Patrick James Leonard was a United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

 sergeant who received 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...

 during the Indian Wars

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...

. Until 1984, it was believed that Leonard was a double recipient of the Medal of Honor. However, another Irishman, Patrick Thomas Leonard

Patrick Thomas Leonard

Patrick Thomas Leonard was a United States Army sergeant who received the Medal of Honor during the Indian Wars. Until 1984, it was believed that Leonard was a double recipient of the Medal of Honor...

, had also received the Medal of Honor.

Military career

Leonard enlisted at Cincinnati

Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...

, Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

. His actions as a sergeant at the Little Blue River near Little Blue

Little Blue Township, Adams County, Nebraska

Little Blue Township is one of sixteen townships in Adams County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 238 at the 2000 census. A 2006 estimate placed the township's population at 309.-External links:*...

, Nebraska

Nebraska

Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....

 on May 15, 1876 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

Kansas

Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...

.

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