Page:Men of Mark in America vol 2.djvu/231

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ANSON MILLS
187

against the measure, while the party for secession polled nine hundred and eighty-five votes. In March, 1861, he left Texas and journeyed to Washington, where he joined the "Clay Batallion" for the protection of the National Capital. On May 14, 1861, he was appointed first lieutenant in the 18th United States infantry, on recommendation of the class succeeding the one he entered at West Point, and the records during the four years of the Civil war, gave Company H, first batallion, 18th infantry (in which he served), as suffering a greater loss in killed and mortally wounded than any other company in the regiment, while the loss in the regiment was greater than in any other regiment in the regular army. His personal record was that he was never absent on leave or sickness and took part in all the engagements of his regiment which included Corinth, Perryville, Murfreesboro (where he was brevetted captain, December 31, 1862), Hoover's Gap, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Missionary Ridge, Tunnel Hill, Buzzard's Roost, the Atlanta campaign (for which he was brevetted major, September 1, 1864), including Resaca, Dallas, New Hope Church, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek (where he was slightly wounded), and Jonesboro. He also distinguished himself at Nashville, for which battle he was brevetted lieutenant-colonel, December 16, 1864. He was made captain, April 27, 1863, served in his regiment after the war, in Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado, and in South Carolina and Georgia. He was transferred to the 3d United States cavalry, January 1, 1871. He commanded the Big Horn expedition, and was in action against the Indians at Little Powder river, Tongue river, Rose Bud river, Montana, commanding squadron, and at Slim Buttes, Dakota, where he was in command. He was a member of the board of visitors to the United States military academy, 1866, and military attache to the Paris exposition, 1878. He joined the 10th United States cavalry as major, April 4, 1878; was brevetted colonel February 17, 1890, for gallantry at Slim Buttes, and was promoted lieutenant-colonel, March 25, 1890. He joined the 4th United States cavalry, July 13, 1890, and commanded the regiment at Fort Walla Walla. He was advanced to colonel August 16, 1892; joined the 3rd United States cavalry February 28, 1893, serving in Texas and Oklahoma; and was detached and appointed on October 26, 1893, boundary commissioner on the part of the United States in the International Boundary commission of the United States and Mexico, of which he is still a member.