Indian Wars Medal of Service on e-bay

[doyle1876]

tinyurl.com/3xdrg2

Probably very plentiful in America but a nice affordable collectors item for us on the other side of the pond....






[Modified to fix link. -- Diane]

[bc]

Here is the item description:

This is the United States Indian War Campaign Medal & Bar .

established on the 11th January 1905. This medal was issued to Army personnel for the following campaigns [service] in Southern Oregon, Idaho, Nevada & Northern California between 1865 - 1868, also the follwing campaigns against the Comanches & Confederated tribes in Kansas, Colorado, Texas, New Mexico between 1867-1875, Modac War 1872 - 1873, Apaches in Arizona 1873 , Northern Cheyennes & Sioux 1876-1877, Nez Percee War 1877 , Bannoc War 1878 & the Northern Cheyennes in 1878 - 1879 [ the Long Walk ].All other engagements upto 1891.

by general order of 1907 all personnel were odered to wear this medal.



By 1905 and 1907, I can't imagine there were very many active duty personnel who were authroized to wear it except for a few Colonels and Generals! It mentions the confederated tribe. Was that tribe blood brothers with the Hekawi tribe? I didn't realize the Apache campaign in Arizona took only one year (1873). It also makes me wonder when did the US Gov officially designate the various skirmishes and land grabs over the years with the Indians as a "war" unless it was the date the medal was established.

[doyle1876]

Just went to the link and found that two medals were sold overnight! I believe that there is only one left in the sellers shop. By the way, I'm not on commission from this seller...

[gary]

I bought one of the medals, but I think that it's a replica.

[markland]

bc said:

Here is the item description:

This is the United States Indian War Campaign Medal & Bar .

established on the 11th January 1905. This medal was issued to Army personnel for the following campaigns [service] in Southern Oregon, Idaho, Nevada & Northern California between 1865 - 1868, also the follwing campaigns against the Comanches & Confederated tribes in Kansas, Colorado, Texas, New Mexico between 1867-1875, Modac War 1872 - 1873, Apaches in Arizona 1873 , Northern Cheyennes & Sioux 1876-1877, Nez Percee War 1877 , Bannoc War 1878 & the Northern Cheyennes in 1878 - 1879 [ the Long Walk ].All other engagements upto 1891.

by general order of 1907 all personnel were odered to wear this medal.



By 1905 and 1907, I can't imagine there were very many active duty personnel who were authroized to wear it except for a few Colonels and Generals! It mentions the confederated tribe. Was that tribe blood brothers with the Hekawi tribe? I didn't realize the Apache campaign in Arizona took only one year (1873). It also makes me wonder when did the US Gov officially designate the various skirmishes and land grabs over the years with the Indians as a "war" unless it was the date the medal was established.

BC, in either Thrapp's Conquest of Apacheria or Jerome Greene's Indian Wars Veterans the subject of the one-year Apache campaign is touched upon. I can't remember what exactly the author said about it but if it was Thrapp, I am sure that is was pointed. I also believe Greene gives the history of the Indian Wars medals in his book.

Best of wishes,

Billy

[doyle1876]

I think you are right about it being a replica as a genuine medal should be bronze and numbered. The design details are interesting though. It is the only service medal depicting the enemy

DESCRIPTION AND SYMBOLISM

Obverse

In the center of a bronze medallion one and a quarter inches in diameter, a mounted Indian holding a spear in his right hand is shown facing to the viewer's right. Above the horseman, and following the contour of the medal, are the words INDIAN WARS in raised letters. The remainder of the medal's contour contains a wreath of arrowheads with a buffalo skull at the base.

The Indian warrior in fighting regalia represents "the highly active and troublesome enemy of the frontier campaigns." The idea of a mounted Indian was intended by Millet to symbolize the ancient Greek horsemen as represented on the frieze of the Parthenon. The buffalo skull alludes to both the frontier and the Indian's close link with it; the arrowheads represent the Indian's traditional weapon in war and peace.

Reverse

The reverse shows an eagle with wings displayed, alight upon a trophy consisting of a cannon; six rifles and four standards; an Indian shield; a quiver of arrows and three spears; a Cuban machete, and a Sulu kris. The whole is enclosed by a circle composed of the words, UNITED STATES ARMY in the upper half, and thirteen stars in the lower half.

The standards represent the five great wars of the United States as of 1905: the Revolution; the War of 1812; the Mexican War; the Spanish-American War; and the Philippine Insurrection. The weapons suggest the armed resistance offered by the defeated opponents in those wars. The eagle is the American bald eagle and represents the United States, and the thirteen stars allude the original colonies and symbolize unity. The six rifles, four standards, and three spears total thirteen, which is consistent with the thirteen stars at the bottom of the medal

[doyle1876]

OK, this is the last I will post about this medal but the ones on e-bay in the above link are cast copy replicas (although this is not clear on the sellers page, ahem !!!). Got this from another message board.....

Indian War campaign medals are rarely seen today both because they were not made in large numbers to begin with and because the descendants of the veterans who received them treasure these medals. A genuine US Indian Wars Medal is numbered on the edge, and will probably have a ribbon in poor condition, or no ribbon at all. When they are available at auction, they sell in the hundreds of dollars.