Military Order of the Dragon
Encyclopedia
The Military Order of the Dragon. The purpose was to record the history and conserve the memory of the military campaign in China in the year 1900. Provision being made for admitting to honorary membership the officers of foreign armies on service in China between June 15 and October 1, 1900.
assembled in Peking just prior to the reduction of the expeditionary force, an organization of a society to perpetuate the associations formed during the expedition was created. Meetings of officers were held October 1, 2, and 3, 1900, resulting in the adoption of a name for the society, a constitution, officers, etc.
It was expected that this society would, in years to come, have a standing and historical interest similar to the well-known Aztec Society
and the Military Order of the Loyal Legion
. Its alliance with other kindred societies of other nations would undoubtedly tend to preserve acquaintance and friendships, which might otherwise be lost, and keep open the door for very desirable friendly exchanges, of a social and professional nature, with foreign officers.
Article I. This association shall be known as the "Military Order of the Dragon."
Article II. The purpose of the Order shall be to record the history and conserve the memory of the military campaign in China in the year 1900.
Article III. The membership of the Order shall consist of four classes:
Section 1. ACTIVE MEMBERS: All regular and volunteer commissioned officers of the United States Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Acting Assistant Surgeons and authorized Volunteer Staff Officers, who served as such, or as an enlisted man, in North China or in the Gulf of Pechili in connection with or as a part of any military operation and under the orders of the respective Army and Navy Commanders thereof between June 15th and December 31st, 1900, and all members of the Diplomatic and Consular services of the United States in Tientsin and Peking during said period shall be eligible as Active Members in the Order, and shall become such upon payment of the fees and dues hereinafter provided.
Section 2. HEREDITARY MEMBERS: The nearest male descendant, twenty-one years of age or over, of Active Members, may become Hereditary Members upon election by the Executive Committee and the payment of the fees and dues hereinafter provided. Hereditary Members shall not be entitled to vote or hold office. Upon the death of the Active Member from whom the Hereditary Member derives eligibility, such Hereditary Member shall become an Active Member by heredity, and shall be transferred to the active list, with all its rights and privileges.
Section 3. HONORARY MEMBERS: All members of the foreign diplomatic corps present on duty in Peking at any time during the period from June 15th to December 31st, 1900, all military and naval commissioned officers of other services than that of the United States present in North China, or in the Gulf of Pechili, and engaged in the military operations thereat, between the dates above specified, may become Honorary Members upon application as hereinafter provided.
Honorary Members will be charged no initiation fees or dues; they will not be entitled to hold office, except as hereinafter provided, nor to vote.
Section 4. HONORARY HEREDITARY MEMBERS: Male descendants of twenty-one years of age or over, of those eligible to Honorary Membership," may become Honorary Hereditary Members upon election by the Executive Committee as hereinafter provided.
Honorary Hereditary Members will be charged no initiation fees or dues; they will not be entitled to hold office, except as hereinafter provided, nor to vote.
Article IV. The Active Officers of the Order shall be elected from the Active or Hereditary Members and shall consist of: A President, a. First Vice-President, a Second Vice-President, a Secretary, who shall also be Treasurer, a Registrar, an Executive Committee, to consist of the President, ex offcio, the Secretary, ex officio, and seven other Members.
Section 2. From among the Honorary Members the President may appoint an Honorary Vice-President for each nation represented in the membership, who shall hold office while he remains a member of the Order, unless he shall sooner resign said office.
Section 3. From among the Honorary Members, the President may appoint an Honorary Secretary for each nation represented in the membership, who shall hold office while he remains a member of the Order, unless he shall sooner resign said office.
Article V. The Active Officers shall be elected at the date of the annual meeting and shall hold office for two years. Upon the occurrence of a vacancy the President shall fill the same for the unexpired term.
Article VI. YAMENS: Washington, D. C, shall be the seat of the Chief Yamen
of the Order. An annual meeting shall be held on the second Monday in June of each year at the Chief Yamen or at such subordinate Yamen as the Executive Committee may designate.
