SMGO-0929 Span Am/ Philippine war PA Volunteer MALATE Medal

A rare and desirable medal!

SPANISH AMERICAN WAR (APRIL 22 TO DECEMBER 10, 1898)PHILIPPINE AMERICAN WAR (1899-1902)PHILIPPINE ISLANDS10th PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEER INFANTY REGIMENT “THE FIGHTING TENTH”RARE STATE VOLUNTEER NATIONAL GUARDHEROIC SERVICE MEDALGILT BRONZE AND ENAMELTOP SUSPENSION BAR: ORNAMENTED BAR WITH SCROLL WITH GARLAND ABOVE AND SCROLL WITH “10th PENNA VOL. INFT” BENEATH; CENTER HERALDIC STATE ARMS OF PENNSYLVANIA BLAZONED ON KEYSTONE EMBLEM DIVIDING BAR WITH “PHILIPPINE” “ISLANDS”.BAR REVERSE: LEGEND “TO” ( UN-ENGRAVED ) “FOR HEROIC SERVICES 1898-1899”. PIN BACK WITH OPEN CATCH.BAR SECURED TO MEDAL BY TWO SETS OF 4 CHAIN LINKSMEDAL OBVERSE: BLUE ENAMELED CROSS PATÉE WITH LEGEND “MALATE” OT TOP, FLANKING PALM TREES RIGHT AND LEFT AND REGIMENTAL SYMBOL AT BOTTOM; CENTER CAMEO UNIFORMED PORTRAIT BUST OF COL. ALEXANDER L. HAWKINS 3/4 RIGHT WITHIN CENTER CIRCLE; ENCIRCLING WREATH BEHIND BETWEEN ANGLES.MEDAL REVERSE: WITHIN CROSS A CIRCULAR BUCKLE WITH LEGEND “CAPUCHIN CONVENT P. I. JULY 31, 1898” SURROUNDING A DEPICTION OF THE CAPUCHIN CONVENT IN THE PHILIPPINES; MAKER MARK STAMPED AT BOTTOM.HANGS 80 MM IN LENGTH; MEDAL ROUND 33 MM IN DIAMETERMADE BY J.K. DAVISON, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIAESTIMATED BETWEEN 800-600 MEDALS STRUCKTHE 10th INFANTRY NATIONAL GUARD OF PENNSYLVANIA WAS COMPOSED OF COMPANIES FROM BEAVER, WASHINGTON, GREENE, FAYETTE AND WESTMORELAND COUNTIES. THE COMMANDER OF THE REGIMENT, AND SENIOR REGIMENTAL COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE NATIONAL GUARD OF PENNSYLVANIA, WAS COLONEL ALEXANDER LEROY HAWKINS . IN APRIL 1898, THE REGIMENT COMPLIED WITH ORDERS FROM GOVERNOR DANIEL HASTINGS TO REPORT TO MT. GRETNA FOR PURPOSE OF VOLUNTEERING TO SERVE THE UNITED STATES IN THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR. THE REGIMENT WAS DIRECTED TO PROCEED TO THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. AFTER REACHING SAN FRANCISCO, THE TROOPS WERE TRANSPORTED ON THE US TRANSPORT ZEALANDIA . THE UNIT SERVED MERITORIOUSLY AT THE BATTLE OF MALATE IN JULY OF 1898, WHICH IS INSCRIBED PROUDLY ON THE TOP ARM OF THE MEDAL’S CROSS . THE BATTLE WAS NAMED FOR THE SPANISH FORT OF MALATE. THE AMERICAN ENTRENCHMENT LINE WAS FORMED AT THE CAPUCHIN MONASTERY WHICH IS PICTURED ON THE REVERSE OF THIS MEDAL. THE REGIMENT FOUGHT UNDER HEAVY SPANISH FIRE AND ARTILLERY BOMBARDMENT, AND IN A RAINING DOWNPOUR DESCRIBED AS “A TYPHOON”, FIGHTING THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT AND NEVER GIVING UP AN INCH OF GROUND TO THE ENEMY WHICH WAS SUPERIOR IN NUMBERS. THE ENEMY EXPENDED OVER 100,000 ROUNDS OF AMUNITION, THE AMERICANS 60,000 (39,000 OF WHICH BELONGED TO THE 10th). THE REGIMENT LOST 9 MEN AND 40 WERE WOUNDED. THE 10th’s “GALLANTRY AND SKILL” REPELLED THE ENEMY. IN AUGUST THE UNIT ENTERED MANILA, AND WHEN INSURRECTION BROKE OUT IN FEBRUARY 1899, THE REGIMENT WAS UNDER CONSTANT FIRE UNTIL APRIL. ON JULY 1, 1899, THE REGIMENT BOARDED THE TRANSPORT, S.S. SENATOR, FOR THE VOYAGE HOME.COL. ALEXANDER L. HAWKINS, THE REGIMENT’S COMMANDER, IS DEPICTED ON THE CENTER CAMEO OF THIS MEDAL ( SCULPTED FROM THE ARCHIVED PHOTO SHOWN ). HE CAME FROM A LONG LINE OF DISTINGUISHED MILITARY MEN. HE ENLISTED AS A PRIVATE IN THE 15th PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY IN 1862, AND THROUGHOUT THE CIVIL WAR HE ROSE STEADILY THROUGH THE RANKS, FINALLY PROMOTED TO FIRST LIEUTENANT IN 1864. BEFORE BEING MUSTERED OUT IN 1866, HE SERVED AS A CAPTAIN. AFTER THE CIVIL WAR HE TRIED HIS HAND IN BUSINESS AND LOCAL POLITICS, BUT DECIDED LATER TO PURSUE HIS MILITARY INTERESTS. BY THE 1870’s THE 10th WAS DEMORILIZED, AND THERE WAS TALK OF DISBANDING THE REGIMENT. IN 1877, HE JOINED THE GUARD AS A COMPANY CAPTAIN IN THE 10th, AND BY 1879 HE WAS ELECTED COLONEL OF THE REGIMENT, WHICH HE WOULD REMAIN FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. HE HAD AN UNUSUAL RAPPORT AND A CORDIAL AND A MUTUALLY RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MEN UNDER HIS COMMAND, MEN WHO ADDRESSED HIM AFFECTIONATELY AS “PAP”. UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, THE 10th REGIMENT BECAME THE STRONGEST AND MOST EFFICIENT UNIT IN THE STATE. AT THE BATTLE OF MALATE , FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE