★ MacKenzie, Ranald Slidell

Ranald Slidell Mackenzie​

Born: July 27, 1840

Birthplace: Westchester County, New York

Father: U.S.N Commodore Alexander S. Mackenzie 1803 – 1848

Mother: Catherine Alexander Robinson

Education:

1862: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (1st​ in class)​

Civil War Career:

1862 – 1863: 2nd​ Lt. United States Army, Corps of Engineers​

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1862: Assistant Engineer for 9th​ Army Corps​

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1862: Served in the Battle of Kelly's Ford​

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1862: Wounded in the Second Battle of Bull Run​

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1862: Brevetted 1st​ Lt. for Gallantry at Second Battle of Bull Run​

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1862: Served in the Engineer Battalion in Maryland Campaign​

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1863: 1st​ Lt. United States Army, Corps of Engineers​

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1863: Brevetted, Captain for Gallantry, Battle of Chancellorsville​

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1863: Brevetted Major for Gallantry Battle of Gettysburg​

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1863 – 1867: Captain, United States Army, Corps of Engineers​

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1864: Wounded at the Siege of Petersburg, Virginia​

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1864: Brevetted Lt. Colonel for Gallantry at Petersburg, Virginia​

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1864: Colonel of 2nd​ Connecticut Heavy Artillery​

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1864: Brigade Commander in Washington, D.C. Campaign​

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1864: Brigade Commander in Shenandoah Valley Campaign​

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1864: Wounded at the Battle of Cedar Creek​

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1864: Brevetted Colonel for Gallantry at Battle of Cedar Creek​

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1864 – 1866: Brigadier General of Union Army Volunteers​

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1864 – 1865: Brigade Commander in 6th​ Army Corps​

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1865: Brevetted Brig. General, U.S. Army for his service in war​

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1865: Brevetted, Major General, Union Army for his service in war​

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1865: Cavalry Commander in Richmond, Virginia​

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1865 – 1866: Waiting on orders from the U.S. War Department​

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1866: Mustered out of the Union Army on January 15th​​

Occupation after War:

1863 – 1867: Captain, United States Army, Corps of Engineers​

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1866 – 1867: Assistant Engineer, Defenses of Portsmouth, New Hampshire​

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1867: Colonel of United States Army, 41st​ Infantry Regiment​

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1867: United States Army Commander in Baton Rouge, Louisiana​

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1867 – 1869: Colonel of United States Army, 24th​ Infantry Regiment​

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1869 – 1882: Colonel of United States Army, 4th​ Cavalry Regiment​

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1882 – 1884: Brigadier General in United States Army​

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1884: Retired from Active Military Service on March 24th​​

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1884 – 1889: Suffered from the effects of Post – traumatic Stress​

Died: January 19, 1889

Place of Death: Sister's home in New Brighton, Staten Island, New York

Cause of Death: Post – traumatic Stress and dementia

Age at time of Death: 48 years old

Burial Place: U.S. Military Academy Post Cemetery, West Point, New York

 

[Pollaco]

In 1875 he landed on his head when thrown from a wagon and was dazed for a length of time. He had been wounded 6 times during the war , the 7th wounding came at the hands of Indians in Texas in 1871. Is it any wonder his mind later gave way due to stress and wounds.

 

[Luke Freet]

Graduated top of his class at West Point, took command of the 2nd Connecticut Heavy Regiment after Cold Harbor, served under the brilliant Emory Upton at Petersburg and in the Valley, later took command of a regiment of the buffalo soldiers, fought in various wars against the apaches.
One hell of a career.

 

[Kyle Kalasnik]

His wounding at Jerusalem Plank Road cost him a few fingers. This led to his nickname of "Bad Hand".

 

[Pollaco]

He was a nephew of John Slidell.

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy Birthday Brig. General Ranald S. MacKenzie! Salutes remembering General MacKenzie on his birthday.

 

[ErnieMac]

Probably his most successful engagement occurred in Palo Duro Canyon TX on September 28, 1874. There wasn't much of a battle, but Mackenzie's troops captured and destroyed about 1500 horses from the Native Americans of the southern plains and destroyed their stockpiled winter supplies. These losses forced the tribes on to reservations in the following months.

General Mackenzie's obituary.

 

[James N.]

Here are a couple more photos of Mackenzie during the period of the Indian Wars, the one at the left wearing the M. 1872 braided blouse worn in undress situations by officers; in the other, he's wearing the typical regulation five-button fatigue jacket that had replaced the four-button sack coat of the Civil War. He was known as Bad Hand to the Indians because one of his wartime wounds had resulted in the loss of several fingers. Sadly, following an outstanding postwar military career including clandestine raids into Mexico chasing Apache renegades, Mackenzie suffered an untimely and controversial early death, having gone insane and being confined to a mental institution, supposedly suffering from congenital syphilis and NOT a head injury as reported in his obituary above.

 

[rpkennedy]

He may very well have been the most successful American officer who faced American Indians in the West.

Ryan

 

[Pollaco]

That seventh wound was an arrow in the leg fighting Indians in Texas.

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy (Wednesday) Birthday Brig. General Ranald S. MacKenzie! Salutes remembering General MacKenzie on his birthday week.