Article VII. The Executive Committee shall meet on the second Monday in December and June each year. A special meeting may be called by the President or by any three members of the Executive Committee. A majority of the Executive Committee, or the President and two other members, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business.
Article VIII. The Executive Committee shall authorize all expenditures and audit the accounts of the Treasurer, conduct the affairs of the Order and make suitable By-Laws. The By-Laws shall define the duties of the Officers, provide methods for the election of Officers, Hereditary and Honorary Hereditary Members, fix the amount of the annual dues and establish such other rules as may be necessary to properly conduct the business of the Order. The Executive Committee shall also provide appropriate regulations for such forms and ceremonies as may be deemed suitable at the annual meeting, and special meetings of the Order. It shall provide a suitable certificate of membership and an official seal.
Article IX. The Executive Committee shall adopt a suitable insignia and lapel button which shall be the same for all classes and each member shall be entitled to wear the same, under such rules as may be prescribed by the Executive Committee.
Article X. Application for membership shall be submitted to the Secretary. Satisfactory proofs of eligibility of the applicant must be furnished with the application. Applications for Hereditary and Honorary Hereditary membership shall be submitted to the Executive Committed for action. A single negative vote by any member of the Executive Committee upon an application for membership shall be sufficient for rejection.
Article XI. On and after October first, nineteen hundred and four, the initiation fee for Active Members shall be three dollars and there shall be added to this amount two dollars for each full year that has elapsed since the organization of the Order, on October first, nineteen hundred. The initiation fee for Hereditary Members shall be three dollars.
Article XII. A member may be dropped from the rolls by the Executive Committee, for non-payment of dues when the same remain unpaid for the period of one year. Any member, so dropped, shall be reinstated only upon payment of all arrears and upon action of the Executive Committee.
Article XIII. Section 1. A member may be expelled upon a twothirds vote of all the voting members of the Order.
Section 2. A member, whether Active or Hereditary, shall be dropped from the rolls by the Executive Committee, who shall be shown in orders or correspondence published by the proper Executive Department, to have deserted the service of the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps, or who has been dismissed from such service by sentence of court-martial, or who has been allowed to resign for the good of the service.
Article XIV. This constitution may be changed by a two-thirds vote of the voting membership of the Order, not less than six months' notice having been previously given to the members of the proposed amendment.
President, Major-General Adna R. Chaffee, United States Volunteers
.
First Vice-President, Captain B. H. McCalla, United States Navy
.
Second Vice-President, Captain John T. Myers
, United States Marine Corps
.
Secretary and Treasurer, Captain Frank Dew Ramsey, Ninth United States Infantry.
Registrar, Captain Grote Hutchenson, Sixth United States Cavalry.
An executive committee was also elected.
1912
President, Lieutenant-general Adna R. Chaffee, U. S. A. (retired).
Vice-Presidents, Rear Admiral George C. Remey
, U. S. N. (retired),
and
Colonel William P. Biddle
, U. S. M. C.
Registrar, Lieutenant-colonel George Richards
, U. S. M. C.
Secretary and Treasurer, Captain Charles D. Rhodes, U. S. A.
Executive Committee,
(Two years.)
Rear Admiral Henry T. B. Harris, U. S. N. (retired).
Major-general Charles F. Humphrey
, U. S. A. (retired).
Colonel Franklin J. Moses, U. S. M. C.
Major Andre W. Brewster
, U. S. A.
(One year.)
Brigadier-general James B. Aleshire, U. S. A.
Captain Malin Craig
, U. S. A.
Captain Louis M. Little
, U. S. M. C.
1914
President—Lieut-Gen. Adna R. Chaffee, U. S. A.
Vice-Presidents—Rear-Admiral George C. Remey, U. S. N.; George Richards, U. S. Marine Corps,
Registrar—Major Henry Leonard, U. S. Marine Corps.
