Bennett C. Riley

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Bennett C. Riley (born 1790 in Saint Mary's County , Maryland , † June 6, 1853 in Buffalo , New York ) was an American general and the last military governor of California .

Life

Young Riley entered the US Army early to pursue an officer career . From the beginning of 1813 he was a lieutenant, in March 1817 he became a first lieutenant. He was assigned to the 5th and then the 6th Infantry Regiment at Fort Atkinson on the Missouri River . In 1821 he was already a captain. In August 1823 he was at the side of his Colonel Henry Leavenworth in a campaign against the Arikaree Indians. The militarily unsuccessful struggle was the first campaign against Indians west of the Mississippi to have historical significance. In the following years his steep military career continued. In 1829 he protected traders on the Santa Fe Trail from Indians and briefly crossed the border to Mexico with his troops in order to come to the aid of a trade train run by Charles and William Bent, which was attacked by Comanches . In addition to some certification promotions, he became a regular major in the 4th Infantry Regiment (1837). Two years later he was a lieutenant colonel in the 2nd Infantry. He has received several awards for his participation in the Seminole War in Florida .

When the American-Mexican War broke out , Riley was already a colonel. After he had proven himself as a soldier several times in this war, he was promoted to Brigade General. In 1849 he became the commander of the US troops in Upper California , which was conquered and occupied by Mexico in the war, and was thus also the military governor. The post of governor was transferred to the newly established civil administration in December. So Riley was the last military governor of California, which was admitted as a state into the union in 1850 . He kept the military command in the region until 1850. Then he was supposed to take over a command on the Rio Grande , which he could no longer take on because of his poor health. As a result, he retired from active service and returned to his home in Buffalo, New York.

His ambitious military career was now taking its toll. His restless commitment in many battles and skirmishes undermined his health and he fell ill with cancer, which he eventually succumbed to. He left a widow and five children.

Appreciation

After Bennett Riley are named:

  • Fort Riley in northeast Kansas , founded in 1853 as Camp Center , was named after Bennett Riley immediately after his death.
  • Riley County , Kansas founded in 1855 was named after the fort and General Riley.
  • The small town of Riley , Kansas (population 886, as of 2000) emerged from a railroad depot called Riley Center and was given its current name in 1895.

literature

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personal data
SURNAME Riley, Bennett C.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American general and last military governor of California
DATE OF BIRTH 1790
PLACE OF BIRTH Saint Mary's County , Maryland
DATE OF DEATH June 6, 1853
Place of death Buffalo , New York