William R. Parnell
Encyclopedia
William Russell Parnell (August 13, 1836 – August 20, 1910) was an Irish-born adventurer and soldier during the mid-to late 19th century. A member of the 17th Lancers
during the Crimean War
, he was one of the few survivors of the infamous Charge of the Light Brigade
.
He later became a Major and brevet Colonel in the U.S. Army
participating in the American Civil War
and the Indian Wars
. Parnell served as an officer to the 1st U.S. Cavalry in the Nez Perce War
and received the Medal of Honor
for leading a rescue of troops, and personally saving the life of a fallen trooper, at the Battle of White Bird Canyon
in 1877.
. At age 18, Parnell enlisted in the British Army
serving with the 4th Hussars and, during the Crimean War
, with the 17th Lancers
. He took part in the now infamous Charge of the Light Brigade
and was one of its few survivors. He also saw action at the siege and capture of Sevastopol in 1855.
In 1860, Parnell arrived in the United States and joined the U.S. Army in Brooklyn, New York when the American Civil War
began the following year. He became a member of the 4th Regiment New York Volunteer Cavalry, popularly known as "Dickel's Mounted Rifles", serving primarily with the Army of the Potomac
. During the first two years of the war, he was part of Colonel Louis Blenker
's campaigns in the Shenandoah Valley
and West Virginia
. He also saw action at the battles of Cross Keys
, Port Republic
, Cedar Mountain
, and the Second Battle of Bull Run
. With the Cavalry Corps, he also fought at the battles of Fredericksburg
, Beverly Ford, Brandy Station
, Stoneman's Raid, Aldie
, and Middleburg
. On June 21, 1863, he was captured after leading a failed cavalry charge at the Battle of Upperville
and briefly held as a prisoner-of-war. He escaped two months later and made his way to Petersburg, West Virginia
where he was reunited with his regiment. He later saw action at the battles of the Wilderness
, Spotsylvania, Trevilian Station
, Petersburg, Lee's Mills, Winchester
and Cedar Creek
among other engagements.
He had been shot in the left hip at Upperville, the bullet embedding itself in the bone, and his doctor decided against removing it. He also sustained a number of saber cuts at the battle. One of them severed the bone in his nose. He received no medical attention for it and the bone gradually corroded and fell away "leaving a gaping hole in the roof of his mouth" and making it difficult for him to speak. Parnell had a metal plate made to cover the roof of his mouth allowing him to talk but also raising the pitch in his voice. The plate was very fragile and throughout his life Parnell was fearful he might break it. The plate would break six years later and he had to travel to Portland to have another one made and inserted.
Parnell's war record was especially considered exceptional. He was wounded in battle several times, brevetted twice and had risen to the rank of lieutenant colonel
by the end of the war. After being mustered out of volunteer service, he applied to join the Regular Army. On February 3, 1866, Parnell was commissioned a second lieutenant
in the 1st U.S. Cavalry and won promotion to first lieutenant
within eight months. In the summer of 1867, he and his company were sent to California
where he was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel George Crook
to take action against hostile Indians active on the Pit River
. He was later appointed head of the 1st Cavalry by Crook. At the Battle of Infernal Caverns
on September 26–28, 1867, Parnell was wounded by an arrow and brevetted for gallantry. He again served with Crook a year later battling Indians at Dunder and Blitzen Creek in Oregon
on March 14, 1868. During 1872-73, Parnell also saw action with Captain David Perry in the Modoc War
and in many other campaigns in the Pacific Northwest
during the 1870s. He later penned a poem entitled "The Infernal Caverns" which appeared in the Army and Navy Journal on October 26, 1872.
It was in the Nez Perce War
in the Idaho Territory
that Parnell particularly distinguished himself. On June 17, 1877, at the Battle of White Bird Canyon
, Parnell led a small group of soldiers through a heavy fire to rescue Sergeant Michael McCarthy and six other men who had been assigned to defend a critical defensive position. Though two of McCarthy's men were killed, the rest managed to safely join Parnell and continued fighting. During the battle, Parnell turned back to rescue a fallen soldier whose horse had been killed while crossing a marsh. Both Parnell and McCarthy received the Medal of Honor
for their heroic efforts.
