William McNamara – First Sergeant, Fourth United States Cavalry - Troop F Service Dates - 1856 to 1887

William McNamara - First Sergeant,

Fourth United States Cavalry

1856 to 1887

This is a compilation of information gathered about William McNamara and his career in the United State Army, almost entirely in the 4th Cavalry, from December 3, 1856 until his retirement more than thirty years later on August 8, 1887.

From registers of enlistments with the U.S. Army, a timeline is assembled of William’s service, his postings and the events that coincided with his personal and military life. References from books published and primary source documents about the Fourth Cavalry, its’ engagements and postings will be referenced along with documents from William’s personal life.

William McNamara was from in County Mayo, Ireland and emigrated to the United States during the end of the Great Famine and sometime before his first military enlistment. Efforts have been made to determine his original entry into the United States, yet because there are many William McNamara’s of a similar age, definite records have not yet been verified. For example, the 1900 census shows he emigrated in 1855 and was born Dec 1840, yet ten years later the 1910 census, immigration to the United States was recorded as 1851 and his age is 70. [1]

William’s first Register of Enlistment is from Baltimore, Maryland dated December 3, 1856. His name however is spelt William ‘McMarah’ and this is the only time in any record found, it is spelled this way. All other personal references including his later signatures and his tomb stone are spelled ‘McNamara’ or ‘McNamarra’. We can speculate on this variation, as his signature shows his ‘X’ in between his first and last name. William is listed with the occupation of laborer and he his ‘21’ years of age. We will see variance on birth age throughout his records by a couple of years, so we could presume that he was possibly a couple of years younger in 1856. We will see that he was born anywhere between 1834 and **1840 **depending on what age the records show. We know that William learned to read and write as he develops a good signature on his later enlistment records and the 1900 census notes he can both read and write. All of his enlistment documents that include ‘Where Born’ refer to his place of origin as County Mayo, Ireland, however no town is named. William’s first recruiting officer is Lieutenant John Adams, First Regiment of Dragoons and this is noted as his ‘First Enlistment’. His enlistment is number ‘5 256’. This enlistment was for a period of five years.[2]

Most of William’s service in the army is as a member of the Fourth Cavalry, Troop F. However, when William joins the military in 1856, his dragoon regiment is still a part of the First Cavalry. William’s initial training would have been at either Jefferson Barracks, Missouri or Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. We haven’t determined which of these locations.

The Fourth Cavalry, originally a part of the First Cavalry, was organized in 1855 as the United States Congress recognized the need for mounted regiments in the Army. The regiments first commander was Colonel Edwin V. Sumner at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. It had served against Indians and guerillas in Kansas before the Civil War. Its ranks included J.E.B. Stuart and Joseph E. Johnston. When Robert E. Lee submitted his resignation from the U.S. Army, he had signed his name as the regiment’s Colonel. Renumbered the Fourth in 1861 when the mounted units were reorganized, it distinguished itself throughout the Civil War.

The regiment had four field-grade officers, one full colonel in command, one lieutenant colonel as second in command and two majors. Each of the ten companies had a captain, one first lieutenant, one second lieutenant, four sergeants, four corporals and eighty-four privates. Also attached to each company was one farrier and blacksmith and two buglers.

Each company had horses of a distinctive color. This served two purposes. In addition to the dramatic effect on parade, the distinctive color made it easy for members of the regiment to locate their company in the heat of battle. The assigned colors were Company A had sorrels, B, grays; C, sorrels; D, bays; E, roans; F, sorrels; G, blacks; H, bays; I, sorrels; and, K, bays. The buglers had white horses. The officers each had two horses. They could select the color of their choice. Officers were required to provide their own uniforms, equipment and horses.

The new recruits after a physical exam, were trained in horsemanship and as cavalrymen at Fort Leavenworth and Jefferson Barracks. [3]

On October 3, 1861 William McNamara in shown as ‘26’ years old and has ‘voluntary’ “re-enlisted” …. for a period of three years. The number ‘FIVE’ is lined through and a ‘three’ is handwritten on top of the five. McNamara is spelt ‘McNamarra’. Register of Enlistment is in the territory of Nebraska at Fort Kearny. He is described on this and later registers as having ‘blue eyes, light hair, fair complexion, is 5 feet 6 ½ inches high’. His recruiting officer is First Lieutenant John A. Wilcox. It is numbered 2 427. It appears that William has signed this register of enlistment having spelt his name ‘Willaam (Possibly a J for middle initial) McNamara. For this second Register of Enlistment, there are two documents from the National Archives. The individual re-enlistment record for William and a register that is a list of names mostly in alphabetical order. The list of names has a Patrick McNamara listed directly under William McNamara’s name. Patrick is three years older, age 29, and his physical description is also blue eyes, light hair and fair Complexion. The only difference is Patrick is listed as 5’8 and 1/4” tall. They were both in the same regiment and company with the rank of Private and were both from County Mayo, Ireland. The fourth Cavalry spent most of the years of the late 1850s and leading up to the Civil War in Nebraska at Fort Kearney and at Fort Laramie. [4]

