William Scott Ketchum facts for kids
William Scott Ketchum (1813–1871) was an important officer in the United States Army. He served before and during the American Civil War. He helped protect different parts of the country and played a role in military operations.
Early Life and Army Start
William Scott Ketchum was born on July 7, 1813, in Norwalk, Connecticut. He went to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He graduated from this famous school in 1834.
After graduating, he served in the Seminole Wars. These were conflicts between the United States Army and Native American groups in Florida. He also served on the Western frontier, which was the edge of settled American lands at the time. In 1857, Captain Ketchum was part of an expedition against the Cheyenne people. He commanded a group of soldiers from the 6th Infantry Regiment during the Battle of Solomon's Fork.
Civil War Service
When the American Civil War began, Major Ketchum was with the US Fourth Infantry Regiment. He was in charge of Fort Dalles in Oregon. His job there was to protect settlers from Native American raids.
Later, he was sent to California. His new mission was to command federal troops in Southern California. He needed to protect the area from groups who wanted to leave the Union. He also had to guard against possible attacks from Confederate forces in Arizona or Texas. His headquarters were in San Bernardino, California. His troops watched over people in the region who supported the Confederacy. They also made sure Fort Yuma was strong.
California Volunteer troops later took over his duties. Ketchum and his regiment then gathered in San Pedro in late 1861. From there, they traveled by ship to the eastern United States. Ketchum was promoted to lieutenant colonel in late 1861. He became a brigadier general of Volunteers in February 1862. For the rest of the war, he worked in Washington D.C. He had important office jobs, helping with army inspections, finding new soldiers, and checking financial records.
After the War and Retirement
After the Civil War ended, General Ketchum continued to serve for four more years. He worked in a special role in the adjutant general’s office in Washington D.C. He retired from the army in December 1870. William Scott Ketchum passed away on June 28, 1871, in Baltimore, Maryland.
