Chiquito was a

United States Army Indian scout Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Native Americans have made up an integral part of U.S. military conflicts since America's beginning. Colonists recruited Indian allies during such instances as the Pequot War from 1634–1638, the American Rev ...

and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

—for his actions in the

Indian Wars The American Indian Wars, also known as the American Frontier Wars, and the Indian Wars, were fought by European governments and colonists in North America, and later by the United States and Canadian governments and American and Canadian settle ...

of the

western United States The Western United States (also called the American West, the Far West, and the West) is the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. As American settlement in the U.S. expanded westward, the meaning of the term ''the Wes ...

. He was chief of a band of the Pinal Coyotero, and a petty chief of the

Apache The Apache () are a group of culturally related Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States, which include the Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, Mimbreño, Ndendahe (Bedonkohe or Mogollon and Nednhi or Carrizaleño an ...

. Chiquito was awarded the Medal of Honor on April 12, 1875 for his " llant conduct during campaigns and engagements with

s" in the "winter of 1871-73 ic.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Indian Scouts. Place and date: Winter of 1871-73. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Arizona. Date of issue: April 12, 1875. Citation:

Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

In 1980 the star-shaped planchette from Chiquito's Medal of Honor was found in the Arizona desert.

References

United States Army Indian Scouts Native American people of the Indian Wars United States Army Medal of Honor recipients Native American United States military personnel United States Army soldiers Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown Apache Wars American Indian Wars recipients of the Medal of Honor {{US-army-bio-stub

Medal of Honor citation

See also

References