During the Civil War, the Fourth Cavalry moved often, and the Companies were separated and sent in various directions. From ‘The Fourth Regiment of Cavalry’ compiled by the office of the Military Service Institution, Troop F is shown in action during the Civil War at Chickamauga, Georgia on the 18th and 25th September 1863, Dallas, Georgia the 26th and 28th of May 1864 and during the latter part of 1864 the Fourth Cavalry was ordered to Cavalry Corps Headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee. [5]

While the above regiment history takes us through the end of the Civil War, William re-enlist during the war. William’s next register is dated March 25, 1864 for another three years. This is one year before the Civil War ends and the army is re-enlisting soldiers in Nashville, Tennessee. It is noted as his third enlistment with the three-prior served in Company ‘F’ 4th Reg’t of U.S. Cavalry. He is 30 years old. It has two numbers 362 and ‘re-enlistment 962. Recruiting officer is what appears to be G. W. Sullivan, Lieutenant. William has signed his enlistment with a wobbly signature of William McNamarra. From the alphabetical listing, right below William’s name is a Patrick McNamara shown ‘Discharged Oct. 3, 1864 Expiration of Service at Nashville, Tenn., a Private’. [6] Efforts so far have been unable to determine where this Patrick went after leaving the army in 1864.

Next William appears in Fort Mason, Texas and is age thirty-three. The date is **March 25, 1867 **and William ‘voluntarily re-enlist’ for five years. He signs his name Wm McNamara. His recruiting officer is Brevet Major Wirt Davis. In many of the references of ‘On the Border with Mackenzie’ published by Captain R.G. Carter, Wirt Davis is the Captain in charge of Troop F. Carter’s memoirs were published in 1935. This re-enlistment is number 237. The Declaration of Recruit is completed on the back side of the form for the first time. This time William declares that he is thirty-three and that he has a wife. Her name was Ellen Ryan and she was born in Ireland. It is witnessed by Michael D Noffon (sp) …. Chief Trumpeter. On the 1867 record, the surgeons’ name appears to be “C.E. Dumneicher” (sp). William H. was born in August 8, 1867 in Texas, possibly at Ft. Mason. (This son William died May 28, 1938 and is buried in Minneola, New York.) I have not found a marriage record for William and Ellen; however, the family name of Ryan is prominently woven in with the McNamara’s. Two of William and Ellen’s children marry Ryan’s (William Jr. and Belinda). Following the birth of son William, a daughter Maryann is born April 5, 1869. A second daughter Ellen is born in October of 1870. Correspondence with one of Maryann’s daughters, Anna McGuire from the early 1990’s helped fill in some information about the family. Maryann married Hugh McGuire in 1899 and had four children. She died in August of 1955.

Before 1871 the operations of the regiment were limited to guarding the mail and settlements against Indians and desultory attempts to overtake bands of Indian raiders. On February 24, 1871 Ranald Mackenzie arrived at Ft. Concho, Texas and assumed command of the Fourth Cavalry. He was 30 years old. He moved the regiment headquarters to Fort Richardson. Later that year he took men to the eastern part of the Texas Panhandle in Indian Territory against the Comanches and to pursue the Indian Chief Kicking Bird.[7]

By July 1871 all ten companies of the 4th Cavalry were in Fort Sill, Indian territory.[8] Mackenzie’s role was to protect settlers and bring the Indian tribes under control. The military division of the Missouri after 1871 was headquartered in Chicago. Most of the officers detested Indian service. To them the ‘war’ meant the late conflict between the north and south. There was no glory in fighting a primitive people. While there were some attempts at reconciliation, fighting the Indians for control of the territory was inevitable. [9] During 1871 the Fourth Cavalry is divided between Forts Richardson, Griffin and Concho in Texas.

