While not issued directly by the Society of the Cincinnati, the second Cincinnati medal in point of age, is the Cincinnati Orator's Medal of Washington and Lee University (Hume #3). Its history is interesting.

Cincinnati Orator's Medal
of Washington and Lee University, 1891 (Obverse).
Hume #3. / Baker T-345.

Cincinnati Orator's Medal
of Washington and Lee University, 1891 (Reverse). Hume #3.

Baker: T-345. Julian SC-66 var. 51mm.  Gold.

In 1807 the Society of the Cincinnati in the State of Virginia decided to present its entire permanent fund, consisting of a month's army or navy pay of every member, and ultimately amounting to about $25,000, to Liberty Hall Academy, in Rockbridge County, Virginia. This institution had already been the recipient of a valuable gift from General Washington in the form of the shares in the James River Company, which had been presented him by the State of Virginia. Washington, already one of the wealthiest men in the country, had served through the whole Revolution without pay, and only consented to receive this gift if it was understood that he might present it to some worthy educational institution.

With his permission the name of Liberty Hall Academy had been changed to Washington College, and doubtless his gift partly determined the Virginia Society to make the donation of their fund. In 1838 President Ruffner of Washington College delivered an oration in honor of the Society of the Cincinnati and thereafter there was established an annual address to be made by a student at the commencement. Thus the Cincinnati Oration came to be one of the most prized honors at the college, as it was delivered by the best student in each graduating class.

After the close of the War Between the States, General Robert E. Lee accepted the Presidency of Washington College and continued to direct the old institution until his death. He was the son of "Light Horse Harry" Lee, an original member of the Virginia Cincinnati. General Lee now rests beneath Valentine's beautiful recumbent marble statue in the chapel in which he attended devotions with his faculty and students. After his death the name of the college was changed to Washington and Lee University.

In 1891 the University created a gold medal, known as the Cincinnati Orator's Medal, and which has ever since been awarded to the student of the graduating class selected to deliver the Cincinnati Oration. The medal was first awarded in 1912, to Mr. T. McP. Glasgow. Orations had been submitted for this award between 1891 and 1912 but the committee did not think that they displayed the scholarship, thought, and power of expression required of recipients of this high honor. Since the Oration is not delivered every year, but only when a student's essay is considered of outstanding merit, the medal is very rare.

It is of gold, measuring 2-3/16 inches in diameter. The obverse bears, in high relief, the profiles of General Washington and General Lee. Below is a scroll. Above are the words: Washington and Lee University. The reverse has a circular wreath of oak leaves in high relief, within which, engraved by hand in block letters is the legend: Cincinnati Orator's Medal, in a semicircle, below which there is space for the recipient's name and the date of the award. The copy reproduced here is engraved: Awarded to Fitzpatrick Flournoy, June 1921.