Secretary and Treasurer—Col. Henry O. S. Heistand, U. S. A., War Department, Washington, D. C.
1916
President, Secretary and Treasurer, Col. HOS Heistand, USA Army, Fort Myer, Va.
China Campaign Medal
Military Order of the Carabao
Background
Following custom, the officers of the China Relief ExpeditionChina Relief Expedition
The China Relief Expedition was the name of an expedition in China undertaken by the United States Armed Forces to the rescue of United States citizens, European nationals, and other foreign nationals during the latter years of the Boxer Rebellion, which lasted from between 1898 and 1901...
assembled in Peking just prior to the reduction of the expeditionary force, an organization of a society to perpetuate the associations formed during the expedition was created. Meetings of officers were held October 1, 2, and 3, 1900, resulting in the adoption of a name for the society, a constitution, officers, etc.
It was expected that this society would, in years to come, have a standing and historical interest similar to the well-known Aztec Society
Aztec Club of 1847
The Aztec Club of 1847 is an historic society founded in 1847 by United States Army officers of the Mexican–American War. It exists as a hereditary organization including members who can trace a direct lineal connection to those originally eligible....
and the Military Order of the Loyal Legion
Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States
The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, also known by its acronym MOLLUS or simply as the Loyal Legion, is a United States patriotic order, organized April 15, 1865, by officers of the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps of the United States who "had aided in maintaining the honor,...
. Its alliance with other kindred societies of other nations would undoubtedly tend to preserve acquaintance and friendships, which might otherwise be lost, and keep open the door for very desirable friendly exchanges, of a social and professional nature, with foreign officers.
Constitution
CONSTITUTION OF THE MILITARY ORDER OF THE DRAGONArticle I. This association shall be known as the "Military Order of the Dragon."
Article II. The purpose of the Order shall be to record the history and conserve the memory of the military campaign in China in the year 1900.
Article III. The membership of the Order shall consist of four classes:
Section 1. ACTIVE MEMBERS: All regular and volunteer commissioned officers of the United States Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Acting Assistant Surgeons and authorized Volunteer Staff Officers, who served as such, or as an enlisted man, in North China or in the Gulf of Pechili in connection with or as a part of any military operation and under the orders of the respective Army and Navy Commanders thereof between June 15th and December 31st, 1900, and all members of the Diplomatic and Consular services of the United States in Tientsin and Peking during said period shall be eligible as Active Members in the Order, and shall become such upon payment of the fees and dues hereinafter provided.
Section 2. HEREDITARY MEMBERS: The nearest male descendant, twenty-one years of age or over, of Active Members, may become Hereditary Members upon election by the Executive Committee and the payment of the fees and dues hereinafter provided. Hereditary Members shall not be entitled to vote or hold office. Upon the death of the Active Member from whom the Hereditary Member derives eligibility, such Hereditary Member shall become an Active Member by heredity, and shall be transferred to the active list, with all its rights and privileges.
Section 3. HONORARY MEMBERS: All members of the foreign diplomatic corps present on duty in Peking at any time during the period from June 15th to December 31st, 1900, all military and naval commissioned officers of other services than that of the United States present in North China, or in the Gulf of Pechili, and engaged in the military operations thereat, between the dates above specified, may become Honorary Members upon application as hereinafter provided.
Honorary Members will be charged no initiation fees or dues; they will not be entitled to hold office, except as hereinafter provided, nor to vote.
Section 4. HONORARY HEREDITARY MEMBERS: Male descendants of twenty-one years of age or over, of those eligible to Honorary Membership," may become Honorary Hereditary Members upon election by the Executive Committee as hereinafter provided.
Honorary Hereditary Members will be charged no initiation fees or dues; they will not be entitled to hold office, except as hereinafter provided, nor to vote.
