Michael M. McCarthy (April 19, 1845 – January 12, 1914) was a

British North America British North America comprised the colonial territories of the British Empire in North America from 1783 onwards. English colonisation of North America began in the 16th century in Newfoundland, then further south at Roanoke and Jamestown, ...

-born

US Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

soldier who received the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

for his actions during the

Indian Wars The American Indian Wars, also known as the American Frontier Wars, and the Indian Wars, was a conflict initially fought by European colonial empires, the United States, and briefly the Confederate States of America and Republic of Texas agains ...

. He was born in St. John's, Newfoundland Colony, and moved with his family to

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

in 1852. McCarthy joined the Army in November 1865, a few months after the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. He later served in the

Nez Perce War The Nez Perce War was an armed conflict in 1877 in the Western United States that pitted several bands of the Nez Perce tribe of Native Americans and their allies, a small band of the ''Palouse'' tribe led by Red Echo (''Hahtalekin'') and ...

and during the

Battle of White Bird Canyon The Battle of White Bird Canyon was fought on June 17, 1877, in Idaho Territory. White Bird Canyon was the opening battle of the Nez Perce War between the Nez Perce tribe, Nez Perce Indians and the United States. The battle was a significant d ...

, as first sergeant, Troop H, 1st Cavalry, he earned the Medal of Honor. He was discharged in May 1879 with the rank of

quartermaster sergeant Quartermaster sergeant (QMS) is a class of rank or appointment in some armed forces, especially those of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, and formerly also in the United States. Ireland Quartermaster sergeant () a ...

. After settling in

Walla Walla, Washington Walla Walla ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. It had a population of 34,060 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, estimated to have decreased to 33,339 as of 2023. The combined populat ...

, McCarthy was elected

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...

of Company A, Walla Walla Artillery, Washington Territorial Militia on 18 May 1881 and to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

in the same company on 1 August 1881. On March 28, 1885, he was appointed assistant adjutant general with the rank of captain and was promoted to lieutenant colonel on March 5, 1887, continuing his assignment as assistant adjutant general. In a reorganization in 1888, he resigned to accept an appointment as captain of Company A, 2nd Regiment of the Washington National Guard, serving continuously until he was again appointed lieutenant colonel of the 2nd Regiment on 27 April 1891. On 22 December 1897 he was appointed colonel and quartermaster general of the Washington National Guard, in which position he served until he was reappointed in the same grade to serve as chief of engineers, National Guard Washington. He retired on 16 October 1905. As far as can be ascertained, Colonel McCarthy is the only Medal of Honor recipient to serve in the Washington National Guard. McCarthy died from a

cerebral hemorrhage Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), also known as hemorrhagic stroke, is a sudden bleeding into the tissues of the brain (i.e. the parenchyma), into its ventricles, or into both. An ICH is a type of bleeding within the skull and one kind of stro ...

in Walla Walla, and was buried in Mountain View Cemetery.

Medal of Honor citation

Was detailed with 6 men to hold a commanding position, and held it with great gallantry until the troops fell back. He then fought his way through the Indians, rejoined a portion of his command, and continued the fight in retreat. He had 2 horses shot from under him, and was captured, but escaped and reported for duty after 3 days' hiding and wandering in the mountains.

References

External links

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Bio, part 1 of 2Bio, part 2 of 2
{{DEFAULTSORT:McCarthy, Michael M. 1845 births 1914 deaths Emigrants from pre-Confederation Newfoundland to the United States People from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Pre-Confederation Newfoundland and Labrador people United States Army Medal of Honor recipients Canadian-born Medal of Honor recipients American Indian Wars recipients of the Medal of Honor