He also fought at the Battle of the Clearwater
on July 11–12, 1877, and, in the Bannock campaign
, at Birch Creek on July 8 and John Day's River crossing
on July 20, 1878. In February 1879, Parnell was put in command of 10 men, with an interpreter and guide, and given a special orders to go to Okanagau Pass
. It was extremely difficult to travel to, especially given the harsh winter conditions, and the party had to pass through British Columbia
. At the conclusion of this assignment, he was promoted to the rank of captain on April 7, 1879. He spent the next several years at various frontier outposts in the Pacific Northwest, including duty at the Western Shoshone Indian Reservation in August 1881, and eventually retired from active service on February 11, 1887, due to injuries suffered in the line of duty. He became a major
and placed on the retirement list in 1904, and spent the last ten years of his life as a military instructor at Saint Matthews Episcopal Day School
in San Mateo, California
. He died in San Francisco, California
on August 20, 1910, after falling from a street car and interred at the San Francisco National Cemetery
.
Citation:
17th Lancers
The 17th Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, notable for its participation in the Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War...
during the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, he was one of the few survivors of the infamous Charge of the Light Brigade
Charge of the Light Brigade
The Charge of the Light Brigade was a charge of British cavalry led by Lord Cardigan against Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava on 25 October 1854 in the Crimean War. The charge was the result of a miscommunication in such a way that the brigade attempted a much more difficult objective...
.
He later became a Major and brevet Colonel in the U.S. 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...
participating in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and 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...
. Parnell served as an officer to the 1st U.S. Cavalry in the Nez Perce War
Nez Perce War
The Nez Perce War was an armed conflict between the Nez Perce and the United States government fought in 1877 as part of the American Indian Wars. After a series of battles in which both the U.S. Army and native people sustained significant casualties, the Nez Perce surrendered and were relocated...
and 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...
for leading a rescue of troops, and personally saving the life of a fallen trooper, at the Battle of White Bird Canyon
Battle of White Bird Canyon
The Battle of White Bird Canyon was fought on June 17, 1877 in Idaho Territory. The battle was the opening battle of the war with the Nez Perce nation and represented a significant defeat of the U.S. Army. It was fought in the western part of present-day Idaho County, Idaho, southwest of the city...
in 1877.
Biography
William Russell Parnell was born in Dublin, Ireland on August 13, 1836. He may have been a distant relative of Irish nationalist Charles Stewart ParnellCharles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell was an Irish landowner, nationalist political leader, land reform agitator, and the founder and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party...
. At age 18, Parnell enlisted in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
serving with the 4th Hussars and, during the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, with the 17th Lancers
17th Lancers
The 17th Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, notable for its participation in the Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War...
. He took part in the now infamous Charge of the Light Brigade
Charge of the Light Brigade
The Charge of the Light Brigade was a charge of British cavalry led by Lord Cardigan against Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava on 25 October 1854 in the Crimean War. The charge was the result of a miscommunication in such a way that the brigade attempted a much more difficult objective...
and was one of its few survivors. He also saw action at the siege and capture of Sevastopol in 1855.
In 1860, Parnell arrived in the United States and joined the U.S. Army in Brooklyn, New York when the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
began the following year. He became a member of the 4th Regiment New York Volunteer Cavalry, popularly known as "Dickel's Mounted Rifles", serving primarily with the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
. During the first two years of the war, he was part of Colonel Louis Blenker
Louis Blenker
Louis Blenker was a German and American soldier.-Life in Germany:He was born at Worms, Germany. After being trained as a goldsmith by an uncle in Kreuznach, he was sent to a polytechnical school in Munich. Against his family's wishes, he enlisted in an Uhlan regiment which accompanied Otto to...
's campaigns in the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. He also saw action at the battles of Cross Keys
Battle of Cross Keys
The Battle of Cross Keys was fought on June 8, 1862, in Rockingham County, Virginia, as part of Confederate Army Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's campaign through the Shenandoah Valley during the American Civil War...
, Port Republic
Battle of Port Republic
-References:* Cozzens, Peter. Shenandoah 1862: Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2008. ISBN 978-0-8078-3200-4....
, Cedar Mountain
Battle of Cedar Mountain
The Battle of Cedar Mountain, also known as Slaughter's Mountain or Cedar Run, took place on August 9, 1862, in Culpeper County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. Union forces under Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks attacked Confederate forces under Maj. Gen. Thomas J...
, and the Second Battle of Bull Run
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...