The next ‘Oath of Enlistment and Allegiance’ for William McNamara is dated March 25, 1872. The ink is faint on the document, however his age clearly ‘thirty-five’. On his prior enlistment, he was age ‘33’, so William only aged two years in five between re-enlistments. Wirt Davis is now captain and the location is Fort Griffin, in the state of Texas. The Assistant Surgeon is Carlos Carvallo. This re-enlistment is also for five years. [10]

On September 29, 1872 William McNamara’s unit was engaged in a confrontation with Indians at the North Fork of the Red River, near present day Pampa, Texas. It became known as the ‘**Battle of North Fork of Red River’ **The Gray County, Texas Historical Society has placed the following marker near the site.

“On Sept. 29, 1872, Col. Ranald S. Mackenzie (1840 – 1889) found on this site a 262 – tepee village of Comanches defying treaties that sought to confine them on Indian Territory reservations. Mackenzie’s 231 U.S. cavalry and infantrymen captured the village in half an hour and routed Chief Mow-Way’s warriors, who made a desperate resistance from sheltering creek banks. That night the Indians succeeded in recapturing their horses from an army guard detail. This taught Mackenzie a lesson that led to his eventual victory in the1874 campaign to subdue the Indians. (1972)”

The battle of the North Fork of the Red River was the climax of Col. Ranald S. Mackenzie's campaign against the Indians of the Llano Estacado in the summer and fall of 1872. Because the Quaker peace policy, although a proven failure, was still in effect, cavalry troops at Fort Sill could not be deployed against Indians. However, the policy did not apply to off-reservation Indians or to the troops at the Texas outposts who were operating outside the reservation limits. Gen. William T. Sherman was determined to bring the marauders in the Panhandle to their knees, break up cattle thefts, and put a dent in the illicit Comanchero trade. In accordance with orders from the Missouri Division headquarters, Mackenzie pulled out on July 28 and started after the Comanche marauders with twelve officers and 272 enlisted men. These included five companies of the Fourth Cavalry, Company I, of the Twenty-Fourth Infantry, under Capt. J. W. Clous, several wagons and mules, two assistant surgeons, Lt. Peter H. Boehm's twenty Tonkawa scouts.

The victory on the North Fork proved that the Llano Estacado was no longer an Indian sanctuary. Upon Mackenzie's recommendation, several officers and men, including Capt. Clous and surgeon Rufus Choate, were awarded the Medal of Honor. The army's stratagem worked, for shortly after the battle Mow-way and Parra-o-coom (Bull Bear) moved their bands to the vicinity of the Wichita Agency. The Nokoni chief Horseback, who himself had relatives among the Indian prisoners, took the initiative in persuading the Comanches to trade stolen livestock and white captives, including Clinton Smith, in exchange for their own women and children. The process was completed by June 1873.[11]

The battle site on the North Fork is near State Highway 273 in Gray County, six miles southeast of Lefors.

++Col. Mackenzie who led the cavalry at the Battle of the North Fork++

Ranald Mackenzie’s official correspondence is an account written two weeks after the actual events.

From ‘Ranald S. Mackenzie’s Official Correspondence Relating to Texas, 1871 – 1873’ Edited by Ernest Wallace, West Texas Museum Association Lubbock, Texas, 1967,

we have the following documents. They are on pages 141-148.

MACKENZIE TO AAG, DT

[456 ½ AGO 1872 (filed with 4148 AGO 1872), RG 94]

Headquarters Scouting Expedition

Camp on Fresh Fork of the Brazos River, Tex.

October 12, 1872

Assistant Adjutant General,

Department of Texas,

Sir:

I have the honor to report that my command, consisting of companies “A,” “D,” “F,” “I,” and “L,” 4th Cavalry, and “I” 24th Infantry, in all twelve officers and two hundred and seventy-two enlisted men, with two acting surgeons, left camp at the Fresh Fork of the Brazos River on the 21st day of September and moved to the Salt Fork of the Red River at a point about longitude 101° 30ʹ without anything especially worthy of notice. On the 29th ultimo, with the cavalry companies in all seven officers and two hundred and fifteen enlisted men and nine Tonquas scouts, the march was taken up on McLelland’s (McClellan) creek which was reached in about twenty miles at a point about four miles above the forks of that stream. After marching down that stream about two miles, two fresh trails were found by the Tonquas one of two horses and another of one mule. Judging that the trail of the mule led in the direction of the camp of the Indians, it was followed at a rapid gait from about 1:00 PM by the Tonquas, urged and assisted by Captain Davis. After a quick march of about twelve miles, the village was discovered near five miles distant. The command moved out at the gallop and reach the village about 4 o’clock P.M. After a brisk fight of about half an hour the village was entirely carried, resistance to any extent being made at only one point, where three companies “A” “F” and “L” were engaged from time to time. “F” company being engaged from the commencement to the close more continuously than any other. “D” being sent after horses and “I” having attacked handsomely on the right, charged mounted through a small village somewhat detached and pursuing retreating Indians did not rejoin the main command till it was nearly dark. “A” company was also sent after horses being detached by my order while doing good execution, as I judged that the two company’s “F” and “L” were ample to carry the village, and when it was carried L company was sent in pursuit of some fugitives.

