Awarding of the Gold Medal of Honor to Count Joseph von Mohr in Bozen

Tyrol.

Botzen, Nov. 20. On the 14th of this month we were witness here to a solemnity which once again demonstrates how constantly it is our most gracious monarch's concern to reward true merit in as worthy and honorable a manner as possible as soon as it reaches supreme notice.

Namely, His Imperial Royal Apostolic Majesty, our most gracious Sovereign and Lord, was pleased, in most gracious recognition of the ever unwavering patriotic conduct and meritorious distinctions of the former Landesschützen Major, Count Joseph von Mohr of Latsch, of the Patrimonial District Court of Schlanders, during the memorable defense epoch of the year 1809, to most graciously bestow upon him the medium gold medal of honor with loop and ribbon. To this end, all civil and military authorities gathered before 9 o'clock in the morning at high mass in the local parish church, after the conclusion of which, together with the local clergy, they proceeded in solemn procession to the large Mercantile Hall.

There, the Imperial Royal Gubernatorial Councilor and District Captain Leopold Ritter von Hauer, in the midst of two citizens previously decorated with the large gold medal of honor for their services to prince and fatherland — namely the Canon of the collegiate chapter and Director of the district main school at Botzen, Anton von Mayerl, and the retired Imperial Royal Landesschützen Major, Joseph Eisensteken —, opened this solemn act with an appropriate and insightful address to the considerable assembly present, and immediately handed to Count von Mohr the decoration most graciously intended for him, whereupon he, in a concise reply perfectly fitting the dignity of this act, expressed feelings of the most touched gratitude for this highest distinction, as well as the most solemn assurance of his inviolable devotion to the person of His Imperial Royal Majesty, and the most active zeal for the service of the State.