Will Croft Barnes (June 21, 1858 – December 17, 1936), a private in the
U.S. Army Signal Corps
)
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, was distinguished for his action in the battle at
Fort Apache,
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 ...
on September 11, 1881. When Fort Apache was besieged by warriors of
Geronimo
Geronimo ( apm, Goyaałé, , ; June 16, 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a prominent leader and medicine man from the Bedonkohe band of the Ndendahe Apache people. From 1850 to 1886, Geronimo joined with members of three other Central Apache ba ...
, Barnes escaped and rode to
Fort Thomas. Soldiers from Fort Thomas came to the aid of Fort Apache. For his gallantry, Barnes 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. ...
on November 8, 1882, the citation noting his "bravery in action."
Biography
He was born on June 21, 1858, and was the author of ''Arizona Place Names'' and associate editor of ''
Arizona Historical Review
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 ...
,'' both published by the University of Arizona Press. He joined the Army from
Washington, D.C.
)
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in July 1879, and was discharged with the rank of Sergeant in July 1883.
After leaving military service, Barnes worked as a rancher in Arizona, and served in the legislatures of Arizona Territory. He also wrote several books.
Beginning in 1907 he served for twenty-one years in the
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency inc ...
. In this capacity he and a companion traveled across southern
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
to round up the last of the
Longhorn cattle, thus saving the breed from extinction. The Longhorns were shipped to the
Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge
Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, located in southwestern Oklahoma near Lawton, has protected unique wildlife habitats since 1901 and is the oldest managed wildlife facility in the United States Fish and Wildlife Service system. The refuge's l ...
in
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
.
He was born in
San Francisco, California
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
, and entered the service at
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
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He died in
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...
, and is buried with his wife Elizabeth Talbot (1873–1964) at
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 ...
, in
Arlington, Virginia
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the District of Columbia, of which it was once a part. The county is ...
.
Namesake
The U.S. Army Reserve Center in
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
,
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 ...
and the
Fort Huachuca
Fort Huachuca is a United States Army installation, established on 3 March 1877 as Camp Huachuca. The garrison is now under the command of the United States Army Installation Management Command. It is in Cochise County in southeast Arizona, appr ...
Field House are named in his honor. Two memorial plaques were dedicated to him in
Papago Park
Papago Park () is a municipal park of the cities of Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona, United States. It has been designated as a Phoenix Point of Pride.
It includes Hunt's Tomb, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Description
...
designating Barnes Butte.
See also
*
List of Medal of Honor recipients
The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. The recipient must have distinguished themselves at the risk of their ...
References
*
Further reading
* ''Apaches & Longhorns: The Reminiscences of Will C. Barnes'', Will Croft Barnes, Frank Cummins Lockwood, University of Arizona Press, 1982.
* ''Arizona Place Names'', William Croft Barnes, Byrd H Granger, University of Arizona Press, 1987.
* "The Cowboy and His Songs", Will Croft Barnes, ''
Saturday Evening Post
''The Saturday Evening Post'' is an American magazine, currently published six times a year. It was issued weekly under this title from 1897 until 1963, then every two weeks until 1969. From the 1920s to the 1960s, it was one of the most widely c ...
'', June 27, 1925.
* ''Tales from the X-bar Horse Camp: The Blue-roan "outlaw" and Other Stories'', Will Croft Barnes, Breeders' Gazette, 1920.
* ''Western Grazing Grounds and Forest Ranges: A History of the Live-stock Industry as Conducted on the Open Ranges of the Arid West'', Will Croft Barnes, The Breeder's gazette, 1913.
* "Will Barnes and 'The Cowboy's Sweet By and By'," John Irwin White, in ''Git Along, Little Dogies: Songs and Songmakers of the American West'', University of Illinois Press, 1975.
External links
*
*
*
Will C. Barnes: Soldier, Cowboy, Author and Storyteller. Marshall Trimble, ''True West'' magazine, April 11, 2018.
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barnes, Will Croft
1858 births
1936 deaths
American people of the Indian Wars
United States Army Medal of Honor recipients
Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
People from San Francisco
United States Army soldiers
American Indian Wars recipients of the Medal of Honor