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Solon D. Neal

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Solon D. Neal
Born1846
Hanover, New Hampshire, United States
DiedNovember 1, 1920(1920-11-01) (aged 74)
Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas
Place of burial
San Antonio National Cemetery
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service / branchUnited States Army
Years of service1866–1897
RankSergeant
Unit6th U.S. Cavalry
8th U.S. Cavalry
10th U.S. Infantry
11th U.S. Infantry
16th U.S. Infantry
19th U.S. Infantry
Battles / warsIndian Wars
Texas–Indian Wars
AwardsMedal of Honor

Solon D. Neal (1846 – November 1, 1920) was an American soldier in the U.S. Army who served with the 6th U.S. Cavalry during the Texas-Indian Wars. He was one of thirteen men who received the Medal of Honor for gallantry against the Kiowa and Chief Kicking Bird at the Battle of the Little Wichita River on July 12, 1870.

Biography

Solon D. Neal was born to Eli and May Neal in Hanover, New Hampshire in 1846. One of four children, he had two brothers, Joseph and Frank, and a sister Mary. Neal was educated in local public schools and, upon outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, the 15-year-old Neal attempted to enlist in the Union Army but his father refused to give his permission. Solon remained in school and later became a carpenter's apprentice however, on March 1, 1866, he left home and made his way to Boston, Massachusetts where enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was sent to Carlisle Barracks in Pennsylvania for basic cavalry training and assigned to Company L of the 6th U.S. Cavalry. Neal spent his first three years in East Texas at Bonham, McKinney, Jefferson, and Greenville[1] during Reconstruction assisting civil authorities in law enforcement, patrolling against vigilante groups, and monitoring elections. He was also involved in pursuing outlaws in the region, most notably, Bob Lee and his gang. On February 20, 1867, less than a year after his enlistment, Neal was promoted to the rank of sergeant.[2]

When his term of enlistment expired on March 1, 1869, Neal immediately reenlisted and was transferred to Fort Richardson where he served as post librarian. In early-1870, he was called for frontier duty against raiding bands of Kiowa and Comanches. He was among the cavalrymen under Captain Curwen B. McClellan who fought against the Kiowa and Chief Kicking Bird near the Little Wichita River on July 12, 1870, and one of thirteen soldiers who received the Medal of Honor for "gallantry in action" a month later.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] On the final day of the battle, Neal volunteered with Corporal James Watson and Sergeants John May and John Kirk to clear snipers high up on the cliffs who were preventing the cavalry's retreat. Two of the snipers were killed and all four men were able to hold the hill until the command was safely past. The fighting ended half an hour later as the Kiowa withdrew and rode off.[1]

Afterwards, Neal was transferred to Fort Harker in Kansas in early 1871 and where he was discharged on May 29 of that year. He returned to military service a year later and joined Company K of the 11th U.S. Infantry at Fort Richardson, Texas. Neal spent the next several years escorting railroad-surveying crews, mail coaches and supply trains until April 15, 1877. He then reenlisted with the 10th U.S. Infantry at Fort Clark, Texas on January 8, 1878, but obtained a transfer to the 8th U.S. Cavalry shortly after and spent five years fighting against Mexican bandits and trans-border Indian raiders. After his reenlistment on February 20, 1883, Neal served with 19th U.S. Infantry from 1883 to 1888, and with the 16th U.S. Infantry until 1893.[2] He was appointed to the Indianapolis Arsenal as an ordnance sergeant and remained there until his retirement in 1897. Returning to Texas, he lived in San Antonio until his death in the Station Hospital at Fort Sam Houston on November 1, 1920, and interred at the San Antonio National Cemetery.[8][12][13] In accordance to his final wishes, his entire life savings ($5,000) was left to the American Red Cross. His residence at 106 Wyoming Street later became the site of the HemisFair '68 Tower.[1]

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Private, Company L, 6th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Wichita River, Tex., 12 July 1870. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Hanover, N.H. Date of issue: 25 August 1870.

Citation:

Gallantry in action.[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Art Leatherwood: Solon D. Neal from the Handbook of Texas Online (May 30, 2010). Retrieved June 24, 2010.
  2. ^ a b Neal, Charles M. Valor Across the Lone Star: The Congressional Medal of Honor in Frontier Texas. Austin: Texas State Historical Association, 2003. (pg. 301-302) ISBN 0-87611-184-3
  3. ^ Beyer, Walter F. and Oscar Frederick Keydel, ed. Deeds of Valor: From Records in the Archives of the United States Government; how American Heroes Won the Medal of Honor; History of Our Recent Wars and Explorations, from Personal Reminiscences and Records of Officers and Enlisted Men who Were Rewarded by Congress for Most Conspicuous Acts of Bravery on the Battle-field, on the High Seas and in Arctic Explorations. Vol. 2. Detroit: Perrien-Keydel Company, 1906. (pg. 159)
  4. ^ Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs. Medal of Honor recipients, 1863-1973, 93rd Cong., 1st sess. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1973.
  5. ^ Manning, Robert, ed. Above and Beyond: A History of the Medal of Honor from the Civil War to Vietnam. Boston: Boston Publishing Company, 1985. ISBN 0-939526-19-0
  6. ^ Hamilton, Allen Lee. Sentinel of the Southern Plains: Fort Richardson and the Northwest Texas Frontier, 1866-1878. Fort Worth: Texas Christian University Press, 1988. (pg. 192) ISBN 0-87565-073-2
  7. ^ O'Neal, Bill. Fighting Men of the Indian Wars: A Biographical Encyclopedia of the Mountain Men, Soldiers, Cowboys, and Pioneers Who Took Up Arms During America's Westward Expansion. Stillwater, Oklahoma: Barbed Wire Press, 1991. (pg. 27) ISBN 0-935269-07-X
  8. ^ a b Holt, Dean W. American Military Cemeteries: A Comprehensive Illustrated Guide to the Hallowed Grounds of the United States, including Cemeteries Overseas. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland, 1992. ISBN 0-89950-666-6
  9. ^ Yenne, Bill. Indian Wars: The Campaign for the American West. Yardley, Pennsylvania: Westholme Publishing, 2006. (pg. 159) ISBN 1-59416-016-3
  10. ^ Sterner, C. Douglas (1999). "MOH Citation for Solon D. Neal". MOH Recipients: Indian Campaigns. HomeofHeroes.com. Retrieved June 24, 2010.
  11. ^ Army Times Publishing Company. "Military Times Hall of Valor: James Anderson". Awards and Citations: Medal of Honor. MilitaryTimes.com. Retrieved June 24, 2010.
  12. ^ Harvey, Bill. Texas Cemeteries: The Resting Places of Famous, Infamous, and Just Plain Interesting Texans. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2003. (pg. 222) ISBN 0-292-73466-2
  13. ^ Sterner, C. Douglas (1999). "Photo of Grave site of MOH Recipient Solon Neal". Medal of Honor recipient Gravesites In The State of Texas. HomeofHeroes.com. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  14. ^ "Medal of Honor recipients". Indian War Campaigns. United States Army Center of Military History. June 8, 2009. Retrieved June 29, 2009.

Further reading

  • Konstantin, Phil. This Day in North American Indian History: Important Dates in the History of North America's Native Peoples for Every Calendar Day. New York: Da Capo Press, 2002. ISBN 0-306-81170-7
  • Loftin, Jack. Trails Through Archer: A Centennial History, 1880-1980. Burnet, Texas: Nortex, 1979. ISBN 0-89015-227-6
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