Horatio Collins King (December 22, 1837 – November 15, 1918) was a

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

soldier who received the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...

for his actions during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

. He also served as a

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

lawyer, politician and author.

Biography

Born in

Portland, Maine Portland is the largest city in the U.S. state of Maine and the seat of Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 in April 2020. The Greater Portland metropolitan area is home to over half a million people, the 104th-largest metropo ...

, King graduated from Dickinson College in 1858, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

in 1861. He served in the armies of the Potomac and Shenandoah during the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

from August 1862 until May 1865, when he resigned with the rank of brevet

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

. King earned the

for service near Dinwiddie Courthouse, Virginia, on March 31, 1865. King then practiced law until 1870, when he became connected with the press. He was the author of ''The Plymouth Silver Wedding'' (New York, 1873); ''The Brooklyn Congregational Council'' (1876); ''King's Guide to Regimental Courts-Martial'' (1882); and edited ''Proceedings of the Army of the Potomac'' (1879–'87). In 1883, King was appointed judge-advocate-general of New York. At a time during which anti-Chinese views were common, King was socially friendly with the Chinese minister in Washington, D.C., and the Chinese consul in New York. In 1893, when the anti-Chinese

Geary Act The Geary Act was a United States law that extended the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 by adding onerous new requirements. It was written by California Representative Thomas J. Geary and was passed by Congress on . The law required all Chinese r ...

was ruled constitutional, he protested the law, saying that "from the prejudice manifested against the Chinese, it seems they have no rights here that Americans are bound to respect." In

1895 Events January–March * January 5 – Dreyfus affair: French officer Alfred Dreyfus is stripped of his army rank, and sentenced to life imprisonment on Devil's Island. * January 12 – The National Trust for Places of Histor ...

, he ran on the Democratic ticket for

Secretary of State of New York The secretary of state of New York is a cabinet officer in the government of the U.S. state of New York who leads the Department of State (NYSDOS). The current secretary of state of New York is Robert J. Rodriguez, a Democrat. Duties The secre ...

, but was defeated by Republican

John Palmer John Palmer may refer to: People Politicians * John Palmer (fl. 1377–1394), English politician * Sir John Palmer, 5th Baronet (1735–1817), British politician * John Palmer (1785–1840), U.S. congressman from New York * John Palmer (1842–19 ...

. In 1912, he ran on the Progressive ticket for

New York State Comptroller The New York State Comptroller is an elected constitutional officer of the U.S. state of New York and head of the New York state government's Department of Audit and Control. The New York State Comptroller is the highest-paid state auditor or ...

, but was defeated by Democrat William Sohmer. King was a member of the

Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS), or simply the Loyal Legion is a United States patriotic order, organized April 15, 1865, by three veteran officers of the Army. The original membership was composed of members ...

and the

Sons of the American Revolution The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR or NSSAR) is an American congressionally chartered organization, founded in 1889 and headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. A non-profit corporation, it has described its purpose ...

. King was the Secretary of the

Society of the Army of the Potomac The Society of the Army of the Potomac was a military society founded in 1869 which was composed of officers and enlisted men who served with the Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. History After the conclusion of the Civil War, a ...

. His father, Horatio King, was

Postmaster General of the United States The United States Postmaster General (PMG) is the chief executive officer of the United States Postal Service (USPS). The PMG is responsible for managing and directing the day-to-day operations of the agency. The PMG is selected and appointed by ...

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Major and Quartermaster, U.S. Volunteers. Place and date: Near Dinwiddie Courthouse, Va., March 31, 1865. Entered service at: Brooklyn, N.Y. Born: December 22, 1837, Portland, Maine. Date of issue: September 23, 1897. Citation:

While serving as a volunteer aide, carried orders to the reserve brigade and participated with it in the charge which repulsed the enemy.

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* * {{DEFAULTSORT:King, Horatio Collins 1837 births 1918 deaths United States Army Medal of Honor recipients People of Maine in the American Civil War New York (state) lawyers Writers from New York (state) Burials at Green-Wood Cemetery United States Army officers People of New York (state) in the American Civil War Politicians from Portland, Maine Dickinson College alumni New York (state) Progressives (1912) 20th-century American politicians American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor Writers from Portland, Maine Sons of the American Revolution

Biography

Medal of Honor citation

See also

Notes

References

External links