Valor Friday

Sergeant William Wilson

Mason continues his articles on those awarded the Medal of Honor twice. Today we honor both Sergeant William Wilson, USA, who distinguished himself post-Civil War as a mounted trooper fighting hostiles in Indian Territories out West, and First Sergeant Henry Hogan, another veteran of the Indian Wars.

Here’s Mason:

Part four of the series on men who have received two Medals of Honor will briefly take us back to the Indian Wars of the latter part of the 19th Century before returning to the early 20th century with another legendary Marine Corp figure in part five next week.

First we have William Wilson. Born in 1847 in Pennsylvania, he mustered into the US Army Cavalry in October 1865 at age 18. He missed the Civil War by about six months, but the Cavalry in the post-bellum period saw the mounted troopers taming the west. It was here that Wilson would distinguish himself in numerous battles.

During the early 1870’s he was stationed first at Fort Sill, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma of course) and then to a small outpost near San Angelo, Texas, a post so small there were fewer than two dozen of the mounted soldiers.

In March 1872, Wilson, now a sergeant, heard word that some Comanche, deemed hostile to the United States, had stolen some cattle during a raid on a farm in his area. He ordered a corporal and 10 privates to join him in pursuing the thieves.

The men rode through the night and into the following morning when they caught up to the cattle rustlers near the Colorado River. Finding the Native warriors camped near the river, the soldiers were approaching when the Comanche began firing at them. Wilson ordered a charge into the enemy encampment.

Attacking, the cavalrymen killed at least two of the Comanche, wounding several more, and captured a Mexican teenager traveling with them. Wilson did this without suffering a single casualty among his men or horses.

Upon interrogating the teenager, the troopers retrieved valuable intelligence on the Comanche supply lines in the area. This included the locations and identity of some Comancheros and New Mexico smugglers who were supplying the Comanche. The success of this operation directly contributed to US Army success in resolving the state of war with the Natives in the Colorado Valley of Texas. For his contributions and bravery during the chase and ensuing battle with the Comanche, Wilson was awarded the Medal of Honor on March 28, 1872.

Six months later, on September 28, 1872, while part of a large cavalry force confronting a sizeable Comanche encampment in the Battle of the North Fork of the Red River, Wilson’s immediate superior officer was wounded and taken out of the battle. Wilson was then tasked by the commander of the expedition to take command of his men.

Fighting from 1600 hours until sunset, the men under Wilson’s command would engage numerous Comanche warriors and took 130 prisoners, seized 300 horses, and the village’s food and other supplies. Though later accused by a Comanche survivor of committing a massacre, Wilson received a second Medal of Honor for “Distinguished conduct in action” September 29, 1872. Of the 12 officers and 272 US Army men involved in the battle, Wilson was one of only four officers and nine enlisted soldiers decorated that day.

Though he took a brief break from service to work with the railroad in Pennsylvania, he returned to the Army by 1882. By the 1890’s, Sergeant Wilson was leading a small contingent of cavalry at Sequoia National Park as the acting superintendent of the park. His final years he was stationed at The Presidio in San Francisco and died just before Christmas 1895 of stomach cancer aged either 47 or 48.

First Sergeant Henry Hogan

Our second hero is Henry Hogan. Born in Ireland in 1840 he also mustered into the US Army in 1865, just after the Civil War. As a member of the 5th Infantry Regiment under Nelson Miles, Hogan would participate in many of the major battles of the Indian Wars. Rising to the rank of First Sergeant, Company G, 5th Infantry.

In 1876, in Montana Territory, Hogan was part of Miles’s roughly 400 men facing off against legendary Sioux spiritual leader Sitting Bull and 2,000 Sioux (among which were 300 or so warriors). The battle was fought over a period of six days and resulted in the surrender of the majority of the Sioux. Casualties were low on both sides. Hogan was cited for bravery during this engagement and received his first Medal of Honor.

A year later First Sergeant Hogan would again distinguish himself in battle. The bulk of the 5th Infantry and elements of the 7th Cavalry and 2nd Cavalry participated in the Battle of Bear Paw in Montana. This was to be the final battle in the Nez Perce campaign of the Indian Wars. Chief Joseph, leading the Nez Perce, had engaged in an 1,100 mile fighting retreat across four states before being halted at Bear Paw just 40 miles away from the refuge they sought in Canada.

On September 30th, 1877 on the first day of the battle, Hogan carried his severely wounded company commander, 1st Lieutenant Henry Romeyn off the battlefield under heavy fire. Romeyn would receive the Medal of Honor for leading his men into close contact with the enemy and despite being injured, refused to be evacuated. Hogan, being an excellent First Sergeant for his commander, received the Medal of Honor for evacuating the critically wounded Lieutenant while under heavy fire, saving his life. Theirs were two of only ten Medals of Honor conferred for the battle which involved more than 500 US soldiers.

Hogan would leave the Army in 1879 and take up residence in Miles, Montana (named for his former commander Nelson Miles). He would reside there until he passed away in 1916 at the age of 76.

Hand salute. Ready, Two!

Thanks again, Mason.

Category: Army, Guest Post, Valor