830 



MEDALS 



[b. a. e. 



removed it and the silver belt buckle from 

 the body. There were also presented to 

 the Indian chiefs silver hat-bands, chased 

 and engraved with the royal arms; silver 

 gorgets to be worn suspended from the 

 neck and having the royal arms and em- 

 blems of peace engraved upon them; and 

 silver belt buckles, many of which ex- 

 ceeded 3 in. in diameter. The potency 

 of the medal was soon appreciated as a 

 means of retaining the Indian's allegi- 

 ance, in which it played a most important 

 part. While gratifying the vanity of the 

 recipient, it appealed to him as an em- 

 blem of fealty or of chieftainship, and 

 in time had a place in the legends of the 

 tribe. 



The earlier medals issued for presenta- 

 tion to the Indians of North America 

 have become ex tremelyxare from various 

 causes, chief among which was the change 

 of government under which the Indian 

 may have been living, as each govern- 

 ment" was extremely zealous in searching 

 out all medals conferred by a previous 

 one and substituting medals of its own. 

 Another cause has been that within recent 

 years Indians took their medals to the 

 nearest silversmith to have them con- 

 verted into gorgets and amulets. After 

 the Revolution the United States replaced 

 the English medals with its own, which 

 led to the establishment of a regular series 

 of Indian peace medals. Many of the 

 medals presented to the North American 

 Indians were not dated, and in many 

 instances were struck for other purposes. 



Spanish Medals. — Early Spanish mis- 

 sionaries also presented medals to the 

 Indians; these are often found in graves 



CATHOLIC MEDAL FROM A MOUND IN ALEXANDER CO., ILL. 



in those portions of the United States 

 onceoccupied by the Spanish. Several of 

 these medals were found at the old Cay- 

 uga mission in New York, established 

 in 16.57 for the Huron refugees among 

 the Iroquois and discontinued 30 years 

 later. "The medals are of a religious 

 character, and are supposed to have been 

 given, in recognition of religious zeal or 



other service, by the early Catholic mis- 

 sionaries" (Belts, p. 32). One of these 

 medals is as follows: 



1682. Obverse, the Virgin Mary, standing on a 

 crescent and clouds, surrounded by a rayed glory, 

 in field 1682; legend, Nuestra Sefwra de Guada- 

 lupe Ora Pro Nobis, Mexico. Reverse, bust of San 

 Francisco de Assisi in dress of a monk, a halo 

 above; legend, Francisco Ora Pro Nobis. Brass 

 and silver; size, 1\% by 1^ in. 



In 1864 there was found at Prairie du 

 Chien, Wis., in an Indian grave, a silver 

 medal, now in possession of the Wiscon- 

 sin Historical Society, "supposed to have 

 been given to Huisconsin, a Sauk and Fox 

 chief" (Betts, p. 239). This was one of 

 the regular "service medals" awarded by 

 Spain to members of her army. 



Obverse, bust of king to left; legend, Carolus 

 III Key de Espana e de las Indias. Reverse, within 

 a cactus wreath, Por Merito. Silver; size, '1\ in., 

 with loop. 



French Canadian Medals. — The earli- 

 est record of peace medals in connection 

 with the Canadijfn Indians is found in 

 Canada Correspondence General, vol. iv, 

 in which mention is made of "a Caugh- 

 nawaga chief, November 27, 1670, who 

 holds preciously a medal presented to him 

 by the king." Leroux (p. 14) includesa 

 medal caused to be struck by Cardinal 

 Richelieu in 1631 for jjresentation to Cana- 

 dian Indians. A large medal was issued in 

 France in connnemoration of the reign- 

 ing family; this example proved so ac- 

 ceptable to the Indians that a series of 

 six, varying slightly in design and in size 

 from 1 j\ to 3 1\ in. , was issued for presenta- 

 tion to them. Very few of the originals 

 are now known to exist, but many re- 

 strikes have been made from the dies in 

 the Musee Monetaire at Paris. 



1693. Obverse, head of the king to right, lau- 

 reated; legend, Ludovicus Magnus Rex Christian- 

 issimus. Reverse, four busts in field; legend. 

 Felicitas Domus Axtqustx. Seren Dolph, Lud. D, 

 Burg. Phid D. Card. D. Bitur. M. D. C. A'. C. III. 



After the death of the Dolphin, in 1712, 

 the reverse type was changed, two figures 

 replacing the four busts of Louis, the 

 Dauphin, and his two sons. Of this medal 

 only restrikes are now known. 



171-. Obverse, bust of king to right; legend, 

 Ludovicus Xllll, D. a. FR. NAV. REX. Re- 

 verse, two Roman warriors; legend, HONOR ET 

 VIRTUS. Silver; bronze, size, 2i in. 



In the succeeding reign a smaller medal 

 of similar design was issued, bearing on 

 the obverse the head of the king to the 

 right, draped and laureated; legend, 

 Louis A'T'iic.f Christianissimus. A copy 

 of this medal has been found with the 

 legend erased and George III stamped in 

 its place (McLachlan, p. 9). Silver; 

 bronze; size, 2 in. 



The General De Levi medal of 1658, 

 and that of the first Intendant-General of 

 Canada, Jean \'arin, of 1683, though in- • 

 eluded by Leroux (p. 15) among the 



