Sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...

Nicholas "Sam" Foran (June 3, 1844 – September 29, 1927) was an American soldier in the U.S. Army who served with the 8th U.S. Cavalry during the

Apache Wars The Apache Wars were a series of armed conflicts between the United States Army and various Apache tribal confederations fought in the southwest between 1849 and 1886, though minor hostilities continued until as late as 1924. After the Mexic ...

. He was one of thirty-four men 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 gallantry in several engagements 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

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 ...

from August to October 1868.

Biography

Nicholas Foran was born in

County Waterford, Ireland County Waterford ( ga, Contae Phort Láirge) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Munster and is part of the South-East Region. It is named after the city of Waterford. Waterford City and County Council is the local authority for t ...

on June 3, 1844. He later emigrated to the United States and enlisted in the U.S. Army in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...

in 1867. Assigned to frontier duty with the 8th U.S. Cavalry, Foran participated in the

in the late-1860s. In the late summer and fall of 1868, Foran was part of a small cavalry detachment ordered to secure settlements and protect the

from

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 ...

raiding parties. From August to October, a group of 50–60 cavalry troopers from Companies B and L frequently fought the Apache during their patrols. Cavalrymen such as Foran experienced ambushes and sniper attacks from hidden ravines. After the campaign's end, he and thirty-four other men received the

for "bravery in scouts and actions against Indians". The award presentation, held on July 24, 1869, was one of the largest held at the time.Beyer, Walter F. and Oscar Frederick Keydel, ed. ''Deeds of Valor: From Records in the Archives of the United States Government; how American Heroes Won the Medal of Honor; History of Our Recent Wars and Explorations, from Personal Reminiscences and Records of Officers and Enlisted Men who Were Rewarded by Congress for Most Conspicuous Acts of Bravery on the Battle-field, on the High Seas and in Arctic Explorations''. Vol. 2. Detroit: Perrien-Keydel Company, 1906. (p. 145)Holt, Dean W. ''American Military Cemeteries: A Comprehensive Illustrated Guide to the Hallowed Grounds of the United States, including Cemeteries Overseas''. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland, 1992. (p. 294) Foran was later posted to Fort Whipple in Prescott, Arizona. In 1872, he was finally discharged from

Fort Union, New Mexico Fort Union National Monument is a unit of the National Park Service of the United States, and is located north of Watrous in Mora County, New Mexico. The national monument was founded on June 28, 1954. The site preserves the second of three ...

at the rank of

sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...

. Returning to Arizona, he worked the mines in the McCabe district for 35 years before permanently settling in Prescott. His home at 144 North Granite Street, which no longer exists, was opened to the poor and said to be a "haven for all". Foran died in Prescott on September 29, 1927, at the age of 83. He was interred at the

Prescott National Cemetery Prescott National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in the city of Prescott, in Yavapai County, Arizona. Administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, it encompasses , and has over 7,500 interments. Beginni ...

. His a biography of his life, in which he was praised as a "typical trail blazer and a Western pioneer", was published in the ''

Evening Courier Evening is the period of a day that starts at the end of the afternoon and overlaps with the beginning of night. The exact times when evening begins and ends depend on location, time of year, and culture, but it is generally regarded as beginni ...

'' three days after his death. On May 27, 1984, a new headstone officially recognizing Foran as an MOH recipient was placed at his gravesite. Although a special government project had started marking gravesites in 1976, it would take nearly 8 years before Foran was confirmed as an award recipient in the fall of 1983 by the Medal of Honor Historical Society in

Alexandria, Virginia Alexandria is an independent city (United States), independent city in the northern region of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of Downto ...

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Private, Company L, 8th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: Arizona, August to October 1868. Entered service at:------. Birth: Ireland. Date of issue: July 24, 1869. Citation:

Bravery in scouts and actions against Indians.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Foran, Nicholas 1844 births 1927 deaths Burials in Arizona Irish soldiers in the United States Army American military personnel of the Indian Wars United States Army Medal of Honor recipients Military personnel from County Waterford People from Prescott, Arizona United States Army soldiers Irish-born Medal of Honor recipients Irish emigrants to the United States American Indian Wars recipients of the Medal of Honor

Biography

Medal of Honor citation

See also

References

External links