Clinton Greaves

Clinton Greaves (August 12, 1855 – August 18, 1906) was a Buffalo Soldier in the United States Army and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Indian Wars of the western United States.

Clinton Greaves
Clinton Greaves statue at Fort Bayard, New Mexico
Born(1855-08-12)August 12, 1855
Madison County, Virginia, US
DiedAugust 18, 1906(1906-08-18) (aged 51)
Place of burial
Green Lawn Cemetery, Columbus, Ohio
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1872–1893
RankSergeant
Unit9th Cavalry Regiment
Battles/warsAmerican Indian Wars
AwardsMedal of Honor

Biography

Greaves was born in Madison County, Virginia on August 12, 1855. He joined the Army from Prince George's County, Maryland in September 1872, and by January 24, 1877 was serving as a Corporal in Company C of the 9th Cavalry Regiment. On that day, Greaves was part of a detachment which participated in an engagement in the Florida Mountains of New Mexico against Apaches. The engagement started as a negotiation, but turned violent. Greaves shot his carbine until he was out of rounds, and then used his carbine as a club. Five Apaches died and Greaves' group escaped through the opening Greaves made.[1] For his actions during the battle, he was awarded the Medal of Honor two years later, on June 26, 1879.

Greaves served in the army for over 20 years, and had reached the rank of Sergeant upon his discharge in 1893. After his army service, he worked as a civilian for the Quartermaster Department.[2] He died of heart disease at age 51 and was buried at Green Lawn Cemetery (Columbus, Ohio).

Medal of Honor citation
Grave at Green Lawn Cemetery, Columbus, Ohio

Rank and organization: Corporal, Company C, 9th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Florida Mountains, N. Mex., January 24, 1877. Entered service at: Prince George's County, Md. Birth: Madison County, Va. Date of issue: June 26, 1879.

Citation:

While part of a small detachment to persuade a band of renegade Apache Indians to surrender, his group was surrounded. Cpl. Greaves in the center of the savage hand-to-hand fighting, managed to shoot and bash a gap through the swarming Apaches, permitting his companions to break free.

Namesake

Camp Greaves, a US Army installation located near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in the Republic of Korea (South Korea), is named in honor of Sergeant (SGT) Greaves.

See also

References
  1. Schubert, Frank N. (1997). Black Valor: Buffalo Soldiers and the Medal of Honor, 1870-1898. Scholarly Resources Inc. p. 45. ISBN 9780842025867.
  2. Black Valor: Buffalo Soldiers and the Medal of Honor
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