More Military Service
In Washington, Bonneville petitioned tirelessly to Secretary of War Lewis Cass to have his commission re-instated. In early 1836 he was successful. In subsequent years, he was given assignments on the western frontier at Fort Kearny in the Nebraska Territory and in the New Mexico Territory at Fort Fillmore, where he became the commander of the third infantry regiment on February 3, 1855, after the death of Colonel Thomas Staniford. He also served in the Mexican-American War, taking part in the Veracruz campaign of Winfield Scott. He was part of the occupation of Mexico City. One of his later assignments in the 1850s included a post in the Oregon Territory, as a colonel at the Columbia Barracks. This was next to Fort Vancouver, which had become a U.S. Army post in 1849.
Bonneville retired from the military in 1861 but was soon recalled to duty during the Civil War, reaching the rank of brevet Brigadier General. From 1861 to 1863 Bonneville served as superintendent of recruiting in Missouri with a brief stint in 1862 as commander of Benton Barracks in St. Louis. He retired a second time in 1866 and moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas, where he married a second time, to Sue Neis.
He died at age 82 in 1878. He is buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri.
Read more about this topic: Benjamin Bonneville
Famous quotes containing the words military and/or service:
“My faith is the grand drama of my life. I’m a believer, so I sing words of God to those who have no faith. I give bird songs to those who dwell in cities and have never heard them, make rhythms for those who know only military marches or jazz, and paint colours for those who see none.”
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