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Robert Temple Emmet

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Robert Temple Emmet
Place of burial
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1877–?
RankColonel
Commands9th Cavalry Regiment
Battles/warsAmerican Indian Wars
AwardsMedal of Honor

Robert Temple Emmet (December 13, 1854 – October 25, 1936) was a United States Army Colonel who was a recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions while surrounded by a much larger force. An 1877 graduate of West Point, he served in numerous campaigns on the Western Frontier.[1]

Education and army career

Emmet was born in New York City to William Jenkins Emmet and Julia Colt Pierson. He has a twin sister named Rosina Emmet Sherwood and had two other sisters, Lydia Field Emmet and Jane Emmet de Glehn.[2] All three of his sisters were noted portrait artists. He is the great-grandson of Thomas Addis Emmet, a lawyer, who was an elder brother of executed Irish nationalist Robert Emmet. His father's parents were Robert Emmet and Rosina Hubley. His mother's parents were Josiah G. Pierson and Julia Colt. He graduated from West Point in 1877. Emmet was commissioned Second Lieutenant, in the 9th Cavalry Regiment of the Buffalo Soldiers upon graduation.[1][3]

Emmet's brothers are: Christopher Temple Emmet, a graduate of the Yale Forest School Class of 1902; William LeRoy Emmet, who is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Class of 1881; Devereux Emmet; and Richard Stockton Emmet.[4] He has an uncle, John Emmet, who attended West Point from 1814-1817.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, 9th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Las Animas Canyon, N. Mex., 18 September 1879. Entered service at: New York, N.Y. Birth: New York, N.Y. Date of issue 24 August 1899.

Citation: Lt. Emmet was in G Troop which was sent to relieve a detachment of soldiers under attack by hostile Apaches During a flank attack on the Indian camp, made to divert the hostiles Lt. Emmet and 5 of his men became surrounded when the Indians returned to defend their camp. Finding that the Indians were making for a position from which they could direct their fire on the retreating troop, the Lieutenant held his point with his party until the soldiers reached the safety of a canyon. Lt. Emmet then continued to hold his position while his party recovered their horses. The enemy force consisted of approximately 200.[3]

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.
  1. ^ a b "Robert Temple Emmet". Find a Grave. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  2. ^ Willard, Francis E. and Livermore, Mary A., ed. (1903). A Woman of the Century. New York: Charles Wells Moulton. p. 654. Retrieved 2009-04-18.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
  3. ^ a b "Medal of Honor Recipients Indian Wars Period". Army Center of Military History. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
  4. ^ "Biographical record of the graduates and former students of the Yale Forest School". Yale Forest School. 1913. Retrieved 2009-04-18.

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