John William (or Wilkinson) Heard (March 27, 1860 – February 4, 1922) was a

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

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 ...

who was a recipient of 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 valo ...

for valor in action on July 23, 1898, near Bahia Honda,

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

Early life and education

Heard was born on Woodstock Plantation, near

Senatobia, Mississippi Senatobia is a city in, and the county seat of, Tate County, Mississippi, United States, and is the 16th largest municipality in the Memphis Metropolitan Area. The population was 8,165 at the 2010 census. Senatobia is the home of Northwest Mis ...

. He was appointed to

West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...

, graduating with the class of 1883. Several of his fellow classmates would go on to become general officers in their careers, such as Charles W. Kennedy,

George H. Cameron Major General George Hamilton Cameron (January 8, 1861 – January 28, 1944) was a United States Army officer who had a military career spanning over forty years, at the end of which he attained the rank of major general. Despite serving in numero ...

, Harry C. Hale, George W. Read,

Lawrence Tyson Lawrence Davis Tyson (July 4, 1861August 24, 1929) was an American general, politician and textile manufacturer, operating primarily out of Knoxville, Tennessee, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As s btigadier general, he commanded ...

, Ira A. Haynes,

Samson L. Faison Samson Lane Faison (November 29, 1860 – October 17, 1940) was a brigadier general in the United States Army who commanded the 30th Infantry Division (United States), 30th Infantry Division at various times during World War I. He received t ...

, William C. Langfitt, Robert D. Walsh,

Omar Bundy Major General Omar Bundy (June 17, 1861 – January 20, 1940) was a career United States Army officer who was a veteran of the American Indian Wars, Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, Pancho Villa Expedition, and World War I. A n ...

, Charles G. Morton, Tyree R. Rivers, John W. Ruckman,

Isaac Littell Isaac William Littell (5 December 1857 – 1 May 1924) was a United States Army brigadier general. He was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal for meritorious and distinguished service during World War I. Specifically, Littell was honore ...

and Clarence R. Edwards.

During the Spanish–American War

Heard deployed to

as part of the 3rd US Cavalry. He departed

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

with his unit and 40-50 Cuban soldiers aboard the wooden fruit transport ''Wanderer'', landing near the mouth of the Mani-Mani River near Bahia Hondo, west of

Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

. A force of nearly 1,000 Spanish Cavalry charged Heard's vastly outnumbered force as they were unloading supplies on the beach. Heard's command of his men halted the Spanish force's charge and caused them to fall back. Heard successfully regrouped his men and had them reboard their ship, evacuating all of his soldiers and wounded, leaving no one behind. Lieutenant Heard was awarded the

on June 21, 1899, for his actions at the Battle of Mani-Mani.

During World War I

He was promoted to brigadier general in the National Army on October 1, 1918. He commanded the Hawaiian Department.

Postwar career

In June 1919, Heard reverted to his permanent rank of

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

. Prior to the war, he had commanded the

8th Cavalry Regiment The 8th Cavalry Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army formed in 1866 during the American Indian Wars. The 8th Cavalry continued to serve under a number of designations, fighting in every other major U.S. conflict since, except Worl ...

, the

5th Cavalry Regiment The 5th Cavalry Regiment ("Black Knights") is a historical unit of the United States Army that began its service on August 3, 1861, when an act of Congress enacted "that the two regiments of dragoons, the regiment of mounted riflemen, and the t ...

and then the

4th Cavalry Regiment The 4th Cavalry Regiment is a United States Army cavalry regiment, whose lineage is traced back to the mid-19th century. It was one of the most effective units of the Army against American Indians on the Texas frontier. Today, the regiment exis ...

. After the war, Heard commanded the

9th Cavalry Regiment The 9th Cavalry Regiment is a parent cavalry regiment of the United States Army. It is not related to the 9th Kansas Cavalry Regiment of the Union Army. Historically, it was one of the Army's four segregated African-American regiments and was pa ...

at Camp Stotsenburg in the Philippines from September 1919 to November 1920. Returning to the United States, he commanded the

14th Cavalry Regiment The 14th Cavalry Regiment is a cavalry regiment of the United States Army. It has two squadrons that provide reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition for Stryker brigade combat teams. Constituted in 1901, it has served in conflicts ...

Fort Sam Houston Fort Sam Houston is a U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas. "Fort Sam Houston, TX • About Fort Sam Houston" (overview), US Army, 2007, webpageSH-Army. Known colloquially as "Fort Sam," it is named for the U.S. Senator from Texas, U.S. Represen ...

from December 1920 to January 1922.

Medal of Honor citation

"For extraordinary heroism on 23 July 1898, while serving with 3d U.S. Cavalry, in action at Bahia Honda, Cuba. After two men had been shot down by Spaniards while transmitting orders to the engine-room on the ''Wanderer'', the ship having become disabled, First Lieutenant Heard took the position held by them and personally transmitted the orders, remaining at his post until the ship was out of danger."

Other awards and honors

He was recognized by Hawaii's legislature for his services upon retirement.

Family and personal life

He married Mildred Jewell Townsend of New York City on June 3, 1886. Together, they had five sons.

Death and legacy

He died on February 4, 1922, in New Orleans. Heard and his wife were buried at the

West Point Cemetery West Point Cemetery is a historic cemetery in the eastern United States, on the grounds of the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York. It overlooks the Hudson River, and served as a burial ground for Revolutionary War soldiers and ear ...

References

External links

US Army Pacific Bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heard, John William 1860 births 1922 deaths People from Senatobia, Mississippi United States Military Academy alumni Military personnel from Mississippi American military personnel of the Spanish–American War United States Army Medal of Honor recipients Spanish–American War recipients of the Medal of Honor American military personnel of the Philippine–American War United States Army generals of World War I United States Army generals Burials at West Point Cemetery