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Neil Bancroft

January 28, 2023

Neil Bancroft (1846–1901) was an American soldier in the U.S. Army who served with the 7th U.S. Cavalry during the Black Hills War. In 1878, he was one of 22 soldiers who received the Medal of Honor at the Battle of the Little Bighorn and who carried water "under a most galling fire" from the Little Bighorn River to the wounded soldiers on Reno Hill.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]

Neil Bancroft
Born1846
Oswego, New York
DiedMay 14, 1901(1901-05-14) (aged 54–55)
Highland Falls, New York
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1873–1878
RankPrivate
Unit7th U.S. Cavalry
Battles/warsIndian Wars
Black Hills War
AwardsMedal of Honor

Bancroft left military service two months before the men of his regiment were issued the award. His medal was returned to the War Department because of this and, consequently, he remained unaware that he was an MOH recipient. When it was finally decided to locate him years later, it was found that Bancroft had died.[3]

Biography

Neil Bancroft was born in Oswego, New York in 1846. At age 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Army in Chicago on September 20, 1873. Sent to the frontier, he was assigned to Troop A of the 7th U.S. Cavalry then under the command of George Armstrong Custer. He saw action during the Black Hills War and, during the Battle of the Little Bighorn in June 1876, he was among the many soldiers who carried water "under a most galling fire" from the Little Bighorn River to the wounded soldiers at the Reno-Benteen site for much of the engagement. All of the Little Bighorn water carriers received the Medal of Honor for their "extraordinary bravery" on October 5, 1878.[1][2][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] Bancroft, however, had left the service two months earlier and his medal was simply returned to the War Department. Throughout his life, Bancroft was unaware that he had received the nation's highest honor. By the time the government tracked down Bancroft to officially issue his medal, it was discovered he had died.[3] His medal was eventually put on display in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. where it remains to the present day.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Private, Company A, 7th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Little Big Horn, Mont., June 25, 1876. Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Birth: Oswego, N.Y. Date of issue: October 5, 1878.

Citation:

Brought water for the wounded under a most galling fire.[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Beyer, Walter F. and Oscar Frederick Keydel, ed. Deeds of Valor: From Records in the Archives of the United States Government; how American Heroes Won the Medal of Honor; History of Our Recent Wars and Explorations, from Personal Reminiscences and Records of Officers and Enlisted Men who Were Rewarded by Congress for Most Conspicuous Acts of Bravery on the Battle-field, on the High Seas and in Arctic Explorations. Vol. 2. Detroit: Perrien-Keydel Company, 1906. (pg. 221)
  2. ^ a b Dustin, Fred. The Custer Tragedy: Events Leading Up To and Following the Little Big Horn Campaign of 1876. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Edwards Brothers, 1939. (pg. 231)
  3. ^ a b c Chandler, Melbourne C. Of GarryOwen in Glory: The History of the Seventh United States Cavalry Regiment. Annandale, Virginia: The Turnpike Press, 1960. (pg. 397, 432)
  4. ^ a b Magnussen, Daniel O., ed. Peter Thompson's Narrative of the Little Bighorn Campaign, 1876: A Critical Analysis of an Eyewitness Account of the Custer Debacle. Glendale, California: Arthur H. Clark Company, 1974. (pg. 315) ISBN 0-87062-108-4
  5. ^ a b Brininstool, E.A. A Trooper with Custer, and Other Historic Incidents of the Battle of the Little Big Horn. New York: Cooper Square Publishers, 1975. (pg. 182) ISBN 0-8154-0500-6
  6. ^ a b Hammer, Kenneth M., ed. Custer in '76: Walter Camp's Notes on the Custer Fight. Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, 1976. (pg. 113, 115, 270) ISBN 0-8425-0399-4
  7. ^ a b Manning, Robert, ed. Above and Beyond: A History of the Medal of Honor from the Civil War to Vietnam. Boston: Boston Publishing Company, 1985. (pg. 325) ISBN 0-939526-19-0
  8. ^ a b O'Neal, Bill. Fighting Men of the Indian Wars: A Biographical Encyclopedia of the Mountain Men, Soldiers, Cowboys, and Pioneers Who Took Up Arms During America's Westward Expansion. Stillwater, Oklahoma: Barbed Wire Press, 1991. (pg. 31) ISBN 0-935269-07-X
  9. ^ a b Schoenberger, Dale T. The End of Custer: The Death of an American Military Legend. Surrey, British Columbia: Hancock House Publishers, 1995. (pg. 243) ISBN 0-88839-288-5
  10. ^ a b Russell, Jerry L., ed. 1876 Facts About Custer and the Battle of the Little Big Horn. New York: Da Capo Press, 1999. (pg. 36) ISBN 1-882810-34-1
  11. ^ a b Scott, Douglas D., P. Willey and Melissa A. Connor. They Died With Custer: Soldiers' Bones from the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2002. (pg. 39) ISBN 0-8061-3507-7
  12. ^ a b Hatch, Thom. The Custer Companion: A Comprehensive Guide to the Life of George Armstrong Custer and the Plains Indian Wars. Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books, 2002. (pg. 242) ISBN 0-8117-0477-7
  13. ^ a b Yenne, Bill. Indian Wars: The Campaign for the American West. Yardley, Pennsylvania: Westholme Publishing, 2006. (pg. 207) ISBN 1-59416-016-3
  14. ^ a b Brust, James S., Brian C. Pohanka and Sandy Barnard. Where Custer Fell: Photographs of the Little Bighorn Battlefield Then and Now. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2007. (pg. 196) ISBN 0-8061-3834-3
  15. ^ a b Sterner, C. Douglas (1999). "MOH Citation for Neil Bancroft". MOH Recipients: Indian Campaigns. HomeofHeroes.com. Retrieved June 23, 2010.
  16. ^ a b Army Times Publishing Company. "Military Times Hall of Valor: Neil Bancroft". Awards and Citations: Medal of Honor. MilitaryTimes.com. Retrieved June 23, 2010.
  17. ^ "Medal of Honor recipients". Indian War Campaigns. United States Army Center of Military History. June 8, 2009. Retrieved June 29, 2009.

