William Evans (Medal of Honor)

William Evans

An illustration of Corporal William Evans after the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
Born 1851
Annagh, Ireland
Died August 27, 1881(1881-08-27) (aged 30)
St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Place of burial Bellefontaine Cemetery
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service 1875–1881
Rank Corporal
Unit 7th U.S. Infantry
Battles/wars Indian Wars
Black Hills War
Awards Medal of Honor

William Evans (1851 – August 27, 1881) was an Irish-born soldier in the U.S. Army who served with the 7th U.S. Infantry during the Black Hills War. He participated in campaigns against the Sioux in the Montana Territory and, at Big Horn from July 9–14, 1876, volunteered to deliver critical dispatches between Generals George Crook and Alfred Terry. He later received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions.[1]

Biography

William Evans was born in Annagh, Ireland, in 1851. He later emigrated to the United States and enlisted in the U.S. Army in St. Louis, Missouri[2] on April 26, 1875. From there, Evans went to Newport, Kentucky where he was sent to the frontier with the 7th U.S. Infantry. Within a year, he would take part in actions against the Sioux in the Montana Territory during the Black Hills War. In the aftermath of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, he and two other soldiers, Pvts. Benjamin F. Stewart and James Bell, volunteered to carry important dispatches between Generals George Crook and Alfred Terry. There had been two previous attempts to get messages though, both unsuccessful, and Evans and his comrades had to pass through 100 miles of territory occupied by an estimated 2,000 Sioux and Cheyenne warriors. Between July 9–14, 1876, they traveled back and forth from Crook and Terry's camps. Hiding during the day and traveling at night, they were able to safely avoid Sioux war parties. For their actions, all three men received the Medal of Honor.[1] Evans remained in the military, reenlisting at Camp Baker on November 2, 1878 and promoted to the rank of corporal on November 30, 1880.[1][3] He died in St. Louis, Missouri on August 27, 1881, at age 30. He was buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Private, Company E, 7th U.S. Infantry. Place and date: At Big Horn, Mont., July 9, 1876. Entered service at: St. Louis, Mo. Birth: Ireland. Date of issue: December 2, 1876.

Citation:

Carried dispatches to Brig. Gen. Crook through a country occupied by Sioux.[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Rodenbough, Theophilus (1886). Uncle Sam's Medal of Honor: Some of the Noble Deeds For Which the Medal Has Been Awarded, Described By Those Who Have Won It, 1861–1866. New York and London: GP Putnam's Sons. p. 306.
  2. ↑ Sterner, C. Douglas (1999). "MOH Citation for William Evans". MOH Recipients: Indian Campaigns. HomeofHeroes.com.
  3. ↑ Rodenbough, Theophilus (1897). Sabre and Bayonet: Stories of Heroism and Military Adventure. New York: G.W. Dillingham & Co. p. 311.
  4. ↑ "Medal of Honor recipients". Indian War Campaigns. United States Army Center of Military History. June 8, 2009. Retrieved June 29, 2009.
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