Fighting Men of the Indian Wars: A Biographical Encyclopedia of the Mountain Men, Soldiers, Cowboys, and Pioneers Who Took Up Arms During America's Westward Expansion Page: 23
xv, 255 p. : ill., ports. ; 26 cm.View a full description of this book.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
A BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA THE MEDAL OF HONOR
Because of the sometimes lengthy time lag between the
deed and the issuance of the award, medals occasionally
were returned unclaimed by men whose enlistments had
ended and whose whereabouts were unknown. In 1886
Sergeant William B. Lewis, on the occasion of his retire-
ment, was awarded the medal before the assembled garri-
son of Fort Laramie. Sergeant Lewis was honored for
bravery during a Wyoming skirmish in January 1877. He
was the only Medal of Honor winner to be ceremoniously
recognized during the Indian Wars. Not until 1905 would
formal ceremonies become mandatory.
After World War I regulations specified that no soldier
could be awarded more than one Medal of Honor. Of the
five men who won two medals, three won both of theirs
during the Indian Wars. A fourth soldier earned one of his
medals during the Civil War and one during the Indian
Wars.
In 1894 Henry Hogan, a native of Ireland, received two
Medals of Honor for his services rendered more than a
decade and a half earlier. As the first sergeant of Company
G, Fifth Infantry, Hogan had been recommended for "gal-
lantry in actions" in Montana against the Sioux from
October 1876 to January 1877. In September 1877, he was
involved in the Battle of Bear Paw Mountain, Montana,
against Nez Perces. Lieutenant Henry Romeyn was se-
verely wounded, and Hogan, braving heavy fire, carried
the officer off the battlefield, for which he received his
second citation.
Patrick Leonard, another Irishman, won the medal in
1870 as a sergeant of the Second Cavalry for gallantry
during an action in Nebraska. When Leonard's enlistment
ended he left the cavalry, but apparently he stayed in the
area and soon reenlisted in the Twenty-third Infantry. By
1876 he was a corporal and he fought in an engagement
near Fort Hartsuff, Nebraska. During the fight Leonard and
two more men followed Second Lieutenant Charles Heyl
in a charge against six entrenched warriors. For that exploit
Lieutenant Heyl and Private Jeptha Lytton won Medals of
Honor, and Leonard received his second medal.
Sergeant William Wilson of Company I of Ranald
Mackenzie's Fourth Cavalry won both of his Medals of
Honor during the campaign of 1872. In March he was cited
for "gallantry in pursuit of a band of cattle thieves from
New Mexico" at Colorado Valley, Texas. The following
March this native of Philadelphia received a citation for
"Distinguished conduct in action with [Comanche] Indi-
ans, Red River, Texas."
Only two other men ever won two Medals of Honor.
Lieutenant Tom Custer of the Sixth Michigan Cavalry was
the only soldier to win two medals during the Civil War.Table 6. Medals of Honor Won by State
Arizona
Montana
Texas
South Dakota
New Mexico
Colorado
Nebraska
Kansas
Idaho158
90
61
32
18
13
13
12Wyoming
Mexico
California
Minnesota
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Utah
MiscellaneousCuster's illustrious older brother never won a Medal of
Honor, and it may be speculated that the distinction-
conscious General Custer may have felt some resentment
at Tom's possession of two medals. (Tom, a lifelong
bachelor, casually allowed various sweethearts to wear his
medals.) Frank D. Baldwin, as a captain of the Nineteenth
Michigan Infantry, led a daring charge behind Confederate
lines in 1864 to win his first Medal of Honor. Ten years
later Baldwin, now a first lieutenant of the Fifth Infantry,
led two companies in a daylight charge upon a much larger
force of Indians in a Texas Panhandle winter encampment.
Startled, the Indians fled a short distance, then turned and
attacked the soldiers. Baldwin's men fought off the war-
riors and rescued two young sisters who had been captured
by the Indians the previous summer.
During the Indian Wars more Medals of Honor were
won by men fighting in Arizona than in any other territory
or state; 158 soldiers and scouts were issued medals for
combat in Arizona. Ninety men were awarded medals for
fighting in Montana; sixty-one in Texas; thirty-two in
South Dakota; eighteen in New Mexico; thirteen each in
Colorado and Nebraska; and twelve in Kansas. No other
state or territory saw more than four men earn medals
within their borders (Table 6). Seventy-one men were
awarded Medals of Honor for exploits during 1876; sixty-
four of these soldiers fought in Montana, twenty-eight at
the Little Bighorn. In 1869 fifty-seven men were awarded
medals for heroism, and fifty-three men were designated
recipients the previous year; 102 of these 110 men per-
formed their deeds in Arizona.
From 1868 through 1879, 356 men earned Medals of
Honor, eighty-six percent of the eventual total of recipients
(Table 7). During that violent twelve-year period there
were two relatively peaceful years: 1871, when just seven
eventual recipients were recommended; and 1878, during
which not a single medal winner was designated. After
1879 there were numerous years with no winners, although
twenty-seven men were issued Medals of Honor for brav-23
A BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
THE MEDAL OF HONOR
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This book can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Related Items
Other items on this site that are directly related to the current book.
Fighting Men of the Indian Wars: A Biographical Encyclopedia of the Mountain Men, Soldiers, Cowboys, and Pioneers Who Took Up Arms During America's Westward Expansion (Book)
This book "is a compendium of America's Indian Wars and the mountain men, soldiers, cowboys and pioneers who took part in them" (dust-jacket). It includes information about all the major American Indian battles, the lives of notable men who fought in the battles, and the combat techniques employed. The index begins on page 247.
Relationship to this item: (Has Format)
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Book.
O'Neal, Bill. Fighting Men of the Indian Wars: A Biographical Encyclopedia of the Mountain Men, Soldiers, Cowboys, and Pioneers Who Took Up Arms During America's Westward Expansion, book, 1991; Stillwater, Oklahoma. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth151417/m1/43/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Panola College.