The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Captain of the Afterguard William Henry Belpitt, United States Navy, for gallant and heroic conduct while serving on board the U.S.S. Monocacy, Foochow, China, 7 October 1884. Jumping overboard from that vessel on the morning of this date, Captain of the Afterguard Belpitt sustained, until picked up, a Chinaman who had been thrown into the water by the capsizing of a canoe.