United States of America: West Indies Naval Campaign Medal - the Sampson Medal 1901, awarded to all those assigned to the fleet of Rear Admiral William T. Sampson for the Spanish-American War of 1898, as awarded to Ordinary Seaman Charles G. Smith, United States Navy, who saw service aboard the auxiliary cruiser U.S.S. Harvard. This vessel, formerly known as City of New York, had been chartered as an auxiliary cruiser with a civilian crew on the outbreak of the Spanish-American War on 21 April 1898. She sailed under Captain C.S Cotton, formerly a Union Officer during the American Civil War. Assigned as a scout to cruise West Indian waters in search of the Spanish fleet, she then sent back several reports on the location of Spanish units in the Caribbean, but was blockaded by a larger force at Saint-Pierre, Martinique from 11 to 17 May after which she proceeded to Santiago de Cuba and St. Nichols Mole, Haiti. On 4 July 1898, the 9th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry were guarding the prisoners of war inside Harvard. A guard ordered a prisoner, who was attempting to cross the line, to return. The prisoner did not understand English and the guard fired a shot causing other prisoners to stand up. Fearing the prisoners were about to attack, the guards opened fire killing six prisoners and wounding thirteen more. After the investigation, it was concluded that it was a mistake. The tragedy was known as Harvard Incident. No longer needed as a scout in the Caribbean, Harvard was sent back to the United States in early July 1898. She was temporarily turned over to the War Department and returned to Santiago de Cuba to transport troops back to the United States.
United States of America: West Indies Naval Campaign Medal - the Sampson Medal 1901, as awarded to all those assigned to the fleet of Rear Admiral William T. Sampson for the Spanish-American War of 1898, bronze, officially impressed naming on the rim to; (CHARLES G. SMITH, O.SEA.), complete with original ribbon and the top brooch bar bearing the embossed details of the ship aboard which he served: ‘U.S.S. HARVARD’.
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine.
Charles Gill Smith came from Alton, Illinois, and enlisted for the duration of one years service as an Ordinary Seaman into the United States Navy on 31 May 1898, he being then 19 years old. Assigned to the crew of the auxiliary cruiser U.S.S. Harvard, the reason for this becomes apparent as this vessel, formerly the schooner-rigged steamship known as City of New York, had been chartered as an auxiliary cruiser with a civilian crew on the outbreak of the Spanish-American War on 21 April 1898, and renamed as the U.S.S. Harvard. Commissioned on 26 April 1898 at New York, with Captain Charles Stanhope Cotton Sr (1843-1909) in command and renamed Harvard. Cotton, who would later be promoted to Rear Admiral, had formerly been a Union Officer during the American Civil War.
The Spanish–American War (21 April to 10 December 1898) began in the aftermath of the internal explosion of USS Maine in Havana Harbour in Cuba, leading to United States intervention in the Cuban War of Independence. The war led to the United States emerging predominant in the Caribbean region, and resulted in U.S. acquisition of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. The Spanish–American War brought an end to almost four centuries of Spanish presence in the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific.
Assigned as a scout, Harvard departed New York on 30 April to cruise West Indian waters in search of the Spanish fleet. After sending back several reports on the location of Spanish units in the Caribbean, Harvard was blockaded by a larger force at Saint-Pierre, Martinique from 11 to 17 May, after which she proceeded to Santiago de Cuba and St. Nichols Mole, Haiti, with dispatches from Commodore Winfield Scott Schley Interrupting her scouting duties, Harvard returned to Newport News, Virgnia, 7–26 June during which time her crew was officially taken into the Naval Service on 22 June. For his part, Ordinary Seaman Smith was most likely part of the original civilian crew that was chartered with the City of New York, and had already volunteered to be taken into the Naval Service at the slightly early date of 31 May. A check of the U.S.S. Harvard’s roster show’s the majority of men having been enlisted on 22 June, though some, including Smith enlisted earlier.
On 4 July 1898, the 9th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry were guarding the prisoners of war inside Harvard. A guard ordered a prisoner, who was attempting to cross the line, to return. The prisoner did not understand English and the guard fired a shot causing other prisoners to stand up. Fearing the prisoners were about to attack, the guards opened fire killing six prisoners and wounding thirteen more. After the investigation, it was concluded that it was a mistake. The tragedy was known as Harvard Incident.
No longer needed as a scout in the Caribbean, Harvard was sent back to the United States 10 July 1898. She was temporarily turned over to the War Department, and returned to Santiago de Cuba to transport troops back to the United States. Harvard arrived at New York on 27 August and decommissioned 2 September 1898 at New York Navy Yard. Reverting to her old name, City of New York, the ship resumed transatlantic service with the American Line.
