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 [decorative delimiter] Class of 1872

Vol. III
p191 2427

(Born N. Y.)

Charles A. Varnum

(Ap'd Fla.)

17

Born Troy, NY.​a

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, Sep. 1, 1868, to June 14, 1872, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Second Lieut., 7th Cavalry, June 14, 1872.

Served: in garrison at Huntsville, Ala., Oct. 22, 1872, to Jan. 31, 1873, — Elizabethtown, Ky., to Mar. 6, 1873, — and Louisville, Ky., to Apr. 2, 1873; on frontier duty at Yankton, Dak., Apr. 11 to May 7, 1873, — Yellowstone Expedition, to Sep. 21, 1873, being engaged against Sioux Indians at Tongue River, Dak., Aug. 4, and Yellowstone River, Mon., Aug. 11, 1873, — Ft. Lincoln, Dak., to Sep. 29, 1874 (Black Hills Expedition, June 20 to Aug. 30, 1874), — Livingstone, Ala., Oct. 10, 1874, to May 18, 1875, — Ft. Randall, Dak., May 30 to Sep. 21, 1875 (Scouting, July 26 to Sep. 17, 1875), — Ft. Lincoln, Dak., Oct. 8, 1875, to May 17, 1876 (leave of absence, Nov. 3, 1875, to Apr. 12, 1876), — Sioux Expedition, to Sep. 22, 1876, being engaged in the Battle of Little Big Horn, Mon., June 25‑26, 1876, where he was wounded, — Ft. Lincoln, Dak.,

(First Lieut., 7th Cavalry, June 25, 1876)

Sep. 26, 1876 to Oct., 1877, — Regimental Quartermaster, Nov. 14, 1876, to Oct. 31, 1879, — Scouting in Montana, May to Nov., 1877, — Ft. Lincoln, Dak., to July 4, 1878, — Scouting, and at Bear Butte, Dak., July 4 to Nov. 20, 1878, — Ft. Lincoln, Dak., Nov. 20, 1878, to June 30, 1879, — Ft. Meade, Dak., to Oct. 31, 1879, — Ft. Lincoln, Dak., to Apr. 9, 1880, — Scouting, to June, 1880, — on leave, and conducting recruits, to May 21, 1881, — Scouting and protecting railroad engineers, to Sep. 24, 1882, on various detached duties, on leave of absence, and in arrest, to Oct. 5, 1886, — Ft. Yates, Dak., to May 19, 1888, — en route to Ft. Sill, I. T., to Aug. 14, 1888, — and Ft. Sill, I. T., to –––––

Vol. IV
p219 [Supplement, Vol. IV: 1890‑1900]

Military History. —

(Captain of Cavalry, 7th Cavalry, July 22, 1890)

Post Quartermaster and Adjutant, Fort Sill, I. T., to June 17, 1890. — On leave to Sept. 10, 1890. — At Fort Riley, Kan., to Sept., 1892. — In the field, Sioux Indian campaign, S. D., Nov., 1890 to Jan. 23, 1891. — Engagement with Big Foot's band, Sioux Indians, at Wounded Knee, S. D., Dec. 29, 1890, and at White Clay Creek (Drexel Mission), S. D., Dec. 30, 1890, with Brulé Sioux. — Commended in orders for service on Dec. 29, and received

Medal of Honor

for "most distinguished gallantry in action" at White Clay Creek, Dec. 30, 1890.

— At Fort Sheridan, Ill., Sept., 1892 to July, 1895. — Served during railroad strike at Chicago, Ill., 1894. — Professor Military Science at University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyo., to June 13, 1898. — Purchasing horses for U. S. Volunteer Cavalry, mustering volunteers, and with troop at Fort Sill, Okla., Huntsville, Ala., and Macon, Ga., to Jan. 21, 1899. — Havana, Cuba, Jan. 25, 1899 to –––––

Medal of Honor for most distinguished gallantry in action at White Clay Creek, S. D., Dec. 30, 1890; this officer was in command of Troop B, and part of Troop E, 7th U. S. Cavalry, the regiment then retiring by detachments before a superior force of hostile Indians. While executing an order to withdraw, Captain Varnum saw that a continuance of the movement would result in exposure of another troop of his regiment to being cut off and surrounded. Disregarding orders to retire, he placed himself in front of his men, led a charge upon the advancing Indians, regained a commanding position that had just been vacated, and thus insured the safe withdrawal of both detachments without further loss.

