officers, petty officers, seamen, and marines under his command January 24, 1865 Fort Fisher, 1865 [32]
Alfred H. Terry, and the officers and men under his command January 24, 1865 Fort Fisher, 1865 [33]
Philip H. Sheridan February 9, 1865 Cedar Creek, 1864 [33]
George H. Thomas and army under his command March 3, 1865 Nashville, 1864 [34]
David G. Farragut and the officers and men under his command February 10, 1866 Mobile Bay, 1864 [35]
Winfield S. Hancock April 21, 1866 Gettysburg, 1863 [36]

Others edit

Later honorees included Admiral of the Navy George Dewey (1898) and Captain Arthur Rostron, for his captaining of the RMS Carpathia (1912).[7] In 1914, the Thanks of Congress were given to three Latin American diplomats: Domício da Gama, Rómulo Sebastián Naón, and Eduardo Suárez Mujica, for their work at the Niagara Falls peace conference which helped avert a war with Mexico.[37]: 1228  In 1915, they were extended to members of the Isthmian Canal Commission.[37]: 1191  In 1919 Congress thanked General of the Armies John J. Pershing at a special joint session.[38] In August 1962 Congress thanked General of the Army Douglas MacArthur at a special joint session.[39][40]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b c d Heidler & Heidler 2002, p. 579
  2. ^ Jenkins 1856, p. 319
  3. ^ Brown 2006, p. 305
  4. ^ Technically, enlisted men also received the award since most recognized the men under the officer or on board the ship named in the act.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g 37 Pub. Res. 11; 12 Stat. 823
  6. ^ a b 38 Pub. Res. 4; 13 Stat. 565
  7. ^ a b c d e Stathis 2008 Also received Congressional Gold Medal
  8. ^ a b 37 Pub. Res. 1; 12 Stat. 611
  9. ^ 37 Pub. Res. 11; 12 Stat. 613
  10. ^ 37 Pub. Res. 12; 12 Stat. 613
  11. ^ 37 Pub. Res. 28; 12 Stat. 616
  12. ^ 37 Pub. Res. 41;12 Stat. 622
  13. ^ 37 Pub. Res. 39; 12 Stat. 621
  14. ^ 37 Pub. Res. 42;12 Stat. 622
  15. ^ 37 Pub. Res. 60; 12 Stat. 626
  16. ^ Award text reads, "Distinguished service in his profession, improvements in ordnance, and zealous and efficient labors in the ordnance branch of the service."
  17. ^ 37 Pub. Res. 29; 12 Stat. 827
  18. ^ 38 Pub. Res. 1; 13 Stat. 399
  19. ^ 38 Pub. Res. 2; 13 Stat. 399
  20. ^ 38 Pub. Res. 7; 13 Stat. 401
  21. ^ 38 Pub. Res. 8; 13 Stat. 401
  22. ^ 38 Pub. Res. 9; 13 Stat. 401
  23. ^ Gift of steamship
  24. ^ 38 Pub. Res. 10; 13 Stat. 401
  25. ^ 38 Pub. Res. 12; 13 Stat. 402
  26. ^ 38 Pub. Res. 16; 13 Stat. 403
  27. ^ 38 Pub. Res. 18; 13 Stat. 403
  28. ^ 38 Pub. Res. 22; 13 Stat. 404
  29. ^ 38 Pub. Res. 40; 13 Stat. 408
  30. ^ 38 Pub. Res. 3; 13 Stat. 565
  31. ^ 38 Pub. Res. 5; 13 Stat. 565
  32. ^ 38 Pub. Res. 8; 13 Stat. 566
  33. ^ a b 38 Pub. Res. 7; 13 Stat. 566
  34. ^ 38 Pub. Res. 28; 13 Stat. 571
  35. ^ 39 Pub. Res. 8; 14 Stat. 349
  36. ^ 39 Pub. Res. 27; 14 Stat. 354
  37. ^ a b The Statutes at Large of the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1915.
  38. ^ "Congress Welcomes General John J. Pershing". history.house.gov. 18 September 1919. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  39. ^ "Heroes: At the Beginning". Time. 24 August 1962. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  40. ^ Congress, United States (1962). "Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress". books.google.com. Retrieved 21 March 2022.

References edit

  • Brown, John Howard (2006). "Alexander Macomb". The Cyclopaedia of American Biography: Comprising the Men and Women of the United States Who Have Been Identified with the Growth of the Nation V5. Kessinger Publishing. p. 700. ISBN 1-4254-8629-0.
  • Jenkins, John S. (1856). "Alexander Macomb". Daring Deeds of American Generals. New York: A. A. Kelley.
  • Heidler, David Stephen; Heidler, Jeanne T., eds. (2002). Encyclopedia Of The American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0-393-04758-X. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
  • "Statutes of the Confederate Congress". Retrieved 2009-10-15.
  • United States Statutes at Large. Available from: LexisNexis Congressional; Accessed: 2009-10-15.
  • Stathis, Stephen W. (2008). (PDF). Congressional Research Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-04-03. Retrieved 2009-10-15.

