 |
6th
and 7th Infantry |
| The
U.S. Army deployed "its forces in regimental posts across the
frontier" before 1846 and the War with Mexico. Lafayette McLaws
served in the 6th and 7th U.S. Infantry Regiments between 1842 and
1861. |
| 6th
U.S. Infantry |
|
 |
July
21, 1842 |
|
| |
General
Order No. 44 promoted the twenty-two year old McLaws to
brevet second lieutenant. He joined Company I, 6th U.S.
Infantry at Fort Gibson, Cherokee part of the Indian Territory
on October 11, 1842. |
|
|
July
8, 1844 |
|
| |
McLaws
was promoted to second lieutenant and transferred to the
Baton Rouge Barracks by General Order No. 33. |
|
|
|
| 7th
U.S. Infantry |
|
|
September
5, 1844 |
| |
McLaws
was transferred to Company D, 7th U.S. Infantry. |
|
| Click
image of camp to enlarge |
|
August
15, 1845 |
 |
|
McLaws
and the 7th U.S. Infantry arrive at General Zachary Taylor's
Army of Occupation camp on the Nueces River, Texas. |
|
November
1845 through March 1846 |
| |
McLaws
suffers two accidents. On November 29, 1845 a recently
tamed Mustand falls on his leg crossing the Nueces River
and "badly mashed" his foot which confined him
tp bed for six weeks. McLaws then attempted to leave San
Antonio only to be accidently shot by Lieutenant William
Logan Crittenden at San Pedro Springs. |
|
|
|
April
14, 1846 |
 |
| |
McLaws
rejoins Company D as Fort Texas is completed opposite
the Rio Grande River from Matamoras, Mexico. |
|
May 3 - 9, 1846 |
Click
image of Ft. Texas to enlarge --> |
| |
Seige
of Fort Texas. |
|
|
September
21, 1846 |
| |
7th
Infantry takes part in the attack on the Bishop's Palace,
Monterrey, Mexico. |
|
February
16, 1847 |
| |
McLaws
is promoted to first lieutenant. |
|
|
|
March
9 - 29, 1847 |
|
| |
Siege
of Vera Cruz, Mexico. |
|
|
April
5, 1847 |
|
| |
Transferred
to Company H, 7th Infantry and directed to recruiting
duty in New York. |
|
|
June
6, 1848 |
|
| |
McLaws
had previously rejoined the 7th Infantry in Mexico City,
Mexico and became the acting regimental adjutant. He arrived
with Company H at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri on July
20. |
|
|
December
1848 |
|
| |
McLaws
served as judge advocate in a court-martial. |
|
|
October
23, 1849 - July 19, 1851 |
|
| |
McLaws
was assigned as adjutant and inspector general for the
Department of New Mexico. Colonel John Munroe, commander
of the Department, requested McLaws's assignment. |
|
|
March
25, 1852 |
|
| |
McLaws
rejoined Company D, 7th U.S. Infantry at Fort Gibson.
He remained at Fort Gibson through 1857. |
|
|
1857 |
|
| |
McLaws
was transferred to Fort Smith, Arkansas. |
|
|
1858 |
|
| |
McLaws
was transferred to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. |
|
|
1858 |
 |
| |
McLaws
was sent to the Utah frontier. He was assigned to Camp
Floyd and Fort Bridger to help patrol the immigrant trails
during the 1859 traveling season. |
|
1860 |
| Click
image of Old Ft. Defiance to enlarge
--> |
|
| |
McLaws
was assigned to several expeditions against the Navajo
Indians. He was posted to Forts Craig and Defiance. |
|
January
16, 1861 |
| |
McLaws
learned of the secession proceedings and obtained a six-month
leave of absence promised him in September 1860. He left
Fort Bear Springs, "the fort being in the heart of
the Roky Mountains--snow 2 feet deep, thermometer 10 degress
below zero." |
|
January
20, 1861 |
|
| |
McLaws
turned in his ordnance report at Albuquerque, New Mexico.
True to form he retained a duplicate receipt for his records.
He left for El Paso and then Fort Davis, Texas where caught
a stage to Jefferson, Missouri and ultimately Louisville,
Kentucky. |
|
March
14, 1861 |
|
| |
McLaws
sent in his letter of resignation from Augusta, Georgia.
He had just arrived after a very brief visit with his
family in Louisville. The letter of resignation was approved
by the U.S. Army on March 23. (1) |
|
|
| (1)
ASG, 9 - 22. |
|
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| To
read McLaws comments, observations and opinions, check the MENU. |
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|
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