This village, see inclosed report of Capt. Clous, consisted of about one hundred and seventy-five lodges and many smaller ones, in all two hundred and sixty-two and was situated on the North Fork of the Red River about seven miles as nearly can be judged above the mouth of McLelland’s Creek.

In the fight twenty-three Indian men whose bodies fell into our hands, ne mortally wounded, has since died, and many are said to have fallen or been thrown into a deep pool of water which was immediately under the bank where the main resistance was made, and it is my opinion that a number were killed which are not now reported.

Between one hundred and twenty and one hundred and thirty women and children were captured some of them were very old and some being mixed with men were too badly wounded to be moved. We left their camp after dark with one hundred twenty-four prisoners of whom one man and seven women and children have died on the march, some of them from injuries received in the fight. All such were accidental and they have had the best care possible, but the surgeon cannot make them follow his instructions. We now have sixteen in our possession, among them a Mexican boy, Francisco Nietto who was captured when a train was burnt between Fort Duncan and Inge about two years ago, and seven Mexican women, but these latter were captured so long since that, practically they have become Indians.

The lodges were generally burned, and a large amount of other property destroyed.

The command was moved some two miles from the village shorty after dark and was on the following day moved near eighteen miles, rejoining our train a second day after the fight. We captured a very large number of horses and mules, but a few Indians succeeded the night after the fight and the second succeeding night in stampeding by riding a little distance from our camp, yelling and firing pistols. We have left fifty ponies and nine mules. I have given the principle part of the ponies to the Tonquas as they lost many of theirs which they had mixed up with the captured herd and it was necessary to give them some such encouragement, the remainder will be turned into the Q. Ms. Here or at the posts.

In closing I wish to invite the attention of the commanding officer of the department to the names of the following officers all of whom are gallant men and worthy of favorable consideration:

Of the Fourth Cavalry, Major A.E. Latimer, Captain John Lee, Captain Wirt Davis, 1st Lieut P.M. Boehm, 1st Lieut Charles L Hudson, 1st Lieut. Wm A. Thompson, 1st Lieut Lewis Warrington, 2nd Lieut Wentz C. Miller, 2nd Lieut John A. McKinney, 2nd Lieut Matthew Leeper. Of the Twenty Fourth Infantry: Captain J. W. Clous. Acting Assistant Surgeon Rufus Choate was present under fire and deserves special consideration for his care of the wounded under such circumstances.

While all did well I yet wish to call special attention to, the energy displayed by Captain Davis in following the trail which led to the discovery of the camp and to the efficient way Captain Davis and Lieut Thompson, employed their companies “F” and “A’ in overcoming the only sharp resistance, and to Major A.E. Latimer, 1st Lt. Peter M. Boehm and Leiut. John A. McKinney, Adjutant of the Expedition, who from their positions came particularly under my notice.

I wish also to bring the names of the following enlisted men to the favorable consideration of the Department Commander, of “A” company, Corporal Henry A. McMasters, of F company 1st Sergt. Wm McNamara, Sergt. William Foster, Farrier David Larkin, and Privates William Rankin, and Edward Branegan, of I Company, Sergeant William Wilson, Corporal William O’Neil, and Blacksmith James Pratt.

Our loss is as follows, Corporal Henry A. McMasters of “A” company, dangerously wounded, of “F” company Private John Dorcas, killed, Private John Kelly, mortally wounded, has since died, and Private William Rankin, seriously wounded.

Of animals, “A” lost one horse killed and three wounded, “F” company one horse wounded, “I” company one horse and two mules lost, L company one horse killed and one lost.

Appended to this report will be found the following affidavits:

That of Polonio Ortiz, in which he states that he recognizes most of the Indians now prisoners in our hands as a part of the band of Comanche Indians who last year wintered in that part of Texas called Mucha Que,

That of Francisco Nietto a Mexican boy captured with these Indians on the 29th ultimo in which he asserts his capture by these same Indians while enroute with his father’s train from Fort Duncan to San Antonio Texas.

That of Jose Carrion formerly a teamster and blacksmith in the train of Gonzales, which was captured and burned at Howard’s Wells, Texas, last spring under circumstances of peculiar atrocity, in which he states that during the engagement with Indians on North Fork of the Red River, on 29th ultimo, his attention was arrested by a mule, which was formerly the saddle mule of the wagon master of said train and that he then counted among the herd forty two other mules, which he recognized as having belonged to the same train.

