The Medallic History of the United States of America 1776-1876 Part 102

_Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress a.s.sembled_: That the President of the United States be authorized and directed to cause to be prepared and presented to John Horn, junior, of Detroit, Michigan, a gold medal, with appropriate devices and inscriptions, in recognition and in commemoration of his heroic and humane exploits in rescuing men, women and children from drowning in the Detroit river.

Approved June 20, 1874.

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_John Horn, Jr., to Moses W. Field._

To the Honorable Moses W. FIELD, Detroit, February 22, 1874.

House of Representatives, Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C.

Dear Sir: I have never desired a public statement of the service which, under G.o.d, I have been able to render in saving human life, but as you have asked me to send you a list of the men, women and children whom I have rescued from drowning, I will do so, so far as I can from memory. I have never kept a record of the names, and the number is so great that you will excuse me if I leave some unmentioned.

I think I have altogether saved more than one hundred human beings, but I take no credit about this matter, and I have never regretted doing what I have done in any case, although I have had at times to keep my bed for many weeks on account of the exposure in the cold weather. It is well for me that I had a good mother to take care of me at such times of sickness. On the 21st of May, 1863, I saved Mr. Manning, of Windsor; on the 7th of July, 1865, I saved Mr. George Taylor, of New York State; he was very near dead when I got him on the wharf; October 10, 1865, I saved a child of Mr. T. Gorman of Adrian; she was about five years old, and was near drowned when I got her out; December 12, 1865, I saved a son of Mr. Yates, who kept a clothing store on Jefferson avenue. The night was very cold, a high wind was blowing at the time, and he was very near dead when we reached the wharf.

April 11, 1866, was the worst night I ever had. It will be ever memorable as the night of the great conflagration at the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad depot, when sixteen poor fellows were drowned. I rescued nine, and then became so exhausted that I could not swim, and had to abandon them to their fate. I got a very bad cold and lay in bed two weeks, but that was nothing in comparison to the good accomplished. July 25, 1866, I saved Mr.

Joseph n.o.ble, of Windsor, and I believe you were there at the time. He was once engineer on the Great Western Railroad. (p. 459) You know he came near drowning me in his struggles in the water, at which time I received several internal injuries.

April 7, 1867, I saved the son of Mr. C. Meyers, who lived in Mullet street. He was a boy about twelve years old. June 14, 1867, I saved the daughter of Mr. Andrew Nourse, of Cleveland.

She was going on board the ferry-boat with her mother and some other ladies, when she fell off the plank. When I got to the wharf she was going out of sight for the last time, and I plunged in and brought her to the surface. September 15, 1867, I saved a colored man who was a deck hand on the propeller Meteor. He kicked me about in the water terribly, for drowning men are always crazy. November 2, 1867, I saved Mr. David Miller, the man who drove a wagon for Hull Brothers, storekeepers on Munroe avenue. May 10, 1868, I saved Mr. Robert Sinton, known as "Free Press Bob." You know he used to be a reporter for the "Free Press." And in his haste to get news, he fell in, and I got him out.

A few nights after that I saved Mr. Steele, who used to keep a store on Michigan avenue. He was on the ferry-boat with his wife; he had a very spirited horse, and was holding him by the head when the boat struck the wharf. The horse jumped and threw him into the river, when the current swept him under the wharf. I jumped in and got him out all right. October 4, 1868, I saved a daughter of Mr. McDonald, of Windsor. May 11, 1869, I saved Mr.

Flattery, one of the Flattery Brothers who kept a furniture store on Woodward avenue. He was a heavy man; when I got hold of him he was near gone, and I came near losing my own life in getting him out. June 21, 1870, I saved a man called Mr. George Brodier. I was eating dinner at the time, when some persons came running in after me, saying, "there is a man in the river." I ran out and jumped into the river, and as soon as I got near him he clutched me like a vice and took me under water twice. When I came to the top the last time my father handed me a large pole, which I caught and that saved me. He was a powerful man, and kicked and struggled so hard that he made my legs black and blue for many months.

My mother goes to the edge of the wharf with me very often, when I jump in; but when she sees persons struggling in the water and drowning she never holds me back. August 24, 1871, I saved the daughter of Mr. A. Wilson of Milwaukee. March 4, 1872, I saved a colored man by the name of George Wilkes; he fell off the wharf while under the influence of liquor; but I think he has been a sober man ever since. July 4, 1873, I saved the daughter of Mr. F. Barlow, a butcher, who keeps a stall in the market. She was going on board the ferry-boat Detroit with her mother and some other ladies; the crowd was very great, being the Fourth of July, and although her mother held her by the hand, the crowd surged, and she was crowded off the plank, and fell into the river. There were about five hundred people on the wharf at the time, and they were all staring at the poor girl struggling in the water, not one of them daring to go to her rescue. I was in the house when some one came to give the alarm, and when I got out there I could just see her dress as she was going out of sight, four or five feet below the surface. I jumped in and caught her, and when I got out on the top of the wharf with her the people gave me three cheers. March 6, 1873, I saved a young lady called Miss Louise McKenzie. This was the closest call I (p. 460) ever had for my life. I was in the water about seventeen minutes, and the river being full of floating ice at the time, I was nearer dead than alive when I got out. Four men carried me into the house, and they rubbed me with hot whisky for over four hours before circulation was restored to its normal condition. This severe exposure made me sick, and it was over three months before the right feeling was in my hands.

You will remember this incident, for you came to me when I was unwell. I regret very much at this time I lost the beautiful medal presented me by the citizens, and I think you were one of the gentlemen connected with its presentation. I have been informed that I would receive a medal from the British Parliament, but it has not come. I don't ask any.

I saved a poor unfortunate individual last month, when I took a severe cold, and as I was lying in bed reading the proceedings of Congress, I saw something about an appropriation for medals to persons for saving life on the seash.o.r.e, and I thought then that some gentleman would be very likely to remember also those who saved life on the northern lakes and rivers. There are many other cases which I don't mention, as I have not got their names. You must know yourself of a great many, as your place of business and warehouse are near by, and I recollect seeing you several times when rescuing people from a watery grave. Wis.h.i.+ng you and your family good health, I remain, very truly yours,

John Horn, Jr.

THE END.