Medal Of Honor Recipient – Indian Campaigns

Rank and Organization: Major, 1st U.S. Cavalry. Place and Date: At the Lava Beds, Calif., 17 January 1873. Entered Service At: Ohio. Birth: Germany. Date of Issue: 18 November 1897.

"In order to reassure his command, this officer, in the most fearless manner and exposed to very great danger, walked in front of the line; the command, thus encouraged, advanced over the lava upon the Indians who were concealed among the rocks."

Born In Germany, Nov. 20, 1825, he came to the United States at six years of age in 1831.

As Green grew older he was apprenticed to a carpenter on one occasion and to a cabinetmaker on another. It didn't "take." Then he and a friend enlisted in the Army in 1846. It was into one of those "regimental recruitments" of that day. The regiment was called the Mounted Rifles and was to proceed to Oregon Territory frontier service.

But the Mexican War diverted the regiment to the south and that area of hostilities. With his unit, Green took part in the battles of Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Cherubusco and Capultepec as well as the siege of Mexico City.

His regiment came out of that war commended by superiors including General Winfield Scott, and Green came out of it a Sergeant Major. It is clear that Green had found his niche. He was tall and of stately bearing. As he rose from recruit to senior sergeant of his regiment, he was known and respected for his pride and proficiency in army service.

National Association of Veterans of Mexican War Medal

He then saw duty in Texas, Kansas, Utah and at Fort Laramie. It was during his service at the latter post that the Civil War broke out and in 1861 he was ordered east to the Army of the Potomac. This involved a long 700 mile march to Fort Leavenworth and then on to Washington. On the way he was promoted to Captain of his company.

Green with his squadron first served with Franklin's corps. They then rejoined the Mounted Rifles and General McClellan in the fighting at Antietam after which he and his regiment were assigned to a regular brigade of cavalry under Stoneman for the famous raid through Virginia. Green then joined Pleasanton and was in the thickest of the fighting.

He was with General Scofield before Atlanta and in the battles of Jonesboro and Lovejoy's Station. Upon completing that assignment he was recommended for promotion and received a personal thanks from Lt. General U. S. Grant. At this point Green was recommended for brevet promotion to Brigadier General but the proposal died in committee in Washington.

After the war, Green served at several western outposts in Wyoming, Arizona, Oregon and Washington Territory. Shortly after that duty, Green was promoted to Major, commanding the First U. S. Cavalry Regiment.

It was in the Modoc war of northern California that he demonstrated the heroic leadership which, for those who knew him, was almost expected.

In the fall of 1872, the Modoc Indians had left their reservation, and efforts to coax them into returning to it had not been successful.

"The next step was an appeal by the agent, in the name of the Central Office in Washington, to the commanding officer at Fort Klamath to furnish a force sufficient to compel the Modocs to return to Camp Yainak. The commanding officer, Major John Green of the First U.S. Cavalry, had to comply, and detailed Captain Jackson with

about thirty men for the purpose. Jackson left Fort Klamath on November 28, 1872, and thus started the Modoc War."³ The inevitable confrontation occurred, shots were fired, with both sides blaming the other for firing the first shot.

"The Indians selected as their stronghold a stretch of country known as the Lava Beds, south of Tule Lake, a most inaccessible region. The Lava Beds comprise an intricate net of gorges, crests and crevices, amply supplied with water from Tule Lake, and covering a surface of four by seven miles."³

The next expedition against the Indians was started towards the middle of January. "While on this occasion many deeds of valor on the part of the troops came to light, the most conspicuous personage during the whole fight was Major John Green, the commander at Fort Klamath, whose conduct won the admiration of all who observed him."³

"Major Green commanded a line of skirmishers. As the battle ground was of such peculiar formation that an unbroken line of skirmishers would a few minutes later find itself split up in small detachments cut off from one another by impassable crevices and exposed to sudden flanking fire from an unseen enemy, extreme precaution was required to avoid disaster.

The rank and file, who felt their prey continuously slipping away from them, between their fingers, so to speak, while the hostile shots told only the more severely, were likely to lose heart and confidence in themselves. So it happened that, when the command came to advance, the men in some part of Major Green's line appeared none too eager to execute the orders; they had sustained severe losses without any visible counter effect upon the Indians, and the position then held was a sheltered one.

