John Green

(1825 - 1908)
Home State: Unknown
Branch of Service: Cavalry
Unit: 2nd United States Cavalry (Co. E, F, H & K)

Before the Antietam Campaign:
He was Sergeant and 1st Sergeant of Company B, then Regimental Sergeant-Major of the Regiment of Mounted Riflement, US Army, from 1 July 1846 to 27 Aug 1848 - with service in the Mexican War. He reenlisted as Private, then was 1st Sergeant, again, of Company B of the same Regiment 18 Sept 1852 to 5 July 1855. He was appointed 2nd Lieutenant in the 2nd US Dragoons on 18 June 1855 and promoted to 1st Lieutenant 3 March 1861. The Dragoons became the 2nd United States Cavalry on 3 August 1861, and he was promoted to Captain on 13 August 1861.

In the Antietam Campaign:
He was in Company F at Antietam.

The remainder of the War:
He was honored by brevets for service at Gettysburg, 3 July 1863 (Major), and for "faithful and meritorious service" through the War, 15 April 1865 (Lieutenant Colonel).

After the War:
He continued in Regular Army service and was promoted Major in the First Cavalry on 9 June 1868. He was breveted again in 1890 for action against "Indians at Mount Turnbull, Arizona" on 30 April 1869 (Colonel) and for action at the Lava Beds, California and the Modoc War in early 1873 (Brigadier General). He commanded at Fort Klamath, Oregon in late 1872 - early 1873.

He was awarded the Medal of Honor 18 November 1897 for his actions at the Lava Beds on 17 January 1873:

In order to reassure his command, this officer, in the most fearless manner and exposed to very great danger, walked in front of the line [when the men hesitated to go forward as ordered]; the command, thus encouraged, advanced over the lava upon the Indians who were concealed among the rocks [and fighting from behind their natural fortifications].

He was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the Second Cavalry on 3 July 1885, and retired on 20 November 1889.

References, Sources, and other notes:
Basic information from Caughey 1 with military details from Heitman 2. Life dates from his gravesite on Findagrave.

Birth Date: 11/20/1825 Birth State: GERMANY
Death Date: 11/22/1908 Burial Place: Morris Hill Cemetery, Boise, Idaho

Notes

1 Caughey, Don, Crossed Sabers, first accessed 07 February 2007, <http://crossedsabers.blogspot.com/>, Source page: /2011/04/2nd-us-cavalry-in-maryland-campaign.html [AotW citation 2253]

2 Heitman, Francis Bernard, Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army 1789-1903, 2 volumes, Washington DC: US Government Printing Office, 1903, Vol. 1, pg. 473 [AotW citation 2262]

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