William Allen (soldier)

Infobox Military Person
name= William Allen
born= 1845
died= death date and age|1882|1|8|1836|1|1
placeofbirth= Brightstown, New York or Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
placeofdeath= Fort Mojave, Arizona
placeofburial=San Francisco National Cemetery


caption=
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America
branch= United States Army
serviceyears=1865–1882
rank=First Lieutenant
commands=
unit=29th Pennsylvania Volunteers 23rd U.S. Infantry 12th U. S. Infantry
battles= American Civil War Indian Wars
awards=Medal of Honor
laterwork=

William Allen (1845-January 8, 1882) was a U.S. Army soldier who fought during the Indian Wars in the post-American Civil War period. Serving under Lieutenant Colonel George Crook, he participated in expeditions against the Apache in the Arizona Territory throughout the 1870s. He was one of four men who received the Congressional Medal of Honor for the Battle of Turret Peak against the Yavapai Apaches in 1873.

Biography

Born either in Brightstown, New Yorkcite book| last = Thrapp | first = Dan L. | title = Encyclopedia of Frontier Biography In Three Volumes Volume 1, A-F| origyear = 1991| publisher = University of Nebraska Press| location = Lincoln, Nebraska| isbn = 0803294182| pages = p. 16] cite web |url=http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/indianwars.html |title=Medal of Honor Recipients: Indian Wars Period - William Allen |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2007-07-16 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=U.S. Army Center of Military History |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] or Philadelphia, Pennsylvaniacite book| last = Heitman | first = Francis B. | title = Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army From Its Organization September 29, 1789 To March 2, 1903| origyear = 1903| url = http://books.google.com/books?id=6RLMX6OOgsAC&printsec=frontcover#PPA160,M1| accessdate = 2008-04-21| publisher = Government Printing Office| location = Washington, DC| pages = p. 160] cite book| last = Altshuler | first = Constance Wynn | title = Cavalry Yellow and Infantry Blue: Army Officers in Arizona Between 1851 and 1886| origyear = 1991| publisher = Arizona Historical Society| location = Tucson, Arizona|isbn = 0910037280| pages = p. 7] , Allen enlisted as a private into the 29th Pennsylvania Volunteers on August 15, 1864, and served through Sherman's March to the Sea, until June 7, 1865. In August, 1865, he enlisted in the Regular Army at Lansingburgh, New York and was assigned to the 23rd U.S. Infantry. [cite book| last = Powell | first = William H. | title = List of Officers of the Army of the United States From 1779 to 1900| origyear = 1900| url = http://books.google.com/books?id=KogDAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&lr=#PRA1-PA159,M1| accessdate = 2008-04-21| publisher = L R Hamersly| location = New York| pages = p. 159] Eventually reaching the rank of first sergeant, he was part of the Lieutenant Colonel George Crook's campaign against the Apache during the early 1870s. On March 27, 1873, he took part in a major engagement against the Yavapai Apaches at Turret Peak, Arizona, only 20 miles south of Camp Verde. He, along with Captain George M. Randall, led a successful surprise attack and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for "gallantry in action". [Field, Ron. "US Infantry in the Indian Wars, 1865-91". Westminister, Maryland: Osprey Publishing, 2007. (pg. 17) ISBN 1-84176-905-3] [cite web |url=http://www.homeofheroes.com/gravesites/states/pages_af/allen_william.html |title=MOH Recipient William Allen |accessdate=2008-06-27 |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2003 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Homeofheroes.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] He officially received the medal on April 12, 1875, two years after the battle.

In October, 1873, Allen was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the 12th U. S. Infantry, and was promoted to First Lieutenant in December, 1880. He died of "inflammation of the bowel" at Fort Mojave, Arizona on January 8, 1882, although his tombstone places the date exactly ten years later in 1892cite web |url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=23251 |title=William Allen |accessdate=2008-06-27 |work=Find a Grave |publisher= |date= ] . His remains were eventually buried in the San Francisco National Cemetery.

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Indian Wars

References

Persondata
NAME= William Allen
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Indian Wars Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH= 1845
PLACE OF BIRTH= Brightstown, New York or Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
DATE OF DEATH= January 8, 1882
PLACE OF DEATH= Fort Mojave, Arizona