McKinley later talked about the rescue in a letter dated January 17 , 1899 to the United States Congress , in which he asked Congress to award the officers Congressional Gold Medals of Honor , and to pay the civilians for their help : McKinley recognized the achievements of the rescue in a letter dated January 17 , 1899 to the United States Congress , in which he asked Congress to award the three officers Congressional Gold Medals of Honor `` commemorative of their heroic struggles in aid of suffering fellow-men . ''