Nathan Augustus Monroe Dudley (August 20, 1825 – April 29, 1910) was a soldier who served as a

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 of ...

of Volunteers and sometimes as an acting

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 ...

of Volunteers for the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

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 ...

. He later served in the

New Mexico Territory The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912. It was created from the U.S. provisional government of New Mexico, as a result of ''Santa Fe de Nuevo México ...

Early military career

Dudley led the 30th Massachusetts Volunteers and spent time as an aide to

Nathaniel Prentice Banks Nathaniel Prentice (or Prentiss) Banks (January 30, 1816 – September 1, 1894) was an American politician from Massachusetts and a Union general during the Civil War. A millworker by background, Banks was prominent in local debating societies, ...

, Major General of Volunteers and commander of the XIX Corps. At the beginning of the War he was serving as a regular army captain, commanding Company E of the 10th U.S. Infantry Regiment. On January 19, 1865,

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

nominated Dudley for the award of the honorary grade of

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

of volunteers to rank from the same date, January 19, 1865, and the

U.S. Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

confirmed the award on February 14, 1865.Eicher, John H., and

David J. Eicher David John Eicher (born August 7, 1961) is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of ''Astronomy'' magazine since 2002. He is author, coauthor, or editor of 23 books on science and American ...

, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . p. 744 After the war he reverted to his regular rank and transferred to the Third U. S. Cavalry. He eventually was promoted to Lt. Colonel of the Ninth Cavalry and finally to Colonel of the First U. S. Cavalry. He spent much of his career on the Indian frontier and did much good service which has been somewhat overshadowed by his part in the

Lincoln County War The Lincoln County War was an Old West conflict between rival factions which began in 1878 in Lincoln County, New Mexico Territory, the predecessor of the state of New Mexico, and continued until 1881. The feud became famous because of the pa ...

. He was well-liked by his men but often not so well-liked by his fellow officers. He was convicted at two Courts-Martial of offenses that could have ended his career, and Colonel Hatch of the Ninth Cavalry tried to get Dudley retired as being unfit for service due to alcohol. Dudley, however, had friends in high places.

Lincoln County War

Dudley's part in the

of 1877–1879 in

is at best controversial and at worst despicable and incompetent. He was the commanding officer of the local

Fort Stanton Fort Stanton was a United States Army fort near Lincoln, New Mexico. Army Fort It was built in 1855 by the 1st Dragoon and the 3rd and 8th Infantry Regiments to serve as a base of military operations against the Mescalero Apaches. Numerous cam ...

. Despite orders not to interfere in civilian matters, he did, nominally to protect civilians, but in fact, he seems to have favored the Murphy-Dolan faction throughout the

range war A range war or range conflict is a type of usually violent conflict, most commonly in the 19th and early 20th centuries in the American West. The subject of these conflicts was control of "open range", or range land freely used for cattle grazing, ...

. Attempts to have him removed as commander went all the way to the

Secretary of War The secretary of war was a member of the U.S. president's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War", had been appointed to serve the Congress of the ...

, but were refused.

Susan McSween Susan McSween (née Hummer; December 30, 1845 – January 3, 1931) was a prominent cattlewoman of the 19th century, once called the "Cattle Queen of New Mexico", and the widow of Alexander McSween, a leading factor in the Lincoln County War, who w ...

, the wife of one of the key participants,

Alexander McSween Alexander McSween (June 15, 1837 — July 19, 1878) was a prominent figure during the Lincoln County War of the Old West, and a central character, alongside John Tunstall, in opposing businessmen and gunmen Lawrence Murphy and James Dolan. Earl ...

, had charges filed in 1879 against Dudley. Dudley was removed by General Hatch as commander on March 7, 1879, and a court of inquiry into his actions was commissioned. In July 1879, the inquiry ruled that a court martial against Dudley was not justified, and Dudley was transferred to Fort Union, also in New Mexico Territory. In November 1879 Dudley was also found not guilty in his trial for an

arson Arson is the crime of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, wat ...

, a crime committed during the Battle of Lincoln. Susan McSween's husband, Alexander, was shot and killed while unarmed, and in the presence of Col. Dudley, while McSween was fleeing the burning house.

Subsequent career

Towards the end of his career, he assisted Colonel

George Buell George Pearson Buell (October 4, 1833 – May 31, 1883) was an American civil engineer and soldier. He served as a Union Army general during the American Civil War, and remained in the United States Army following the conflict. Early life an ...

's expedition 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 ...

chief

Victorio Victorio (Bidu-ya, Beduiat; ca. 1825–October 14, 1880) was a warrior and chief of the Warm Springs band of the Tchihendeh (or Chihenne, often called Mimbreño) division of the central Apaches in what is now the American states of Texas, New ...

, which indirectly led to Victorio's death at the hands of the Mexican army. In 1887, as a colonel of the 1st Cavalry, he helped suppress the

rebellion Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority. A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...

on the

Crow A crow is a bird of the genus ''Corvus'', or more broadly a synonym for all of ''Corvus''. Crows are generally black in colour. The word "crow" is used as part of the common name of many species. The related term "raven" is not pinned scientifical ...

reservation, during which the leader of a faction of the Crow, Sword Bearer, was killed. Promoted in 1904, during his retirement, to regular army brigadier general, Dudley died in 1910, aged 84, and was interred in

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...

under an ornate tombstone of his own design.

Notes

References

* Eicher, John H., and

, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. .

External links

Chronology of Billy the Kid and the Lincoln County War
part of

reproduced at the

United States Army Center of Military History The United States Army Center of Military History (CMH) is a directorate within the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command. The Institute of Heraldry remains within the Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Arm ...

"Buell's expedition against Victorio"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dudley, Nathan Union Army colonels People of the New Mexico Territory 1825 births 1910 deaths Lincoln County Wars United States Army officers Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Place of birth missing Place of death missing