Indian Wars Medal of Honor Recipient. He was issued the award on June 28, 1870, for his actions as a sergeant with Troop F, 9th Cavalry, US Army, on May 20, 1870, near Kickapoo Springs, Texas. He was the first African-American soldier to receive the Medal of Honor after the Civil War. He joined the US Army in October 1866 and was promoted to the rank of sergeant the following year. He was assigned to the newly formed African-American 9th US Cavalry Regiment (soon to be famed in history as the "Buffalo Soldiers" and was sent to Texas. On the day of the action, he was part of a scouting patrol tracking an Apache Indian raiding party that had kidnapped two white settlers, which they successfully surprised and routed, freeing a number of stolen horses and one of the settlers. He was also part of the US Cavalry force that fought Apache chief Victorio in New Mexico Territory and that chased "Sooners" off native land in Oklahoma before the US government gave approval to settle in those lands. During his military career, he was frequently the recipient of disciplinary actions for being drunk and disorderly, fighting, or failure to report for duty. He was found shot to death on Christmas morning of 1887, near his post at Fort Robinson, Nebraska. It was suspected that one of the soldiers under his leadership was responsible, but no one was ever convicted of the crime. His Medal of Honor citation simply reads: "Gallantry on scout after Indians."
Indian Wars Medal of Honor Recipient. He was issued the award on June 28, 1870, for his actions as a sergeant with Troop F, 9th Cavalry, US Army, on May 20, 1870, near Kickapoo Springs, Texas. He was the first African-American soldier to receive the Medal of Honor after the Civil War. He joined the US Army in October 1866 and was promoted to the rank of sergeant the following year. He was assigned to the newly formed African-American 9th US Cavalry Regiment (soon to be famed in history as the "Buffalo Soldiers" and was sent to Texas. On the day of the action, he was part of a scouting patrol tracking an Apache Indian raiding party that had kidnapped two white settlers, which they successfully surprised and routed, freeing a number of stolen horses and one of the settlers. He was also part of the US Cavalry force that fought Apache chief Victorio in New Mexico Territory and that chased "Sooners" off native land in Oklahoma before the US government gave approval to settle in those lands. During his military career, he was frequently the recipient of disciplinary actions for being drunk and disorderly, fighting, or failure to report for duty. He was found shot to death on Christmas morning of 1887, near his post at Fort Robinson, Nebraska. It was suspected that one of the soldiers under his leadership was responsible, but no one was ever convicted of the crime. His Medal of Honor citation simply reads: "Gallantry on scout after Indians."
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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