Article IV. The Active Officers of the Order shall be elected from the Active or Hereditary Members and shall consist of: A President, a. First Vice-President, a Second Vice-President, a Secretary, who shall also be Treasurer, a Registrar, an Executive Committee, to consist of the President, ex offcio, the Secretary, ex officio, and seven other Members.
Section 2. From among the Honorary Members the President may appoint an Honorary Vice-President for each nation represented in the membership, who shall hold office while he remains a member of the Order, unless he shall sooner resign said office.
Section 3. From among the Honorary Members, the President may appoint an Honorary Secretary for each nation represented in the membership, who shall hold office while he remains a member of the Order, unless he shall sooner resign said office.
Article V. The Active Officers shall be elected at the date of the annual meeting and shall hold office for two years. Upon the occurrence of a vacancy the President shall fill the same for the unexpired term.
Article VI. YAMENS: Washington, D. C, shall be the seat of the Chief Yamen
Yamen
A yamen is any local bureaucrat's, or mandarin's, office and residence of the Chinese Empire. The term has been widely used in China for centuries, but appeared in English during the Qing Dynasty....
of the Order. An annual meeting shall be held on the second Monday in June of each year at the Chief Yamen or at such subordinate Yamen as the Executive Committee may designate.
Article VII. The Executive Committee shall meet on the second Monday in December and June each year. A special meeting may be called by the President or by any three members of the Executive Committee. A majority of the Executive Committee, or the President and two other members, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business.
Article VIII. The Executive Committee shall authorize all expenditures and audit the accounts of the Treasurer, conduct the affairs of the Order and make suitable By-Laws. The By-Laws shall define the duties of the Officers, provide methods for the election of Officers, Hereditary and Honorary Hereditary Members, fix the amount of the annual dues and establish such other rules as may be necessary to properly conduct the business of the Order. The Executive Committee shall also provide appropriate regulations for such forms and ceremonies as may be deemed suitable at the annual meeting, and special meetings of the Order. It shall provide a suitable certificate of membership and an official seal.
Article IX. The Executive Committee shall adopt a suitable insignia and lapel button which shall be the same for all classes and each member shall be entitled to wear the same, under such rules as may be prescribed by the Executive Committee.
Article X. Application for membership shall be submitted to the Secretary. Satisfactory proofs of eligibility of the applicant must be furnished with the application. Applications for Hereditary and Honorary Hereditary membership shall be submitted to the Executive Committed for action. A single negative vote by any member of the Executive Committee upon an application for membership shall be sufficient for rejection.
Article XI. On and after October first, nineteen hundred and four, the initiation fee for Active Members shall be three dollars and there shall be added to this amount two dollars for each full year that has elapsed since the organization of the Order, on October first, nineteen hundred. The initiation fee for Hereditary Members shall be three dollars.
Article XII. A member may be dropped from the rolls by the Executive Committee, for non-payment of dues when the same remain unpaid for the period of one year. Any member, so dropped, shall be reinstated only upon payment of all arrears and upon action of the Executive Committee.
Article XIII. Section 1. A member may be expelled upon a twothirds vote of all the voting members of the Order.
Section 2. A member, whether Active or Hereditary, shall be dropped from the rolls by the Executive Committee, who shall be shown in orders or correspondence published by the proper Executive Department, to have deserted the service of the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps, or who has been dismissed from such service by sentence of court-martial, or who has been allowed to resign for the good of the service.
Article XIV. This constitution may be changed by a two-thirds vote of the voting membership of the Order, not less than six months' notice having been previously given to the members of the proposed amendment.
Officers of the Order
1900President, Major-General Adna R. Chaffee, United States Volunteers
United States Volunteers
United States Volunteers also known as U.S. Volunteers, U. S. Vol., or U.S.V.Starting as early as 1861 these regiments were often referred to as the "volunteer army" of the United States but not officially named that until 1898.During the nineteenth century this was the United States federal...
.
First Vice-President, Captain B. H. McCalla, United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
.
