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Will Croft Barnes (June 21, 1858 – December 17, 1936), a private in the
He was born on June 21, 1858, and was the author of ''Arizona Place Names'' and associate editor of '' Arizona Historical Review,'' both published by the University of Arizona Press. He joined the Army from
Will C. Barnes: Soldier, Cowboy, Author and Storyteller.
Marshall Trimble, ''True West'' magazine, April 11, 2018. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Barnes, Will Croft 1858 births 1936 deaths American people of the Indian Wars United States Forest Service officials United States Army Medal of Honor recipients Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Military personnel from San Francisco United States Army soldiers American Indian Wars recipients of the Medal of Honor People from Arizona Territory
U.S. Army Signal Corps
The United States Army Signal Corps (USASC) is a branch of the United States Army responsible for creating and managing communications and information systems for the command and control of combined arms forces. It was established in 1860 by ...
, was distinguished for his action in the battle at Fort Apache, Arizona Territory
The Territory of Arizona, commonly known as the Arizona Territory, was a territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863, until February 14, 1912, when the remaining extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the ...
on September 11, 1881. When Fort Apache was besieged by warriors of Geronimo
Gerónimo (, ; June 16, 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a military leader and medicine man from the Bedonkohe band of the Ndendahe Apache people. From 1850 to 1886, Geronimo joined with members of three other Central Apache bands the Tchihen ...
, Barnes escaped and rode to Fort Thomas. Soldiers from Fort Thomas came to the aid of Fort Apache. For his gallantry, Barnes 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 ...
on November 8, 1882, the citation noting his "bravery in action."
Biography
He was born on June 21, 1858, and was the author of ''Arizona Place Names'' and associate editor of '' Arizona Historical Review,'' both published by the University of Arizona Press. He joined the Army from Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
in July 1879, and was discharged with the rank of Sergeant in July 1883.
After leaving military service, Barnes worked as a rancher in Arizona, and served in the legislatures of Arizona Territory. He also wrote several books.
Beginning in 1907 he served for twenty-one years in the United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency within the United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture. It administers the nation's 154 United States National Forest, national forests and 20 United States Natio ...
. In this capacity he and a companion traveled across southern Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
to round up the last of the Longhorn cattle, thus saving the breed from extinction. The Longhorns were shipped to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge
Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, located in southwestern Oklahoma near Lawton, has protected unique wildlife habitats since 1901 and is the oldest managed wildlife facility in the United States Fish and Wildlife Service system. The refuge's l ...
in Oklahoma
Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
.
He was born in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
, and entered the service at Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
He died in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...
, and is buried with his wife Elizabeth Talbot (1873–1964) at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia.
...
, in Arlington, Virginia
Arlington County, or simply Arlington, is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Virginia. The county is located in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from Washington, D.C., the nati ...
.
Namesake
The U.S. Army Reserve Center in Phoenix,Arizona
Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...
and the Fort Huachuca
Fort Huachuca is a United States Army military base, installation, in Cochise County, Arizona, Cochise County in southeast Arizona, approximately north of the Mexico–United States border, border with Mexico and at the northern end of the Huac ...
Field House are named in his honor. Two memorial plaques were dedicated to him in Papago Park
Papago Park () is a Urban park, municipal park of the cities of Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona, United States. It has been designated as a Phoenix Points of Pride, Phoenix Point of Pride.
It includes Hunt's Tomb, which is listed on ...
designating Barnes Butte.
See also
*List of Medal of Honor recipients
The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. Recipients must have distinguished themselves at the risk of their own ...
References
*Further reading
* ''Apaches & Longhorns: The Reminiscences of Will C. Barnes'', Will Croft Barnes, Frank Cummins Lockwood, University of Arizona Press, 1982. * ''Arizona Place Names'', William Croft Barnes, Byrd H Granger, University of Arizona Press, 1987. * "The Cowboy and His Songs", Will Croft Barnes, ''Saturday Evening Post
''The Saturday Evening Post'' is an American magazine published six times a year. It was published weekly from 1897 until 1963, and then every other week until 1969. From the 1920s to the 1960s, it was one of the most widely circulated and influ ...
'', June 27, 1925.
* ''Tales from the X-bar Horse Camp: The Blue-roan "outlaw" and Other Stories'', Will Croft Barnes, Breeders' Gazette, 1920.
* ''Western Grazing Grounds and Forest Ranges: A History of the Live-stock Industry as Conducted on the Open Ranges of the Arid West'', Will Croft Barnes, The Breeder's gazette, 1913.
* "Will Barnes and 'The Cowboy's Sweet By and By'," John Irwin White, in ''Git Along, Little Dogies: Songs and Songmakers of the American West'', University of Illinois Press, 1975.
External links
* * *Will C. Barnes: Soldier, Cowboy, Author and Storyteller.
Marshall Trimble, ''True West'' magazine, April 11, 2018. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Barnes, Will Croft 1858 births 1936 deaths American people of the Indian Wars United States Forest Service officials United States Army Medal of Honor recipients Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Military personnel from San Francisco United States Army soldiers American Indian Wars recipients of the Medal of Honor People from Arizona Territory