February 15, 2024
thanks, congress, series, formal, resolutions, passed, united, states, congress, originally, extend, government, formal, thanks, significant, victories, impressive, actions, american, military, commanders, their, troops, although, began, during, american, revo. The Thanks of Congress is a series of formal resolutions passed by the United States Congress originally to extend the government s formal thanks for significant victories or impressive actions by American military commanders and their troops Although it began during the American Revolutionary War the practice peaked during the American Civil War Similarly the Confederate Congress also passed resolutions honoring extraordinary performance to individuals or military units 1 Contents 1 Early years 2 American Civil War 2 1 Civil War recipients 3 Others 4 See also 5 Notes 6 ReferencesEarly years editDuring the American Revolution the official Thanks of Congress from the Continental Congress was often accompanied by a specially struck commemorative gold or silver medal Among the recipients were George Washington Horatio Gates John Eager Howard John Stark Baron von Steuben and Henry Lee See also List of Congressional Gold Medal recipients 1 Other recipients in the early years of the United States include all participants in the Battle of Tippecanoe 1811 Alexander Macomb War of 1812 1814 Oliver Hazard Perry War of 1812 1814 James Lawrence War of 1812 1814 Charles Gratiot in the same war and Andrew Jackson epilogue to the War of 1812 1815 William Henry Harrison 1818 and Zachary Taylor 1847 2 3 American Civil War editDuring the American Civil War the Thanks of Congress were joint resolutions of Congress which were published in the Statutes at Large to honor officers from late 1861 through May 1866 for significant victories or impressive actions 4 A total of thirty officers were named in these acts during the war fifteen in the Union Army and fifteen in the Union Navy 1 Two naval officers were immediately promoted after receiving the award John L Worden of USS Monitor 5 and William B Cushing 6 Because the Thanks of Congress was only awarded to officers the Medal of Honor was created at this time to honor soldiers in the Army and over 1 500 men received the medal by the end of the war 1 7 Only one officer General Ulysses S Grant received both the Thanks of Congress and a Congressional Gold Medal during the Civil War 7 The first citation during the American Civil War recognized the gallant and patriotic services of the late Brig Gen Nathaniel Lyon and the officers and soldiers under his command at the Battle of Wilson s Creek 10 Aug 1861 8 Admiral David Dixon Porter was honored the most on four occasions Civil War recipients edit Recipient Date of approval Military action Ref Nathaniel Lyon and officers and men under his command December 24 1861 Wilson s Creek 1861 8 Samuel F Dupont and officers petty officers seamen and marines under his command February 22 1862 Port Royal 1861 9 Officers soldiers and seamen of the army and navy February 22 1862 General award 10 Andrew H Foote and to the officers and men under his command in the Western Flotilla March 19 1862 Fort Henry and Fort Donelson 1862 11 David G Farragut and officers and men under his command July 11 1862 Forts Jackson amp St Philip 1862 12 Louis M Goldsborough and officers petty officers seamen and marines under his command July 11 1862 Roanoake Island 1862 13 John L Worden and crew of the USS Monitor July 11 1862 Hampton Roads 1862 14 Andrew H Foote July 19 1862 Island No Ten 1862 15 John L Worden February 3 1863 Hampton Roads 1862 5 Charles H Davis February 7 1863 Memphis 1862 5 John A Dahlgren February 7 1863 None 5 16 Stephen C Rowan February 7 1863 Battle of New Bern 5 David D Porter February 7 1863 Arkansas Post 1863 5 Silas H Stringham February 7 1863 Forts Hatteras and Clark 1861 5 William S Rosecrans and the officers and men under his command March 3 1863 Stones River 1862 1863 17 Ulysses S Grant and officers and men under his command December 17 1863 The Rebellion 7 18 John Rodgers December 23 1863 Battle of Wassaw Sound 19 Nathaniel P Banks and officers and men under his command January 28 1864 Port Hudson 1863 20 Ambrose E Burnside January 28 1864 Knoxville 1863 21 Joseph Hooker Oliver O Howard George G Meade and the Army of the Potomac January 28 1864 Gettysburg Campaign 1863 22 Cornelius Vanderbilt January 28 1864 None 7 23 24 William T Sherman and the officers and soldiers under his command February 19 1864 