Eli Lundy Huggins (August 1, 1842 – October 22, 1929) was a

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officer who received 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 during the Indian Wars. He was born in Schuyler County, Illinois, and died in

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. After briefly attending

Hamline University Hamline University is a private liberal arts college in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Founded in 1854, Hamline is known for its emphasis on experiential learning, service, and social justice. The university is named after Bishop Leonidas Lent Hamline o ...

, Huggins dropped out and enlisted as a

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in the

2nd Minnesota Volunteer Infantry The 2nd Minnesota Infantry Regiment was a Minnesota USV infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service The 2nd Minnesota Infantry Regiment was organized at Fort Snelling, Minnesota and mustered in by com ...

in July 1861. He was promoted to corporal in 1862, and was captured at the

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, but released the following year. In March 1865, he was commissioned

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...

in the

1st Minnesota Heavy Artillery Regiment The 1st Minnesota Heavy Artillery Regiment was a Minnesota USV artillery regiment during the American Civil War. Service The 1st Minnesota Heavy Artillery Regiment mustered in at St. Paul, and Rochester, Minnesota, between November 1864 and F ...

, before mustering out the following September. Thanks to a recommendation by congressman William Windom, Huggins was commissioned as a

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of the 2nd Artillery Regiment in February 1866, and regained his wartime rank by the end of the year. While in the army, he attended Mankato Normal School now called Minnesota State University, Mankato from 1872 to 1875. He was then promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in April 1879. In October 1882 he was assigned as Assistant Inspector General in the

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. He was promoted to

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in January 1897, and served as aide-de-camp to general Nelson A. Miles until Miles' appointment as Commanding General of the Army. At the outbreak of the Spanish–American War, Huggins was appointed colonel of the 8th US Volunteer Infantry in May 1898. After the war he reverted to his pre-war rank and served with the 6th US Cavalry in the

Boxer Rebellion The Boxer Rebellion, also known as the Boxer Uprising, the Boxer Insurrection, or the Yihetuan Movement, was an anti-foreign, anti-colonial, and anti-Christian uprising in China between 1899 and 1901, towards the end of the Qing dynasty, by ...

. He was again promoted to colonel in November 1901 and received command of his old regiment, the 2nd Cavalry. He was finally promoted to brigadier general on February 22, 1903, and retired the next day. Following his retirement, Huggins became a real-estate investor in the Indian Territory. He was buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland, California.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Captain, 2nd U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: Near O'Fallons, Mont., April 1, 1880. Entered service at: Minnesota. Birth: Schuyler County, Ill. Date of issue: November 27, 1894.

Surprised the Indians in their strong position and fought them until dark with great boldness.

References

''Historical Register and Dictionary of the US Army''

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Huggins, Eli L. 1842 births 1929 deaths United States Army Medal of Honor recipients Union Army soldiers American Indian Wars recipients of the Medal of Honor Hamline University School of Law alumni People from Schuyler County, Illinois United States Army generals Minnesota State University, Mankato alumni Burials at Mountain View Cemetery (Oakland, California) Military personnel from Illinois