Recommendations the Army Bureaucratic Way - How?

[Benedict]

Gents,

I have read that Ambrose Bierce received 15 recommendations on the grounds of personal bravery. I would like to find out how recommendations worked in the Federal Army. I suppose there were recommendations written down? Was there any "ceremony" around "awarding" a recommendation? Is there any official Army definition of a "recommendation"--i.e., what is a recommendation? Do you have any period, memoir, or secondary literature references?

Thanks for your help, I appreciate it!

[MassVOL]

Re: Recommendations the Army Bureaucratic Way - How?

Being mentioned by name in the official report.