Vol. V
p189 [Supplement, Vol. V: 1900‑1910]

(Charles Albert Varnum)

Military History. — Camp Columbia, Havana, Cuba, till May 2, 1899. — En route to New York, in charge of discharged soldiers and on leave S. C., till June 13, 1899. — Sick in hospital at Fort McPherson, Ga., to Oct. 28, 1899. — On sick leave of absence till May 19, 1800. — Staff duty, Headquarters Department of Colorado, till May 19, 1903.

(Major, 7th Cavalry, Feb. 2, 1901)

— With regiment Chickamauga Park, Ga.,º till Oct. 1, 1904. — Transferred to 9th Cavalry, Sept. 22, 1904. — Joined at Fort Walla Walla, Wash., Oct. 6, 1904. — Fort Riley, Kas., Oct. 23, 1904 to May 31, 1905.

(Lieut.‑Colonel, 4th Cavalry, April 10, 1905)

Fort Walla Walla, Wash., to Sept. 1, 1905. — Sailed from San Francisco, Cal., Sept. 5, 1905 for Manila, P. I., with regiment. — On duty at Malabang, Mind., to June 28, 1907. — At Manila en route home to Aug. 13, 1907. — Commanding Post Malabang, Mind., Dec. 20, 1905 to June 28, 1907. — Commanding Department Dakota, Aug. 20 to Sept. 13, 1907. — On leave of absence to Nov. 5, 1907.

Lieut.‑Colonel, U. S. A., Retired Oct. 31, 1907,
for disability in line of duty.

— On duty with organized militia, Idaho, Nov. 16, 1907, to –––––.

Vol. VI
p171 [Supplement, Vol. VI: 1910‑1920]

(Charles Albert Varnum, Born June 21, 1849.)

Military History. —

Medal of Honor.

Lieut.‑Colonel, 4th Cavalry, April 10, 1905.

Lieut.‑Colonel, U. S. A., Retired, Oct. 31, 1907,
For Disability Contracted in Line of Duty.

On duty with organized Militia of Idaho, Nov. 16, 1907, to Oct. 10, 1908; at Orono, Me., Professor of Military Science and Tactics at University of Maine; at Portland, Oregon, on recruiting duty, July 1, 1912, to Feb. 20, 1917; at Kansas City, Mo., on recruiting duty to –––––

Vol. VII
p110 [Supplement, Vol. VII: 1920‑1930]

Military History: —

Medal of Honor.

Lieutenant-Colonel, 4th Cavalry, April 10, 1905.

Lieutenant-Colonel, U. S. A., Retired, Oct. 31, 1907,
For Disability Contracted in Line of Duty.

Colonel, U. S. A., Retired, July 9, 1918.

At Kansas City, Mo., on recruiting duty to Sept. 16, 1918; at Fort Mason, San Francisco, Calif., Disbursing Officer, Quartermaster Depot, to Apr. 8, 1919. Relieved active duty, Apr. 8, 1919.

Awarded Silver Star for gallantry in action.

Vol. VIII
p47 [Supplement, Vol. VIII: 1930‑1940]

Military History: —

Col., Ret., July 9, 1918.

Died, Feb. 26, 1936, at San Francisco, Calif.: Aged 86.

Portrait and obituary in Annual Report, Association of Graduates, for 1936.º

Buried, San Francisco National Cemetery, San Francisco, CA.

Thayer's Note:

a Col. Varnum's birthplace is from his AOG obituary.

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Page updated: 12 Jun 16