Major Green, seeing this, at once stepped forward and commenced walking coolly up and down, fully exposed to the enemy's fire, showing his men by his own example that the hostile bullets were not worthy of notice.

During the whole engagement he exposed himself with a recklessness that could not fail to impress his men."³ The soldiers were however out numbered and "this second effort to force the Modocs back to the Klamath Reservation had thus failed."³

It was determined that this time an attempt at a peaceful resolution would me made. A date, time, and setting for negotiations was set "Two Indian rogues, Bogus Charley and Boston Charley"³ had other ideas and the meeting was sabotaged. The end result left most of the peace party dead with the Indians retreating back to the Lava beds.

Such treachery could not go unpunished and the order to "attack without delay with all available forces"³ was given. "Major Green, ever ready, gathered in the utmost hurry all the available forces and hastened to the spot."³ Upon arrival he found that of the five line officers four had been killed, along with eighteen other men. Many others were seriously wounded. "Major Green rescued the wounded, among whom was also the surgeon of the party…Major Green had come in time.³

This latest battle invigorated the military and on May 2, fresh troops arrived. By the 3^rd of June, the last of the Indians had surrendered.

"During these last days of desperate fighting and pursuing it was again Major John Green who, in courage, zeal, instruction and intelligence, proved a model soldier, and impressed his men more than any other officer with the idea of absolute fearlessness. Self-protection and shelter were ever secondary in his mind to the accomplishment of what he had in view, and he richly deserved his Medal of Honor." ³

Green first became acquainted with Boise when he was assigned to Boise Barracks on July 1, 1877. He then was in and out of the city on numerous assignments. He returned to Boise in June, 1885 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, in command of the Second U. S. Cavalry.

Boise then remained his permanent post and he now called the city home. Not only was Green highly respected by his command but by civilian leaders as well. He was popular in Boise as well as on the post.

But now he had earned a rest. After forty-four years in the Army, he retired in 1889. He then arranged for American and European travels for himself and his family. He spent an extended time in Europe, which included a visit his old home in Germany.

After a final trip he returned to Boise early in 1908. On November 22 of that year he heard the clear notes of his last bugle call. His place of rest is a family mausoleum in Morris Hill Cemetery (Boise, Idaho) fittingly located next to Silent Camp and Field of Honor sections where veterans are buried.  

The record does not indicate that Major Green was one of the individuals who’s medal was withdrawn and then restored, nor is he listed as being one of the 19 Double Awardees. We do know however that he had two Medals of Honor, both engraved with the 17 January 1873, Lava Beds date. The second medal is pictured here.

Special thanks to the Idaho State Library and Archives and Idaho State Historical Museum for their assistance with this article. All of the medals shown here are located at the Idaho State Historical Museum but are not currently on display.

3.  Walter F. Beyer & Oscar F. Keydel, Deeds of Valor, How America’s Heroes Won The Medal Of Honor, The Perrien Keydel Company, Detroit MI, 1902, pages 171-179

VOLUNTEERS OF THE QUARTER

Ben joined the IMHS in October 1995 and immediately became indispensable. He brought in reference material and proceeded make repairs and restore donated military equipment, his specialty is radio equipment.

He restored the EE8 field phones currently on display in the Museum, which have been a bit hit with school groups.

He also ‘acquired’ the radio rack and he and Herb together developed the display. He also began docenting with his wife Joyce who joined the IMHS in February of this year.

When we first received access to Bld 924, our soon to be new home, Ben & Joyce participated in and also organized "GI parties" to get the building ready for the move.

In order properly display some of the uniforms in our collection, we need mannequins, both male and female.

Attempts to obtain them from surplus property or through the federal supply system have only resulted in CPR mannequins, clearly not what we need.

If you have one, or know some one who does, who would be willing to donate it to the Museum, please let us know.

O Ronald Eggleston   O Hugh Gray    O Ronald C. Jennings     O Charles F. Price

JUST IN CASE

If you misplaced the membership application you picked up at the Museum or if you haven’t had a chance to send in your renewal for 1999, here is your chance. Just clip the enclosed application and send it in with your TAX DEDUCTIBLE contribution. The form can also be used to make a donation or an endowment pledge. If you aren’t sure what your renewal date is, check the address label on your newsletter, it lists the month and year your renewal is due.