- William S. Harney
Infobox Military Person
name= William Selby Harney
born=
died=
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allegiance= United States of America Union
branch=United States Army Union Army
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battles=American Civil War Mexican-American War Indian Wars
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laterwork= .Early military career
Harney started his military career in 1818 as a second lieutenant in the
1st U.S. Infantry . He forced the pirateJean Lafitte to move his operations to the coast ofSpain . He served with distinction during theSeminole Wars and theBlackhawk War .During the
Mexican-American War he was appointedcolonel and commanded the 2ndDragoons . The 2nd Dragoons were attached toJohn E. Wool 's command during theChihuahua Expedition and theBattle of Buena Vista . Harney joinedWinfield Scott 's Army as senior cavalry officer Fighting with distinction at thebattle of Cerro Gordo he received a promotion to brevetbrigadier general . He was placed in command of Military Department Number 5 after the war. While on leave inParis he was recalled to lead an expedition against theSioux after theGrattan Massacre culminating in theBattle of Ash Hollow in 1855 . For his merciless handling of the battle he was known among the Sioux as "the Butcher" and "Woman Killer". He was then placed in command of the Department of Oregon. During this time he sent troops under CaptainGeorge E. Pickett toSan Juan Island precipitating thePig War . Due to these altercations with the British he was recalled. Briefly in command of troops during theUtah War he was again recalled and placed in command of troops sent to deal with theBleeding Kansas affair. Promoted to fullbrigadier general onJune 14 ,1858 he was one of four general officers in the regular army at the opening of the Civil War.Civil War
Harney commanded the Army's
Department of the West atJefferson Barracks inSt. Louis, Missouri at the beginning of the war. Missouri started the war as a "armed neutral" vowing not to send men or money to either side while at the same time remaining part of the Union. The neutrality was put to the test on May 10, 1861 when Union GeneralNathaniel Lyon paraded captured Missouri State Militia through the streets after he claimed they were attempting to seize theSt. Louis Arsenal for the Confederate cause. Lyon's troops fired on the crowd in what is called theCamp Jackson Affair . The incident so enraged the state that the members of the General Assembly voted the next day to authorize the state's militia (renamed theMissouri State Guard ) to fight any army north or south that attacked the state.Harney tried to calm the situation by striking a deal with the Missouri State Guard General
Sterling Price that Missouri could remain neutral (called thePrice-Harney Truce ). Missouri GovernorClaiborne Jackson (who favored secession) swore allegiance to the Union in the deal.Politically connected Lyon was not happy with the deal and Harney was called to the
Washington, DC to discuss the case. He was captured by Confederates en route and was offered a command by Confederate GeneralRobert E. Lee . He refused and was released to continue on to Washington, where he was relieved of his command and replaced by Lyon, who was to drive the elected governorClaiborne Jackson in a series of battles before being killed at theBattle of Wilson's Creek while pursuing the governor. Harney retired in 1863 and was breveted to Major General in 1865 in recognition of his long and distinguished career. President Lincoln said that the removal of General Harney was one of the greatest mistakes of his administration.Peace negotiator
Though a then-well-known cavalry officer of the Indian Wars, William Harney worked for peace with the Indians by advocating a good neighbor policy and strove throughout his career to improve the nation's treatment of the native population, vainly seeking to have them treated fairly. The Crows gave him the name "Man-who-runs-like-the-deer" after he challenged them to foot races outside the walls of the fort. After the Civil War he was a key figure in the Indian Peace Commission that negotiated treaties with all the Plains Indians in 1867-68, and urged Congress to honor past treaties. After his death in
Orlando, Florida , theSioux changed his name to "Man-who-always-kept-his-word".Crimes
Harney was known for having a particularly brutal streak. Harney commanded the US troops at the
Battle of Ash Hollow in 1855, which some view as a massacre rather than a battle, and which resulted in the killing of roughly 85 men, women and children. During the Indian Wars he was well known torape Indian girls at night and then hang them the next morning after he had taken his pleasure. [Reavis (pp. 8-12)] He was also court-martialed by the army four times, as well as tried in a civilian court in St. Louis, Missouri for bludgeoning a female slave to death — he fled the state when found guilty of the crime. [L. U. Reavis, "The Life of General Harney", pp. 8-12] In the Mexican-American war, he oversaw the execution of thirty members of theSan Patricio Battalion after theBattle of Chapultepec ; these were primarily Irish Catholic immigrants who had deserted the US army to fight for Mexico. While overseeing the hangings, Harney ordered Francis O’Conner hanged even though both his legs had been amputated the day before. When the army surgeon informed the colonel that the absent San Patricio had lost both his legs in battle, Harney, in a rage, replied: This incident was in violation of the articles of war requiring swift executions. [Hogan(1996)] He was never punished for his actions and was promoted to brigadier general shortly after, accompanying the commander in chief in a triumphal march in Mexico City.Home
Harney's home in
Sullivan, Missouri is privately owned by the Harney Mansion Foundation, a private organization which is seeking funds for the restoration of the structure. The Sullivan Chamber of Commerce cooperates with the foundation and can arrange visits to the home.Namesakes
*
Harney County, Oregon
*Harney Lake in Oregon
*Harney Peak inSouth Dakota
*Harney Gym located onFort Leavenworth, Kansas
*Lake Harney inCentral Florida north of Orlando nearSanford, Florida Footnotes
References
*Hogan, Michael. citeweb|url=http://chicago.indymedia.org/newswire/display/73967/index.php|title="Los San Patricios: The Irish Soldiers of Mexico"|publisher=
Indymedia |date=September 2006|accessdate=15 July|accessyear=2008
*L. U. Reavis, "The Life of General Harney"
* [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/HH/fha73.html Texas Handbook Online]
* [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~harney2/General/military.htm Military Career of Wm. S. Harney]
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