How did eligibility for the Medal of Honor change for U.S. military officers?

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Curie, Marie and Pierre; medal — medal Pierre and Marie Curie depicted on the obverse of a medal from the Unio Internationalis Contra Cancrum (International Union Against Cancer) commemorating the Curies' discovery of radium in 1898.

The Medal of Honor was initially established by Congress in 1861 for the navy and in 1862 for the army, but it was originally restricted to enlisted personnel only. Eligibility was later expanded to permit U.S. military officers to receive the award as well.1