Further reading

  • Thompson, John H. (March 19, 1950). "Lost Hero of the Little Big Horn". Chicago Tribune.

January 28, 2023
neil, bancroft, 1846, 1901, american, soldier, army, served, with, cavalry, during, black, hills, 1878, soldiers, received, medal, honor, battle, little, bighorn, carried, water, under, most, galling, fire, from, little, bighorn, river, wounded, soldiers, reno. Neil Bancroft 1846 1901 was an American soldier in the U S Army who served with the 7th U S Cavalry during the Black Hills War In 1878 he was one of 22 soldiers who received the Medal of Honor at the Battle of the Little Bighorn and who carried water under a most galling fire from the Little Bighorn River to the wounded soldiers on Reno Hill 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Neil BancroftBorn1846Oswego New YorkDiedMay 14 1901 1901 05 14 aged 54 55 Highland Falls New YorkAllegianceUnited StatesService wbr branchUnited States ArmyYears of service1873 1878RankPrivateUnit7th U S CavalryBattles warsIndian WarsBlack Hills WarAwardsMedal of HonorBancroft left military service two months before the men of his regiment were issued the award His medal was returned to the War Department because of this and consequently he remained unaware that he was an MOH recipient When it was finally decided to locate him years later it was found that Bancroft had died 3 Contents 1 Biography 2 Medal of Honor citation 3 See also 4 References 5 Further readingBiography EditNeil Bancroft was born in Oswego New York in 1846 At age 18 he enlisted in the U S Army in Chicago on September 20 1873 Sent to the frontier he was assigned to Troop A of the 7th U S Cavalry then under the command of George Armstrong Custer He saw action during the Black Hills War and during the Battle of the Little Bighorn in June 1876 he was among the many soldiers who carried water under a most galling fire from the Little Bighorn River to the wounded soldiers at the Reno Benteen site for much of the engagement All of the Little Bighorn water carriers received the Medal of Honor for their extraordinary bravery on October 5 1878 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Bancroft however had left the service two months earlier and his medal was simply returned to the War Department Throughout his life Bancroft was unaware that he had received the nation s highest honor By the time the government tracked down Bancroft to officially issue his medal it was discovered he had died 3 His medal was eventually put on display in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D C where it remains to the present day Medal of Honor citation EditRank and organization Private Company A 7th U S Cavalry Place and date At Little Big Horn Mont June 25 1876 Entered service at Chicago Ill Birth Oswego N Y Date of issue October 5 1878 Citation Brought water for the wounded under a most galling fire 17 See also Edit Biography portal New York state portalList of Medal of Honor recipients for the Indian WarsReferences Edit a b Beyer Walter F and Oscar Frederick Keydel ed Deeds of Valor From Records in the Archives of the United States Government how American Heroes Won the Medal of Honor History of Our Recent Wars and Explorations from Personal