An American Treasure: William Henry Harrison’s Original Congressional Gold Medal, Bestowed For His Role in Saving the American Northwest in the War of 1812

An extraordinary rarity: one of a just a handful of early Congressional Gold Medals that survive, and one of only two not in an institution, this being the only one in private hands given to a President; The few that have survived are in institutions such as the Smithsonian

Since the American Revolution, Congress has reserved its highest expression of national appreciation for the Congressional Gold Medal. The tradition of this medal began when George Washington received one in 1776 from the Second Continental Congress. Between then and the advent of the new government under the Constitution in 1789, six other men received them, including Nathanael Greene, Horatio Gates, Anthony Wayne, John Paul Jones, Daniel Morgan and Henry Lee. After the dawn of the 19th century the Congress of the United States elected to follow the precedent of its predecessor, and likewise reward military heroes who brought victory and glory to the United States with gold medals for acts of sufficient importance to the nation to require special recognition. Two golden medals were commissioned and placed around the necks of deserving naval men between 1800 and the start of the War of 1812. Over the first half of the 19th century, three future Presidents received it: Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison and Zachary Taylor. Great Generals like Winfield Scott did as well. Its bestowal was the highest such award one could receive, and it significantly predates the Congressional Medal of Honor, which was established in 1861.

The War of 1812 and William Henry Harrison

When war was declared against England in June 1812, the the U.S. was ill-prepared. The army consisted of fewer than 7,000 soldiers, few trained officers, and a navy with just 6 warships. In contrast, Britain had nearly 400 warships. The British essentially controlled the Great Lakes and had as allies the numerous Indian tribes, who were ready and waiting to attack. They hoped to swoop down, push the Americans away from Canada, and take back as much ground within U.S. territories as they could. Success would create a barrier and place a firm lid on American expansion. The American strategy called for a three-pronged invasion of Canada and heavy harassment of British shipping.

U.S. General William Hull was Governor of Michigan Territory and in charge of U.S. forces in that key part of the Northwest. The fort at Detroit was the key to the defense of that place, and also to the American potential for an attack on Canada.  In August 1812, Hull surrendered Detroit and its 2,000 American defenders to a much smaller British and Indian force without a fight. It was a humiliating defeat that cost the U.S. prestige, power and territory. Elsewhere, an American attack across the Niagara River into Canada resulted in defeat and 900 American prisoners of war. The U.S. now lay exposed in the Northwest.

After the debacle at Detriot, the American command in the Northwest was reorganized. The task of picking up the pieces and saving the Northwest fell to Major General William Henry Harrison, the scion of a great Virginia family, grandson of a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and descendant of some of Virginia’s most prominent early settlers. Harrison had gained fame in 1811 for defeating the Indians at the Battle of Tippecanoe, and was in 1812 Governor of the virgin Indiana Territory. He was made commander of the Army of the Northwest on September 17, 1812. Promoted to major general, Harrison took time in readying his troops and building lines of communication, and worked diligently to transform his army from an untrained mob into a disciplined fighting force. Though unable to go on the offensive while British ships controlled Lake Erie, Harrison was able to defend American settlements and prevent any further damage.

With the victory of Commodore Perry on Lake Erie in 1813, the body of water was cleared of the British fleet and the path to Canada opened. Harrison now moved to the attack. Crossing into Canada, he set off in pursuit British and Indian forces under Major General Henry Proctor and Chief Tecumseh, catching them on October 5 on the banks of the River Thames in Ontario. There Harrison and his forces administered a stunning defeat to the foe, one in which Tecumseh, the soul of the opposition, was killed. The war on that front effectively ended. The Battle of the Thames was the most significant battle of the Northwest, as the victory restored to American arms the prestige lost by the disgraceful surrender at Detroit, and most importantly, assured to the U.S. retention of its Northwest Territories.

Harrison’s fame catapulted him to Congressman, Senator, and then to the Presidency, a position he occupied only briefly before his untimely death. Along with George Washington and Andrew Jackson, he was among America’s first great General-Presidents.  When Congress awarded him a Gold Medal, as it had done with Washington and Jackson, it was an acknowledgement of this.

The Harrison Medal and Provenance

In an act of Congress approved April 4, 1818, it was resolved “That the thanks of Congress be, and they are hereby presented to Major General William Henry Harrison…. and to the officers and men… for their gallantry and good conduct in defeating the combined British and Indian forces….”  The medal given to Harrison bore the bust of the General, facing right, in uniform.  The reverse showed America personified by a maiden wearing a tunic, with her right hand resting on the United States shield inscribed ‘Fort Meigs” and “Battle of the Thames.”  Above appears the inscription “Resolution of Congress, April 4, 1818”, and below “Battle of the Thames.”  The engraver was Moritz Furtz and the designer of the reverse was Thomas Sully. The medal was forged in gold. It was large, weighing more than 300 grams in gold and measuring ever so slightly over 2.5 inches in diameter. It came in a fine presentation case, and there were two small holes in the top of the gold that allowed him to wear the medal around his neck.

There was a special ceremony to formally present Harrison with his medal, and it was presided over and bestowed on him by the President of the United States, James Monroe.

The original gold medal presented to Harrison, the location of which has been unknown to the public, was a treasure carefully passed down in the Harrison family, belonging to William Henry’s grandson President Benjamin Harrison, and then to his heirs. We acquired it from an heir directly and offer it here for sale for the first time.  The medal remains in its original presentation case as Harrison received it.  The holes which Harrison used to wear it around his neck are still present.

Presidential Golden Medal Recipients

Only two Presidents were given Congressional Gold Medals under the Constitution prior to the Mexican War.  Andrew Jackson received one, and that is in the American Numismatic Society.  William Henry Harrison was the other, and that remained with the family until now. Later, during the Mexican War, Zachary Taylor received three. Then U.S. Grant received one during the Civil War. No other President would receive another until the 20th century.

A note on rarity and a history of Congressional Gold Medals on the Market

Of the 30 or so Congressional Gold Medals from the War of 1812 and earlier, only 10 are known definitively to have survived, among them the medals given to Andrew Jackson, Stephen Decatur, and Commodore Truxton.  Of those mentioned, all three are in institutions, the final being in the Smithsonian. In fact, the only early medal known to be in private hands until now has been that given to Robert Henley, a naval officer.  There are no medals for service in the army from this period known to be in private hands.

The rarity is not a coincidence, as the precious medal could be melted down and sold as gold, and many may have perished through this method and others over time.

Even as you expand the era, one finds precious few.  We have found only three pre-Civil War Congressional Gold Medals ever reaching the market.  In 1996, nearly 20 years ago, Winfield Scott’s War of 1812 medal sold for approximately $100,000 to a major U.S. institution.  In 2004, Capt. Robert Henley’s medal from the same war sold for over $100,000.  As mentioned, the Henley is the only medal from the early period in private hands, aside from the Harrison medal offered here.  In 2006, Zachary Taylor’s medal sold for several hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Our gratitude to the Smithsonian Institution for its help in researching this medal, proving its component, and the valuable insight its staff provided. It has Winfield Scott’s second medal by virtue of a donation by the Scott family and also has the medal awarded to Thomas Truxton in 1800.