I have the honor to be

Very Respectfully

Your obedient servant

R.S. Mackenzie

Colonel 4th Cavalry Commanding

[Endorsements]

From Chicago, a reply.

Headq.Mil.Div.Mo.

Chicago, Nov. 4, 1872

Respectfully forwarded for the information of the General of the Army. I am of the belief that this chastisement will do much to stop the Indian depredations in the Department of Texas. I recommend that the following named soldiers be rewarded with their good conduct by medals such as are now in the hands of the War Department for distribution for gallant conduct, viz.: -

Corp. Henry A. McMasters, Co.A,4th Cavy.

1st Serg. [Wm.] McNamara “ F, “ “

Serg. Wm. Foster “ “ “ “

Farrier David Larkin “ “ “ “

Private Wm. Rankin “ “ “ “

“ Edw. Branagan “ “ “ “

Serg. Wm. Wilson “ I, “ “

Corp. Wm. O’Neil “ “ “ “

Blksmith Jas. Pratt “ “ “ “

P.H. Sheridan

Lieut. General USA.

Commanding

Headquarters of the Army

Adjutant General’s Office

Washington, Nov. 15, 1872

Respectfully submitted to the Secretary of War with copy for the Interior Depart.

Sheridan’s recommendation that medals of honor be conferred by General order on the soldiers named. Such an order would be valuable to the soldiers and would satisfy the Army that their labors are appreciated.

W. T. Sherman

General

Issue the G.O. & have medals engraved. The G.O. will be from Army Hd. Qr. Quoting the names of officers and men from the report and saying the Sec. War has awarded medals to the men especially named.

Adj. Gen.

ED. –

TOWNSEND TO AUGUR

[2867 DT 1872, Army Commands, RG98]

Adjutant General’s Office

Washington, November 21, 1872

Commanding General

Department of Texas

San Antonio, Texas

Through Headquarters Military Division of the Missouri.

Sir:

I have the honor to transmit herewith nine Medals of Honor which have been awarded to enlisted men of the Fourth Cavalry in accordance with general Order No. 99, of November 19, 1872, from this office.

Very Respectfully

Your Obt. Svt.

E.D. Townsend

Adjutant General[12]

Corporal William O'Neill, Blacksmith James Pratt, Farrier David Larkin, Privates Edward Branagan and William Rankin, Corporal Henry McMasters, Sergeant William Wilson, Sergeant William Foster, and First Sergeant William McNamara were awarded the Medal of Honor.

Photos available for the individuals in the above correspondence.

P.H. Sheridan Lt. General [13] W.T. Sherman General [14]

E.D. Townsend Adjutant General [15] C.C. Augur Brigadier General Commanding[16]

Lt. Col. G.P. Buell Farrier David Larkin only

Post Commander Ft. Griffin[17] medal recipient photo. [18]

The acknowledgement letter sent from Capt. Wirt Davis is signed by each of the Medal of Honor recipients on page five of the following document.

Page 1

page 2

page 3

page 4

Page 5

Library of Congress digitized documents online through the website Fold3

From ‘Mackenzie’s Correspondence Relating to Texas, 1871 – 1873’ (cont.)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT OF MEDALS

[399 AGO 1873, RG 94]

Fort Griffin, Texas December 27, 1872

To the Adjutant General US Army

Washington, DC.

General,

We the undersigned Members of Co “F” 4th Cavalry hereby respectfully acknowledge the receipt, at the hands of Lt Col. G. P. Buell 11th Infantry Commanding Post of Fort Griffin, Texas, of the medals of Honor awarded to us, by the Honorable the Secretary of War as per General Orders no. 99 from Head Quarters of the Army dated Nov 19, 1872 and letter of transmittal from Adjutant Generals Office dated Washington DC. Nov 19. 1872.

Very Respectfully

Your obedient Servants.

Individual signatures

William McNamara First Sergeant Co. “F” 4th Cavalry

William Foster Sergeant Co. “F” 4th Cavalry

David Larkin Farrier Co. “F” 4th Cavalry

Edward Branagan Private Co. “F” 4th Cavalry

William Rankin Private Co. “F” 4th Cavalry

In John M. Carroll’s ‘The Medal of Honor: Its History and Recipients for The Indian Wars’, listed alphabetically are the 417 recipients during the Indian Wars. The 8th US Cavalry received the most – 80 and the 4th US Cavalry received 23. Carroll remarks that the most common last name was Smith, the most soldiers were from Ireland and most ranked Private. There were 73 soldiers from Ireland, 44 from New York, 38 from Germany, 37 from Pennsylvania, 21 from Massachusetts, then the numbers are small for many other states and a few other foreign countries. Those in the rank of Private numbered 155, next Sergeants with 123.

