Yuma William "Bill" Rowdy ( 1862March 29, 1893) was a

United States Army Indian scout Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Native Americans have made up an integral part of U.S. military conflicts since America's beginning. Colonists recruited Indian allies during such instances as the Pequot War from 1634–1638, the American Rev ...

and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—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 his actions during the Cherry Creek Campaign 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 ...

Military service

Rowdy, a

Yavapai The Yavapai are a Native American tribe in Arizona. Historically, the Yavapai – literally “people of the sun” (from ''Enyaava'' “sun” + ''Paay'' “people”) – were divided into four geographical bands who identified as separate, i ...

, was a

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 ...

in Company A of the Indian Scouts. He was involved in an engagement in

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

on March 7, 1890, and was awarded the Medal of Honor two months later, on May 15, 1890, for his " avery in heaction with

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 ...

Indians." Rowdy was killed in a brothel in

Miami, Arizona Miami (Western Apache: Goshtłʼish Tú) is a town in Gila County, Arizona, United States. Miami is a classic Western copper boom-town. Miami's old downtown has been partly renovated, and the Bullion Plaza Museum features the cultural, minin ...

, three years after earning the medal and was buried in

Santa Fe National Cemetery Santa Fe National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery in the city of Santa Fe, in Santa Fe County, New Mexico. It encompasses , and as of 2021, had 68,000 interments. Administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, it ...

Santa Fe, New Mexico Santa Fe ( ; , Spanish for 'Holy Faith'; tew, Oghá P'o'oge, Tewa for 'white shell water place'; tiw, Hulp'ó'ona, label=Tiwa language, Northern Tiwa; nv, Yootó, Navajo for 'bead + water place') is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. ...

, with full military honors. His grave is in section A, grave 894.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company A, Indian Scouts. Place and date: Arizona, March 7, 1890. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Arizona. Date of issue: May 15, 1890. Citation:

Bravery in action with Apache Indians.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rowdy, Y. B. 1893 deaths United States Army Indian Scouts Native American people of the Indian Wars United States Army Medal of Honor recipients Native American United States military personnel United States Army soldiers Apache Wars American Indian Wars recipients of the Medal of Honor Year of birth missing Yavapai

Military service

Medal of Honor citation

See also

References

External links