Letter from James B. Longacre, Engraver to the Mint of the United States

Minh of the United Hales Philad: Jan. 15. 1862 The outline drawings submitted, are considered sufficientle convey, graphically, to the artist who may be charged with the execution of the work: all the important ideas of the design; but nescessarily imply the execution of more finished models, when the work of regroving I the medals is actually undertaken - The drawing for the obverse is designed to represent a deaman grasping a cannon can me in his lifthand indicating that he has been engaged in the work of naval artillery about to receive a garland, or weath of honour, from an allegorical figure of America who appears seated by the side of a heavy piece of ordnance on a naval gun carriage - with her left hand she gather the fold of the "star spangled banner", which drops partially on the gun = it is hardly nes cessay to add, that this composition is intended to allude complainentarily to recent exploits of this arm of our national defences. The deuroing for the reverse is more purely symbolic the centre of the composition is the national shield emblemeter of the union: in funt of which the sea house, of ancientart, symbolizes liberty "on the sea: (one of the mostancient libarty being the house without bidde:) the accessoried, consisting of the ancher, boat-ludder, buoy. our, boat-hook, tridenland streamer which last bears a descriptive title of the piece - are attentended to express the character of the service, which the medal is designed to distinguish and reward . James B. Conpare Englesses