The Medal of Honor is the highest military award for bravery that can be given to any individual in the United States of America. Conceived in the early 1860s and first presented in 1863, the medal has a colorful and inspiring history which has culminated in the standards applied today for awarding this respected honor. In their provisions for judging whether a man is entitled to the Medal of Honor, each of the armed services has set up regulations which permit no margin of doubt or error. The deed the person must be proved by incontestable evidence of at least two eye witnesses; it must be so outstanding that it clearly distinguishes his gallantry beyond the call of duty from lesser forms of bravery; it must involve the risk of life; and it must be the type of deed which, if he had not done it, would not subject him to any justified criticism.

In this alphabetical publication, the ‘OTHER REMARKS’ attributing the reason for the awarding of the medals falls under Edward Branagan.

It says: The troops engaged were Companies A, D, F, I and L, 4th U.S. Cavalry, and a detachment of Ton-ka-wa Scouts under the command of Colonel R.A. Mackenzie. One enlisted man was killed and three wounded. Twenty-three Indians were killed, one wounded and one hundred twenty captured, the troops were out of Fort Griffin.

Under William McNamara’s name the CITATION is: Gallantry in action. OTHER REMARKS: he has a private memorial at Cavalry Cemetery, Woodside, New York (Queens), Section 12, Range 26, Lot. D, Grave #8. [19]

Two months after the Indian engagement in which William was recommended for the Medal of Honor, a fourth child was born on November 19, 1872 named Thomas Patrick. Thomas died September 17, 1937 and is buried in Westbury, NY. This is my great grandfather. According to census records he was born in ‘Indian Territory’ so we believe he was born at Fort Sill. Anna McGuire, the granddaughter of William McNamara through his daughter Maryann, had a copy of one of William’s discharge papers. We corresponded in the early 1990’s and in one of her letters Anna quoted a discharge dated March 25, 1872. “William’s copy is signed by Captain Wirt Davis and under the section ‘Character’ ‘excellent:’ ‘As a soldier faithful and reliable as a non-commissioned officer – one of the best in the service.’ The discharge papers from Sept 12, 1879 say under Character, “A married man- an excellent man and a fine soldier. I would trust him with anything” signed by Commanding Officer. Anna McGuire wrote ‘Every discharge- Under Character has the comment- “Excellent” by the Commander “Excellent Soldier”. [20] Anna also sent a copy of this document to me.

On March 26, 1877, William’s next Oath of Enlistment and Allegiance is from the Post of Camp Robinson, Nebraska. This re-enlistment is also for five years. His age is now forty years old. He is re-enlisted by recruiting Officer Second Lieutenant Joseph H. Dorst. It is numbered 33. This re-enlistment document is different than the prior enlistment forms in that it also has two other signatures on the form, one from the Colonel R.S. Moelbugh (sp?) and Wirt Davis, the Captain. There is a section for ‘Character’ and in Wirt Davis’ handwriting the quote is ‘An excellent soldier.’

On the back of this document -Captain Wirt Davis has also written ‘this soldier participated in the following Indian engagements, viz: - ++North Fork of the Red River, Texas, September 29, 1872. North Fork of the Powder River Wyoming Territory, November 25, 1876++. Then a few months later the form is signed below this…. ‘Fort Sill, I.T. May 7, 1877 Paid in full #4482.91 D. Taylor Paymaster U.S.A. [21]

Wray Wirt DAVIS Brigadier General, United States Army Birth: 28 MAY 1839 in Richmond, Virginia Death: 11 FEB 1914 in Washington, D. C. Burial: Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, D.C.[22]

The Battle of the North Fork of the Powder River in Wyoming Territory is extensively covered on http://www.wyohistory.org/essays/dull-knife-fight-1876-troops-attack-cheyenne-village-red-fork-powder-river . This battle was five months to the day after Custer and his men died at Little Big Horn. Col. Ranald Mackenzie led about 700 cavalry and 400 Indian scouts in an all-night march to attack the Cheyenne on the Red Fork, November 1976. The details include the death of Lieut. John McKinney who was recommended for bravery along with McNamara at North Fork of the Red River engagement. This little-known battle, referred to as the Dull Knife Fight or the Red Fork Battle, impacted the Cheyenne people during the Indian Wars even more than did the Little Bighorn fight. [23]

The fifth child born to William and Ellen was a son, James born March 22, 1878 in Texas.