. With the Cavalry Corps, he also fought at the battles of Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
, Beverly Ford, Brandy Station
Battle of Brandy Station
The Battle of Brandy Station, also called the Battle of Fleetwood Hill, was the largest predominantly cavalry engagement of the American Civil War, as well as the largest to take place ever on American soil. It was fought at the beginning of the Gettysburg Campaign by the Union cavalry under Maj....
, Stoneman's Raid, Aldie
Battle of Aldie
The Battle of Aldie took place on June 17, 1863, in Loudoun County, Virginia, as part of the Gettysburg Campaign of the American Civil War.Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry screened Gen. Robert E. Lee's Confederate infantry as it marched north in the Shenandoah Valley behind the sheltering Blue...
, and Middleburg
Battle of Middleburg
The Battle of Middleburg took place from June 17 to June 19, 1863, in Loudoun County, Virginia, as part of the Gettysburg Campaign of the American Civil War....
. On June 21, 1863, he was captured after leading a failed cavalry charge at the Battle of Upperville
Battle of Upperville
The Battle of Upperville took place in Loudoun County, Virginia on June 21, 1863 during the Gettysburg Campaign of the American Civil War.-Background:The Union cavalry made a determined effort to pierce Confederate Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry screen...
and briefly held as a prisoner-of-war. He escaped two months later and made his way to Petersburg, West Virginia
Petersburg, West Virginia
Petersburg is a city in Grant County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,423 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Grant County.-History:...
where he was reunited with his regiment. He later saw action at the battles of the Wilderness
Battle of the Wilderness
The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...
, Spotsylvania, Trevilian Station
Battle of Trevilian Station
The Battle of Trevilian Station was fought on June 11–12, 1864, in Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign against Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Union cavalry under Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan fought against Confederate cavalry under Maj. Gens...
, Petersburg, Lee's Mills, Winchester
Battle of Winchester
The Battle of Winchester may refer to any of a series of military conflicts during the American Civil War, all fought near Winchester, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley.* Battle of Winchester - during Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign...
and Cedar Creek
Battle of Cedar Creek
The Battle of Cedar Creek, or Battle of Belle Grove, October 19, 1864, was one of the final, and most decisive, battles in the Valley Campaigns of 1864 during the American Civil War. The final Confederate invasion of the North, led by Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early, was effectively ended...
among other engagements.
He had been shot in the left hip at Upperville, the bullet embedding itself in the bone, and his doctor decided against removing it. He also sustained a number of saber cuts at the battle. One of them severed the bone in his nose. He received no medical attention for it and the bone gradually corroded and fell away "leaving a gaping hole in the roof of his mouth" and making it difficult for him to speak. Parnell had a metal plate made to cover the roof of his mouth allowing him to talk but also raising the pitch in his voice. The plate was very fragile and throughout his life Parnell was fearful he might break it. The plate would break six years later and he had to travel to Portland to have another one made and inserted.
Parnell's war record was especially considered exceptional. He was wounded in battle several times, brevetted twice and had risen to the rank of lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
by the end of the war. After being mustered out of volunteer service, he applied to join the Regular Army. On February 3, 1866, Parnell was commissioned a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the 1st U.S. Cavalry and won promotion to first lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
within eight months. In the summer of 1867, he and his company were sent to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
where he was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel George Crook
George Crook
George R. Crook was a career United States Army officer, most noted for his distinguished service during the American Civil War and the Indian Wars.-Early life:...
to take action against hostile Indians active on the Pit River
Pit River
The Pit River is a major river draining from northeastern California into the state's Central Valley. The Pit, the Klamath and the Columbia are the only three rivers in the U.S...
. He was later appointed head of the 1st Cavalry by Crook. At the Battle of Infernal Caverns
Infernal Caverns
Infernal Caverns is the site of an 1867 battle between U.S. armed forces and Shoshone, Paiute, and Pit River Indians. Infernal Caverns Battleground is California Historical Landmark No. 16....
on September 26–28, 1867, Parnell was wounded by an arrow and brevetted for gallantry. He again served with Crook a year later battling Indians at Dunder and Blitzen Creek in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
on March 14, 1868. During 1872-73, Parnell also saw action with Captain David Perry in the Modoc War
Modoc War
The Modoc War, or Modoc Campaign , was an armed conflict between the Native American Modoc tribe and the United States Army in southern Oregon and northern California from 1872–1873. The Modoc War was the last of the Indian Wars to occur in California or Oregon...
and in many other campaigns in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
during the 1870s. He later penned a poem entitled "The Infernal Caverns" which appeared in the Army and Navy Journal on October 26, 1872.