Reminiscences and Records of Officers and Enlisted Men who Were Rewarded by Congress for Most Conspicuous Acts of Bravery on the Battle field on the High Seas and in Arctic Explorations Vol 2 Detroit Perrien Keydel Company 1906 pg 221 a b Dustin Fred The Custer Tragedy Events Leading Up To and Following the Little Big Horn Campaign of 1876 Ann Arbor Michigan Edwards Brothers 1939 pg 231 a b c Chandler Melbourne C Of GarryOwen in Glory The History of the Seventh United States Cavalry Regiment Annandale Virginia The Turnpike Press 1960 pg 397 432 a b Magnussen Daniel O ed Peter Thompson s Narrative of the Little Bighorn Campaign 1876 A Critical Analysis of an Eyewitness Account of the Custer Debacle Glendale California Arthur H Clark Company 1974 pg 315 ISBN 0 87062 108 4 a b Brininstool E A A Trooper with Custer and Other Historic Incidents of the Battle of the Little Big Horn New York Cooper Square Publishers 1975 pg 182 ISBN 0 8154 0500 6 a b Hammer Kenneth M ed Custer in 76 Walter Camp s Notes on the Custer Fight Provo Utah Brigham Young University Press 1976 pg 113 115 270 ISBN 0 8425 0399 4 a b Manning Robert ed Above and Beyond A History of the Medal of Honor from the Civil War to Vietnam Boston Boston Publishing Company 1985 pg 325 ISBN 0 939526 19 0 a b O Neal Bill Fighting Men of the Indian Wars A Biographical Encyclopedia of the Mountain Men Soldiers Cowboys and Pioneers Who Took Up Arms During America s Westward Expansion Stillwater Oklahoma Barbed Wire Press 1991 pg 31 ISBN 0 935269 07 X a b Schoenberger Dale T The End of Custer The Death of an American Military Legend Surrey British Columbia Hancock House Publishers 1995 pg 243 ISBN 0 88839 288 5 a b Russell Jerry L ed 1876 Facts About Custer and the Battle of the Little Big Horn New York Da Capo Press 1999 pg 36 ISBN 1 882810 34 1 a b Scott Douglas D P Willey and Melissa A Connor They Died With Custer Soldiers Bones from the Battle of the Little Bighorn Norman University of Oklahoma Press 2002 pg 39 ISBN 0 8061 3507 7 a b Hatch Thom The Custer Companion A Comprehensive Guide to the Life of George Armstrong Custer and the Plains Indian Wars Mechanicsburg Pennsylvania Stackpole Books 2002 pg 242 ISBN 0 8117 0477 7 a b Yenne Bill Indian Wars The Campaign for the American West Yardley Pennsylvania Westholme Publishing 2006 pg 207 ISBN 1 59416 016 3 a b Brust James S Brian C Pohanka and Sandy Barnard Where Custer Fell Photographs of the Little Bighorn Battlefield Then and Now Norman University of Oklahoma Press 2007 pg 196 ISBN 0 8061 3834 3 a b Sterner C Douglas 1999 MOH Citation for Neil Bancroft MOH Recipients Indian Campaigns HomeofHeroes com Retrieved June 23 2010 a b Army Times Publishing Company Military Times Hall of Valor Neil Bancroft Awards and Citations Medal of Honor MilitaryTimes com Retrieved June 23 2010 Medal of Honor recipients Indian War Campaigns United States Army Center of Military History June 8 2009 Retrieved June 29 2009 Further reading EditThompson John H March 19 1950 Lost Hero of the Little Big Horn Chicago Tribune Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Neil Bancroft amp oldid 974931016, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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