Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

John Mosby Bacon (April 17, 1844 – March 19, 1913) was an American

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

of the

United States Volunteers United States Volunteers also known as U.S. Volunteers, U.S. Volunteer Army, or other variations of these, were military volunteers called upon during wartime to assist the United States Army but who were separate from both the Regular Army and the ...

. He fought in the Battle of Sugar Point, October 5, 1898.

Career

John M. Bacon was born in Kentucky on April 17, 1844."Col. John M. Bacon" He began his military career as a volunteer serving with the 4th Kentucky Cavalry during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, and reached the rank of major. In 1866 he was appointed captain with the Ninth Cavalry. He was twice brevetted, once for "meritorious service" at the

Battle of Resaca The Battle of Resaca, from May 13 to 15, 1864, formed part of the Atlanta Campaign during the American Civil War, when a Union force under William Tecumseh Sherman engaged the Confederate Army of Tennessee led by Joseph E. Johnston. The battle ...

(May 1864), and once more for "gallant service in Texas Indian campaigns." From September 9, 1890, until November 17, 1894, Bacon, then a major with the Seventh Cavalry, was an acting inspector-general.

Battle of Sugar Point

In 1898, General Bacon was stationed in

Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County, Minnesota, Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississip ...

, as the commanding officer of the Department of the Dakotas; he had carte blanche to deal with Indian troubles as he saw fit. In addition to the 3rd US Infantry Regiment, he also had cavalry troops nearby. In September 1898, responding to reports of an imminent outbreak of unrest among the Pillager Band of Chippewa Indians, General Bacon sent twenty men to Lake Leech,

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

. He followed by rail with 80 enlisted men of the 3rd United States Infantry. Bacon and his men landed on Bear Island on October 5 at 5 am; according to the general, a gun fired by accident prompted hostilities at 11:30 am. Early reports published in the media the next day said that a massacre had occurred and that Bacon was among the dead; a headline in '' The Deseret News'' stated that "General Bacon and One Hundred Soldiers ereReported Killed." Those news accounts were inaccurate. Later in the day on October 6, news reports stated that Bacon's command was deemed "probably safe," and on October 7 ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' reported that Bacon and most of his men were safe at Walker, Minnesota. The ''Times'' account said that Bacon reported that "he has the Pillager band whipped, and that there is no need for further reinforcements.""Bacon Safe" col. 1. Still, ''

The Washington Observer ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in En ...

'' reported as late as October 10 that Bacon had been killed, with his men, in a massacre. In reality, the event was a major defeat for the U.S. Army, but only one officer and six men were killed. Despite his earlier insistence that reinforcements were not necessary, on October 11 Bacon asked for troops to be sent from the 4th and 7th Infantry, and warned the Indians that thousands of men would follow them unless they surrendered those who were wanted by the federal government."General Bacon Warns Indians." At the end of the month, Company G of the Third Regiment established Camp Bacon in Walker.Annual report pp. 21-25.

Retirement, death and legacy

He retired at his own request on May 8, 1899.''Who Was Who'' He died in

Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...

on March 19, 1913.

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * *Marquis Who's Who, Inc. ''Who Was Who in American History, the Military''. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1975. P. 22

External links