Patrick James Leonard
   HOME

TheInfoList



Click Here for Items Related To - Patrick James Leonard
OR:
Patrick James Leonard on:   [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Amazon]

Patrick James Leonard (May 19, 1847 – January 1, 1899) was a
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, 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 th ...
sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...
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 ...
during the Indian Wars. Until 1984, it was believed that Leonard was a double recipient of the Medal of Honor. However, another Irishman, Patrick Thomas Leonard, had also received the Medal of Honor.


Early life and education

Leonard was born in
County Meath County Meath ( ; or simply , ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. It is bordered by County Dublin to the southeast, County ...
, Ireland.


Military career

Leonard enlisted at
Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...
. His actions as a sergeant at the Little Blue River near Little Blue Township, Adams County, Nebraska, on May 15, 1870, led to him being awarded the Medal of Honor on June 22, 1870. While searching for stray horses near the river, Leonard and four other soldiers were ambushed by 50 Indians. The men were able to kill three Indians, and wound seven. After repelling the attack, Leonard then escorted two women and a child to the nearest settlement. The other four soldiers ( Pvt. Thomas Hubbard, Pvt. Heth Canfield, Pvt. Michael Himmelsback, Pvt. George W. Thompson) also received Medals of Honor.


Death and legacy

Leonard died on January 1, 1899, and was buried in Saint Joseph Cemetery, New Almelo, Kansas.


Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company C, 2d U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Little Blue, Nebr., May 15, 1870. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Ireland. Date of issue: June 22, 1870. Citation:
Gallantry in action.


See also

* List of Medal of Honor recipients * List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Indian Wars


References

: {{DEFAULTSORT:Leonard, Patrick James 1847 births 1899 deaths 19th-century Irish people Irish soldiers in the United States Army Military personnel from County Meath American people of the Indian Wars United States Army Medal of Honor recipients Irish-born Medal of Honor recipients Irish emigrants to the United States United States Army soldiers American Indian Wars recipients of the Medal of Honor