It was in the Nez Perce War
Nez Perce War
The Nez Perce War was an armed conflict between the Nez Perce and the United States government fought in 1877 as part of the American Indian Wars. After a series of battles in which both the U.S. Army and native people sustained significant casualties, the Nez Perce surrendered and were relocated...
in the Idaho Territory
Idaho Territory
The Territory of Idaho was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 4, 1863, until July 3, 1890, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Idaho.-1860s:...
that Parnell particularly distinguished himself. On June 17, 1877, at the Battle of White Bird Canyon
Battle of White Bird Canyon
The Battle of White Bird Canyon was fought on June 17, 1877 in Idaho Territory. The battle was the opening battle of the war with the Nez Perce nation and represented a significant defeat of the U.S. Army. It was fought in the western part of present-day Idaho County, Idaho, southwest of the city...
, Parnell led a small group of soldiers through a heavy fire to rescue Sergeant Michael McCarthy and six other men who had been assigned to defend a critical defensive position. Though two of McCarthy's men were killed, the rest managed to safely join Parnell and continued fighting. During the battle, Parnell turned back to rescue a fallen soldier whose horse had been killed while crossing a marsh. Both Parnell and McCarthy 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...
for their heroic efforts.
He also fought at the Battle of the Clearwater
Battle of the Clearwater
The Battle of the Clearwater was a battle between the Nez Perce and the United States army. Retreating from the battlefield, the Nez Percé began the long trek across Idaho and Montana before surrendering to Oliver Otis Howard near the Canadian border.-Background:After the defeat of United States...
on July 11–12, 1877, and, in the Bannock campaign
Bannock War
The Bannock War was a series of conflicts in 1878 between various Bannock, Northern Shoshone and Paiute tribes against the United States.- Background :...
, at Birch Creek on July 8 and John Day's River crossing
John Day River (northwestern Oregon)
The John Day River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately long, in northwestern Oregon in the United States. The river is one of two tributaries of the Columbia in Oregon to bear the name "John Day River". The other John Day River, east of the Cascade Range, is much longer and more...
on July 20, 1878. In February 1879, Parnell was put in command of 10 men, with an interpreter and guide, and given a special orders to go to Okanagau Pass
Okanagan Range
The Okanagan Range or Okanogan Range is a small subrange of the Cascade Range straddling the border between British Columbia and Washington south of the Similkameen River on the inland side of the range...
. It was extremely difficult to travel to, especially given the harsh winter conditions, and the party had to pass through British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. At the conclusion of this assignment, he was promoted to the rank of captain on April 7, 1879. He spent the next several years at various frontier outposts in the Pacific Northwest, including duty at the Western Shoshone Indian Reservation in August 1881, and eventually retired from active service on February 11, 1887, due to injuries suffered in the line of duty. He became a major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
and placed on the retirement list in 1904, and spent the last ten years of his life as a military instructor at Saint Matthews Episcopal Day School
Saint Matthews Episcopal Day School
Saint Matthew's Episcopal Day School is located in San Mateo, California. It was founded in 1953 and was previously a military school known as Saint Matthew's Hall or Saint Matthew's School.-History:...
in San Mateo, California
San Mateo, California
San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,...
. He died in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
on August 20, 1910, after falling from a street car and interred at the San Francisco National Cemetery
San Francisco National Cemetery
San Francisco National Cemetery is a U.S. National Cemetery, located in the Presidio of San Francisco, California. Because of the name and location, it is frequently confused with Golden Gate National Cemetery, a few miles south of the city....
.
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, 1st U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At White Bird Canyon, Idaho, 17 June 1877. Entered service at: New York. Birth: Ireland. Date of issue: 16 September 1897.Citation:
With a few men, in the face of a heavy fire from pursuing Indians and at imminent peril, returned and rescued a soldier whose horse had been killed and who had been left behind in the retreat.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Indian Wars
Further reading
- Brown, Mark H. The Flight of the Nez Perce. New York: Putnam, 1967.
- Howard, Helen Addison. Saga of Chief Joseph. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1978. ISBN 0-8032-7202-2
- Michno, Gregory. The Deadliest Indian War in the West: The Snake Conflict, 1864-1868. Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton Press, 2007. ISBN 0-87004-460-5
- West, Elliott. The Last Indian War: The Nez Perce Story. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. ISBN 0-19-513675-6