Franklin M. McDonald
Encyclopedia
Franklin M. McDonald was a soldier in the U.S. Army during the Indian Wars
and a recipient of the Medal of Honor
for gallantry in defeating Indians who attacked the mail.
. He enlisted in Company G, 11th U.S. Infantry at Fort Griffin
, Texas, on June 7, 1871.
On August 3, 1872, McDonald escorted a mail coach from Jacksboro, Texas
, to Fort Griffin. Fifteen miles from Fort Belknap, it was attacked by a band of eight to 10 Kiowa
Indians.
McDonald received the medal on September 8, 1872, without a formal ceremony and was promoted to Corporal. On December 4, 1873, McDonald deserted the Army and was never heard from again.
Rank and Organization:
Citation:
Indian Wars
American Indian Wars is the name used in the United States to describe a series of conflicts between American settlers or the federal government and the native peoples of North America before and after the American Revolutionary War. The wars resulted from the arrival of European colonizers who...
and a recipient of the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for gallantry in defeating Indians who attacked the mail.
Biography
McDonald was born in 1850, in Bowling Green, KentuckyBowling Green, Kentucky
Bowling Green is the third-most populous city in the state of Kentucky after Louisville and Lexington, with a population of 58,067 as of the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Warren County and the principal city of the Bowling Green, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area with an estimated 2009...
. He enlisted in Company G, 11th U.S. Infantry at Fort Griffin
Fort Griffin
Fort Griffin was a Cavalry fort established in the late 1860s in the northern part of West Texas, specifically northwestern Shackelford County, to give settlers protection from early Comanche and Kiowa raids...
, Texas, on June 7, 1871.
On August 3, 1872, McDonald escorted a mail coach from Jacksboro, Texas
Jacksboro, Texas
Jacksboro is a city in Jack County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,533 at the 2000 census. Jacksboro is located at the junction of U.S...
, to Fort Griffin. Fifteen miles from Fort Belknap, it was attacked by a band of eight to 10 Kiowa
Kiowa
The Kiowa are a nation of American Indians and indigenous people of the Great Plains. They migrated from the northern plains to the southern plains in the late 17th century. In 1867, the Kiowa moved to a reservation in southwestern Oklahoma...
Indians.
McDonald received the medal on September 8, 1872, without a formal ceremony and was promoted to Corporal. On December 4, 1873, McDonald deserted the Army and was never heard from again.
Medal of Honor citation
- Private, Company G, 11th U.S. Infantry. Place and date: Near Fort Griffin, Tex., 5 August 1872. Entered service at: at Fort Griffin, Texas, on June 7, 1871. Birth: Bowling Green, Ky. Date of issue: 31 August 1872.
Citation:
Gallantry in defeating Indians who attacked the mail.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Indian Wars
- Kentucky Medal of Honor Memorial
- Texas Medal of Honor MemorialTexas Medal of Honor MemorialThe Texas Medal of Honor Memorial is a statue commemorating recipients of the Medal of Honor from the state of Texas. Sculpted by Doyle Glass and Scott Boyer, it was dedicated on Memorial Day of 2008 and is located in Midland, Texas, at the Commemorative Air Force International Headquarters. The...