On January 24, 1879 William McNamara asked for a leave and “was discharged upon his own application, by S.O.ch.4.es.AGO on account of the insanity of his wife whom he took to his people in Ireland, having her there she will not visit this country during his term of service. His service will therefore practically be that of an unmarried man.”

Above was written in the margin of William’s next re-enlistment dated September 12, 1879. It appears because of Williams request for a leave, when he returned in September of 1879, he requested to re-enlist for five more years. He had barely fulfilled two years of his last re-enlistment from 1877 when he had to go home to Ireland. This document is also an Oath of Enlistment and Allegiance. It is from the Post of Fort Clark, Texas. William states he is age forty-two. William is re-enlisting for another five years. Joseph H. Dorst is again the First Lieutenant and Adjunct for the Fourth Cavalry. The Assistant surgeon is a W.E. Meters. The Declaration of the Recruit is witnessed by a T.H. Forsyth – Sergeant Major 4th Cav.[24]

Anna McGuire remembers her Mother (Maryann McNamara) telling her about Grandpa Mac taking his family back to Ireland. “I remember my mother told us that when their Mother became ill, Grandfather sent the family to his family in Ireland and they came part way by covered wagon from Texas to get the train to N.Y. and then across the ocean to Ireland. I believe my mother stayed in Ireland at least eight years, when their Mother died, shortly there after they returned to N.Y. A year or so later James the youngest contracted a strange illness and died.” James date of death is December 21, 1887. [25] When William takes his family back to Ireland in the fall of 1879, his wife Ellen must have been pregnant with a sixth child as Belinda’s birth date is 15 February 1880 and she was baptized in Kilrusheighter, Sligo, Ireland. [26] County Sligo is adjacent to County Mayo, so William or Ellen’s family could have lived there. We know that my grandmother’s stepmother Sally Wood, was a longtime family friend and was from County Sligo. Anna McGuire said her mother Maryann McNamara McGuire and Sally Wood were best of friends but as ‘different as chalk and cheese.’

The next five years we assume that letters went back and forth from William to Ellen and the children. On **September 12, 1884. **William is now forty-seven years old. He has been living the life of a single soldier for five years. He re-enlists one last time for five more years. This is his 8th re-enlistment according to the documents received the National Archives. He is in Fort Apache, Arizona and is still in the Fourth Cavalry but is now in Troop ‘A’. George Dodd, First Lieutenant of the Third Cavalry is the recruiting officer. P.R. Egan is the First Lieutenant and Assistant Surgeon on the document. As on all previous re-enlistment documents William still has light hair, fair complexion, is five feet six and ½ inches tall and has blue eyes. This is the first time there is any written remark under ‘NOTE. - Scars or Marks found upon person of a Recruit will be here noted: It says, ‘Loss of the little finger of the right hand. (Married) No. of Children Six (6)’. The cover sheet from the National Archives that came with these enlistment documents has a hand-written list. At the end, it notes Retired August 8, 1887 as a First Sergeant and died March 16, 1912, NYC, NY.[27]

Catherine Gray, another second great-granddaughter of William’s through his son William, remembers seeing the medal in a drawer at her grandmother’s cottage near Friend’s Lake, New York. Her grandmother Katherine McNamara Varner received the medal from her father, William Jr. Catherine also remembers her grandmother telling her that William received the medal for fighting Geronimo and that he lost his pinky finger doing so. My grandmother, Marion McNamara Richman, who was Katherine McNamara Varner’s first cousin, told us that William was awarded the medal for bringing the troops to Custer’s aid, but they arrived too late. Even so, for their valiant effort, they were awarded the medals. Towards the end of William’s service, the 4th cavalry was assigned in the 1880’s to Utah Territory, Ft. Apache, Arizona and northern New Mexico where Geronimo was apprehended. We also know that through William’s participation in the Battle in Wyoming territory five months after Custer’s loss at Little Big Horn, there is some truth in these stories his granddaughters remember and passed along to their granddaughters. Catherine Gray’s first cousins Charlie and Patty Raymond received the medal from their mother.

We do not have exactly when the children returned from Ireland, however it must have been between William’s retirement date of August 1887 and December 21, 1887 when son James dies in New York at the age of nine. Upon their return to New York, the children are about the following ages; William Jr. 20, Maryann 18, Ellen 17, Thomas 15, James 9 and Belinda 7. Since writing this, a passenger list has been discovered with William and daughter Belinda dated 31 May 1892 – the ship ‘Ethiopia’. They are both US Citizens, Belinda is 11 ½ years old and the last residence is Sligo. William must have left Belinda with family and went back later to retrieve her. [28] This is an ongoing search as is information on the family in Mayo and Sligo.

