Object Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
William Washington at the Cowpens medal |
Object Number |
M.1963.1025.8.1 |
Object Type |
Medal, Commemorative |
Artist/Creator |
U.S. Mint/Duvivier, Pierre Simon Benjamin (1729-1819) |
Date |
20th century |
Place of Origin |
United States of America, Philadelphia, PA |
Description |
Circular bronze Comitia Americana series medal titled "William Washington at the Cowpens." Struck by the U.S. Mint, 20th century, after designs by Pierre Simon Benjamin Duvivier (1729-1819). William Washington (1752-1810) was an officer in the Virginia Continental Line and the Continental Dragoons during the Revolutionary War and original member of the Society of the Cincinnati of the State of South Carolina. The obverse features a scene of William Washington on horseback with a sword in his proper right hand pointed forward, leading the American troops in the background. A winged figure of Victory hovers over him, holding a laurel wreath in her proper right hand and a palm branch in her proper left hand. The inscription "GULIELMO WASHINGTON LEGIONIS EQUIT PRAEFECTO / COMITIA AMERICANA" (The American Congress to William Washington, commander of a regiment of cavalry) appears in two parts above and below the scene. The artist's initials "DUV" appear at the bottom right of the scene. The reverse bears an inscription through the center reading "QUOD / PARVA MILLTUM MANU / STRENUE PROSECUTUS HOSTES / VIRTUTIS INGENITAE / PRAECLARUM SPECIMEN DEDIT / IN PUGNA AD COWPENS / XVII. JAN. MDCCLXXXI" (Because, having vigorously pursued the enemy with a small band of soldiers, he gave a brilliant example of innate valor in the battle of Cowpens 17. Jan. 1781). An oak leaf wreath with ribbons at the top and bottom encircles the text. |
Materials |
Bronze/Gilt |
Dimensions |
1/8" d x 1 3/4" di |
Credit Line |
Gift of Captain and Mrs. William Jeffries Chewning, Jr., Society of the Cincinnati in the State of Virginia, 1963 |