James H. Turpin

First Sergeant James H. Turpin (1846 – May 6, 1893) was an American soldier in the United States Army who served with the fifth U.S. Cavalry regiment during the Apache Wars. Turpin was one of 12 men received the Medal of Honor for gallantry in several engagements with the Apache Indians in the Arizona Territory during Lieutenant Colonel George Crook's "winter campaign" between 1872 and 1873.

James H. Turpin
Born1846
Easton, Massachusetts, United States
DiedMay 6, 1893(1893-05-06) (aged 47)
Denver, Colorado
Place of burial
Fairmount Cemetery
Allegiance United States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of servicec. 1872–1874
RankFirst Sergeant
Unit5th U.S. Cavalry
Battles/warsIndian Wars
Apache Wars
AwardsMedal of Honor

Biography

James H. Turpin was born in Easton, Massachusetts in 1846. He enlisted in the United States Army in Boston, Massachusetts as a private. Turpin was assigned to frontier duty, and served with Company L of the Fifth Cavalry Regiment, seeing action during the Apache Wars and eventually reached the rank of First Sergeant.

In late 1872, Turpin accompanied Lieutenant Colonel George Crook in his "winter campaign" against the Apache renegades still active in the Arizona Territory, following the surrender of Apache Chief Cochise. Turpin was involved in heavy fighting in the Tonto Basin region, where Western Apache and Yavapais raiding parties had been active for many years. He was one of 23 expedition members who were presented with the Medal of Honor, his citation reading "gallantry in actions with Apaches".[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

Turpin died on May 6, 1893 at the age of 47 and was interred at Fairmount Cemetery in Denver, Colorado.[8]

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: First Sergeant, Company L, 5th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: Arizona, 1872-74. Entered service at: --. Birth: Easton, Mass. Date of issue: 12 April 1875.

Citation: Gallantry in actions with Apaches.[9]

See also

References
  1. 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. 539)
  2. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs. Medal of Honor recipients, 1863-1973, 93rd Cong., 1st sess. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1973.
  3. Hannings, Bud. A Portrait of the Stars and Stripes. Glenside, Pennsylvania: Seniram Publishing, 1988. (pg. 400) ISBN 0-922564-00-0
  4. 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. 28) ISBN 0-935269-07-X
  5. Yenne, Bill. Indian Wars: The Campaign for the American West. Yardley, Pennsylvania: Westholme Publishing, 2006. (pg. 148) ISBN 1-59416-016-3
  6. Sterner, C. Douglas (1999). "MOH Citation for James Turpin". MOH Recipients: Indian Campaigns. HomeofHeroes.com. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  7. Army Times Publishing Company. "Military Times Hall of Valor: James H. Turpin". Awards and Citations: Medal of Honor. MilitaryTimes.com. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  8. Sterner, C. Douglas (1999). "Photo of Grave site of MOH Recipient". Medal of Honor recipient Gravesites In The State of. HomeofHeroes.com. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  9. "Medal of Honor recipients". Indian War Campaigns. United States Army Center of Military History. June 8, 2009. Retrieved June 29, 2009.
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