Francis Oliver (c. 1832 – July 28, 1880) was an American soldier in the
U.S. Army who served with the
1st U.S. Cavalry
The 1st Cavalry Regiment is a United States Army regiment that has its antecedents in the early 19th century in the formation of the United States Regiment of Dragoons. To this day, the unit's special designation is "First Regiment of Dragoon ...
during the
Indian Wars. He was one of thirty-two men received the
Medal of Honor for gallantry against the
Apache Indians
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 and ...
in the
Chiricahua Mountains, later known as the "Campaign of the Rocky Mesa", on October 20, 1869.
Biography
Francis Oliver was born in
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was ...
in about 1832. Enlisting in the
U.S. Army at
Fort Fillmore, New Mexico, he was assigned to frontier duty with the
1st U.S. Cavalry
The 1st Cavalry Regiment is a United States Army regiment that has its antecedents in the early 19th century in the formation of the United States Regiment of Dragoons. To this day, the unit's special designation is "First Regiment of Dragoon ...
and eventually reached the rank of
first sergeant. Oliver saw action against 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 ...
in the
Arizona Territory
The Territory of Arizona (also known as Arizona Territory) was a territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863, until February 14, 1912, when the remaining extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of ...
during the late 1860s, most notably, during the "Campaign of the Rocky Mesa" in late 1869. He was among the members of the 1st and 8th Cavalry, under the commands of Lieutenant William H. Winters and Captain
Reuben F. Bernard
Reuben Frank Bernard (1834 – November 17, 1903) was an American Brigadier General.
Early life
Bernard was born in rural Hawkins County, Tennessee to John Bernard Sr. and Mary Morelock Bernard. He was the eldest boy of 14 brothers and sisters, ...
, who pursued an Apache raiding party led by
Cochise that had massacred a stage coach en route to
Tucson and attacked a group of cowboys in the
Sulphur Springs Valley
The Sulphur Springs Valley is a valley in the eastern half of Cochise County, Arizona. The valley covers an approximated vertical rectangle west of the Chiricahua Mountains–Dos Cabezas Mountains complex. The Sulphur Springs Valley is the larg ...
on October 5, 1868. The cavalry detachment pursued the Apache to Cochise's stronghold in the
Chiricahua Mountains where they did battle on October 20, 1869. Oliver led a group of troopers during the fight and was cited for bravery in action. He was among the 32 soldiers who received the
Medal of Honor on February 14, 1870.
[Nunnally, Michael L. ''American Indian Wars: A Chronology of Confrontations Between Native Peoples and Settlers and the United States Military, 1500s-1901''. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland, 2007. ] Oliver died in
Lewiston, Idaho
Lewiston is a city and the county seat of Nez Perce County, Idaho, United States, in the state's north central region. It is the second-largest city in the northern Idaho region, behind Coeur d'Alene, and ninth-largest in the state. Lewiston is ...
on July 28, 1880, and buried in Normal Hill Cemetery.
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: First Sergeant, Company G, 1st U.S. Cavalry Place and date: At Chiricahua Mountains, Ariz., 20 October 1869. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Baltimore, Md. Date of issue: 14 February 1870.
Citation:
Bravery in action.
See also
*
List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Indian Wars
References
Further reading
*Konstantin, Phil. ''This Day in North American Indian History: Important Dates in the History of North America's Native Peoples for Every Calendar Day''. New York: Da Capo Press, 2002.
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oliver, Francis
1830s births
1880 deaths
United States Army Medal of Honor recipients
Military personnel from Baltimore
United States Army soldiers
American Indian Wars recipients of the Medal of Honor