Chattanooga 1863 25 Volunteer soldiers who have reenlisted March 3 1864 None 26 Cadwalader Ringgold and the officers and crew of the USS Sabine March 7 1864 rescue of the USS Governor 1861 and USS Vermont 1862 27 David D Porter April 19 1864 Vicksburg 1863 28 Joseph Bailey June 4 1864 Red River Campaign 1864 29 William B Cushing and the officers and men who assisted him December 20 1864 Sinking of the CSS Albemarle 6 John A Winslow and the officers and men under his command on board the USS Kearsarge December 20 1864 Sinking the CSS Alabama 1863 30 William T Sherman and officers and soldiers of his command January 19 1865 Atlanta Campaign and March to the Sea 1864 31 David D Porter and officers petty officers seamen and marines under his command January 24 1865 Fort Fisher 1865 32 Alfred H Terry and the officers and men under his command January 24 1865 Fort Fisher 1865 33 Philip H Sheridan February 9 1865 Cedar Creek 1864 33 George H Thomas and army under his command March 3 1865 Nashville 1864 34 David G Farragut and the officers and men under his command February 10 1866 Mobile Bay 1864 35 Winfield S Hancock April 21 1866 Gettysburg 1863 36 Others editLater honorees included Admiral of the Navy George Dewey 1898 and Captain Arthur Rostron for his captaining of the RMS Carpathia 1912 7 In 1914 the Thanks of Congress were given to three Latin American diplomats Domicio da Gama Romulo Sebastian Naon and Eduardo Suarez Mujica for their work at the Niagara Falls peace conference which helped avert a war with Mexico 37 1228 In 1915 they were extended to members of the Isthmian Canal Commission 37 1191 In 1919 Congress thanked General of the Armies John J Pershing at a special joint session 38 In August 1962 Congress thanked General of the Army Douglas MacArthur at a special joint session 39 40 See also editCongressional Gold Medal Medal of HonorNotes edit a b c d Heidler amp Heidler 2002 p 579 Jenkins 1856 p 319 Brown 2006 p 305 Technically enlisted men also received the award since most recognized the men under the officer or on board the ship named in the act a b c d e f g 37 Pub Res 11 12 Stat 823 a b 38 Pub Res 4 13 Stat 565 a b c d e Stathis 2008 Also received Congressional Gold Medal a b 37 Pub Res 1 12 Stat 611 37 Pub Res 11 12 Stat 613 37 Pub Res 12 12 Stat 613 37 Pub Res 28 12 Stat 616 37 Pub Res 41 12 Stat 622 37 Pub Res 39 12 Stat 621 37 Pub Res 42 12 Stat 622 37 Pub Res 60 12 Stat 626 Award text reads Distinguished service in his profession improvements in ordnance and zealous and efficient labors in the ordnance branch of the service 37 Pub Res 29 12 Stat 827 38 Pub Res 1 13 Stat 399 38 Pub Res 2 13 Stat 399 38 Pub Res 7 13 Stat 401 38 Pub Res 8 13 Stat 401 38 Pub Res 9 13 Stat 401 Gift of steamship 38 Pub Res 10 13 Stat 401 38 Pub Res 12 13 Stat 402 38 Pub Res 16 13 Stat 403 38 Pub Res 18 13 Stat 403 38 Pub Res 22 13 Stat 404 38 Pub Res 40 13 Stat 408 38 Pub Res 3 13 Stat 565 38 Pub Res 5 13 Stat 565 38 Pub Res 8 13 Stat 566 a b 38 Pub Res 7 13 Stat 566 38 Pub Res 28 13 Stat 571 39 Pub Res 8 14 Stat 349 39 Pub Res 27 14 Stat 354 a b The Statutes at Large of the United States U S Government Printing Office 1915 Congress Welcomes General John J Pershing history house gov 18 September 1919 Retrieved 16 February 2022 Heroes At the Beginning Time 24 August 1962 Retrieved 21 March 2022 Congress United States 1962 Congressional Record Proceedings and Debates of the Congress books google com Retrieved 21 March 2022 References editBrown John Howard 2006 Alexander Macomb The Cyclopaedia of American Biography Comprising the Men and Women of the United States Who Have Been Identified with the Growth of the Nation V5 Kessinger Publishing p 700 ISBN 1 4254 8629 0 Jenkins John S 1856 Alexander Macomb Daring Deeds of American Generals New York A A Kelley Heidler David Stephen Heidler Jeanne T eds 2002 Encyclopedia Of The American Civil War A Political Social and Military History W W Norton amp Company ISBN 0 393 04758 X Retrieved 2009 10 15 Statutes of the Confederate Congress Retrieved 2009 10 15 United States Statutes at Large Available from LexisNexis Congressional Accessed 2009 10 15 Stathis Stephen W 2008 Congressional Gold Medal list of recipients 1776 2008 PDF Congressional Research Service Archived from the original PDF on 2015 04 03 Retrieved 2009 10 15 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thanks of Congress amp oldid 1186767510, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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