William retired to New York City and was living with his son William on the 1900 census. By the 1910 census, he has moved to live with son Thomas. I can imagine him spending time with grandchildren, sharing stories of Indian fights and enjoying a retirement after years on horseback.

GAR – Grand Army of the Republic Roster from about 1893 list William McNamara on line D58. Occupation ‘Gentleman’ and entries for his regiments and enlistment dates during the Civil War.

Anna McGuire also wrote that ‘besides six discharges from U.S. Army Cavalry from 8161 to 1884 – not in sequence and very difficult to decipher’, she had ‘William McNamara’s U.S. Citizenship document dated August 9, 1892, State of New York, County of N.Y. Parchment very soiled and crumpled- very difficult to read. Also, I have the deed to William McNamara’s grave in Calvary Cemetery in N.Y. dated Dec.23, 1887. Grave #8 Plot D Section 12, Range 26. Cost $15.00 PD by WmMN.’

Contact the author at malstartz@outlook.com

[1] 1900C, NY, NY, Manhattan, ED0453, pg. 4, line 95, 1910C, NY, NY, Manhattan Ward 12 ED0683, pg. 11, line 21

[2] Register of Enlistment for William McNamara from the National Archives

[3] History of the Fourth Cavalry". quarterhorsecav.org. Retrieved 17 December 2015.

Heitman, Francis B. (1903). Historical register and dictionary of the United States Army: from its organization, September 29, 1789, to March 2, 1903 1 (1 ed.). p. 70. Retrieved17 December 2015. This is the unofficial work of a private compiler, purchased and published by direction of Congress

[4] Register of Enlistments National Archives for William McNamara and Patrick McNamara – Alphabetical listing, descriptive and historical register of enlisted soldiers US Army

[5] ‘The Fourth Regiment of Cavalry’ compiled by the office of the Military Service Institution, http://www.history.army.mil/books/R&H/R&H-4CV.htm

[6] Register of Enlistments National Archives for William McNamara and Patrick McNamara – Alphabetical listing, descriptive and historical register of enlisted soldiers US Army

[7] ‘The Most Promising Young Officer – A Life of Ranald Slidell Mackenzie’ by Michael D. Pierce pg. 66 (University of Oklahoma Press: Norman and London)

[8] Ibid. pg., 91

[9] ‘The Bad Hand a Biography of General Ranald S. Mackenzie’ Charles M. Robinson III pg. 55-56 (State House Press McMurry University: Abilene Texas)

[10] Register of Enlistment for William McNamara from the National Archives

[11] Robert G. Carter, On the Border with Mackenzie, or Winning West Texas from the Comanches (Washington: Eynon Printing, 1935). Ernest Wallace, Ranald S. Mackenzie on the Texas Frontier (Lubbock: West Texas Museum Association, 1964).

[12] ‘Ranald S. Mackenzie’s Official Correspondence Relating to Texas, 1871 – 1873’ Edited by Ernest Wallace, West Texas Museum Association Lubbock, Texas, 1967, pg. 141-148

[13] www.civilwar-online.com

[14] www.Civilwar.org

[15] Library of Congress

[16] www.civil-war-online.com

[17] www.civilwar.org

[18] www.wikiand.com

[19] ‘The Medal of Honor: Its History and Its Recipients for the Indian Wars’ John M. Carroll pg. 1-5, (J.M. Carroll & Company)

[20] Correspondence from Anna McGuire to Mary Anthony Long Startz 1990

[21] Register of Enlistment for William McNamara from the National Archives

[22] http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/wdavis.htm

[23] Greene, Jerome A. _Morning Star Dawn: The _Powder River Expedition_ and the Northern Cheyennes, 1876_. Vol. 2 of Campaigns and Commanders Series. Norman, Okla.: University of Oklahoma Press, 2003.

[24] Register of Enlistment for William McNamara from the National Archives

[25] Correspondence Anna McGuire to Mary Anthony Startz 1990

[26] Original data: Ireland Births and Baptisms, 1620–1911. Index. Salt Lake City, Utah: Family Search.

[27] Register of Enlistment for William McNamara from the National Archives

[28] Year: 1892; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: M237, 1820-1897; Microfilm Roll: Roll 590; Line: 52

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William McNamara Medal of Honor Recipient Indian Wars