Life saving award, Congressional Medal 1872. Obverse: A boat with five men, one standing another rescuing a girl from the water, pulling ashore, a wreck (left) a cliff and lighthouse (right). Reverse: Within a ribboned oak garland, inscription: 'TO [space for name] FOR COURAGE AND HUMANITY IN THE SAVING OF LIFE FROM THE WRECK OF THE STEAMER METIS ON LONG ISLAND SOUND, AUGUST 31. 1872'. Legend: 'BY RESOLUTION OF FEBRUARY 24. 1873'.

The screw steamer 'Metis' 1864 sank in Long Island Sound after a collision in bad weather with the schooner 'Nettie Cushing'. Some of the passengers and crew escaped in the ship's boats, 42 people were rescued by the Revenue Cutter 'Metis' commanded by Captain David Ritchie. The local life boat station - Captain Jared S. Crandall, picked up 32 survivors in the lifeboat and a fishing boat. Out of a total of 186 passengers and crew, 54 died (figures Mystic Seaport). Fortunately part of the superstructure of the vessel continued to float and other survivors clung to wooden debris.