Second Vice-President, Captain John T. Myers
John Twiggs Myers
John Twiggs Myers was a United States Marine Corps general who was most famous for his service as the American Legation Guard in Peking during the Boxer Rebellion.-Early life:...
, United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
.
Secretary and Treasurer, Captain Frank Dew Ramsey, Ninth United States Infantry.
Registrar, Captain Grote Hutchenson, Sixth United States Cavalry.
An executive committee was also elected.
1912
President, Lieutenant-general Adna R. Chaffee, U. S. A. (retired).
Vice-Presidents, Rear Admiral George C. Remey
George C. Remey
George Collier Remey was a rear admiral of the United States Navy, serving in the Civil War and the Spanish–American War.-Biography:...
, U. S. N. (retired),
and
Colonel William P. Biddle
William P. Biddle
Major General William Phillips Biddle was the 11th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps.-Biography:...
, U. S. M. C.
Registrar, Lieutenant-colonel George Richards
George Richards (Marine Corps)
George Richards was an American officer born at Ironton, Ohio and serving in the United States Marine Corps during the Boxer Rebellion who was one of 23 Marine Corps officers approved to receive the Marine Corps Brevet Medal for bravery.In 1891 Richards graduated from the United States Naval...
, U. S. M. C.
Secretary and Treasurer, Captain Charles D. Rhodes, U. S. A.
Executive Committee,
(Two years.)
Rear Admiral Henry T. B. Harris, U. S. N. (retired).
Major-general Charles F. Humphrey
Charles Frederic Humphrey, Sr.
Charles Frederic Humphrey, Sr. was a major general in the United States Army and a Medal of Honor recipient.-Biography:...
, U. S. A. (retired).
Colonel Franklin J. Moses, U. S. M. C.
Major Andre W. Brewster
Andre W. Brewster
Andre Walker Brewster was a major general in the United States Army and a Medal of Honor recipient for his role in the Boxer Rebellion.-Biography:...
, U. S. A.
(One year.)
Brigadier-general James B. Aleshire, U. S. A.
Captain Malin Craig
Malin Craig
Malin Craig was a United States Army general.-Biography:Malin Craig was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, on August 5, 1875; Graduated from the United States Military Academy, 1898; was commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned to the 4th Infantry, April 1898;-Spanish American War:Served with the...
, U. S. A.
Captain Louis M. Little
Louis M. Little
Louis McCarty Little was the 11th Assistant to the Major General Commandant of the Marine Corps.-Early years:...
, U. S. M. C.
1914
President—Lieut-Gen. Adna R. Chaffee, U. S. A.
Vice-Presidents—Rear-Admiral George C. Remey, U. S. N.; George Richards, U. S. Marine Corps,
Registrar—Major Henry Leonard, U. S. Marine Corps.
Secretary and Treasurer—Col. Henry O. S. Heistand, U. S. A., War Department, Washington, D. C.
1916
President, Secretary and Treasurer, Col. HOS Heistand, USA Army, Fort Myer, Va.
See also
China Relief Expedition MedalChina Relief Expedition Medal
The China Relief Expedition Medal was a decoration of the United States military which was issued to members of both the United States Navy and the United States Marines for service in the China Relief Expedition between 1900 and 1901 during the Boxer Rebellion. The medal was authorized by General...
China Campaign Medal
China Campaign Medal
The China Campaign Medal is a decoration of the United States Army which was created by order of the United States War Department on January 12, 1905...
Military Order of the Carabao
Military Order of the Carabao
The Military Order of the Carabao is a social club consisting of members of the U.S. military. Criteria for membership are shown on the organization's web site at http://www.carabao.org.-Background:...
External links
- Edwards, E.J., "MEN WHO HEAD AMERICA'S EXCLUSIVE PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES; Descendant of Gov. Winslow Is President-General of the Cincinnati -- The Warrior Who Heads the Loyal Legion -- An Old Indian Fighter Commands the Military Order of the Carbao." The New York Times November 13, 1910.