Good Day,
I have found a document written by Dabney H. Maury, a 19th Century West
Point graduate who commanded Lieutenant Jérôme (Williams) Bonaparte,
Jr., (b.1830- d.1893). [1]
Maury's book, Recollections of a Virginian in the Mexican, Indian, and
Civil Wars, notes that the grandson of Jérôme (Patterson) Bonaparte
(Emperor Napoleon's younger brother), Lieutenant Jérôme (Williams)
Bonaparte, Jr., graduated from West Point in 1852. And, entered the "C
Troop of the Mounted Rifles" (a.k.a. "The Texas Rangers") where he
served at Fort Inge, Texas; under General Dabney H. Maury.
And, that after one or two years of frontier service in Texas, circa
1852-1854, Lieutenant Jérôme (Williams) Bonaparte, Jr. was summoned to
France by Emperor Napoleon III. While abroad he served in Algiers, as a
Captain of the Cavalry and Aide-de-Camp to General Meurice, who was the
commander of the French Cavalry during the: Italian Campaign, Crimean
War, and the War between France and Germany.
General Dabney H. Maury also notes that Jérôme (Williams) Bonaparte, Jr.
returned to the United States as a Colonel, circa 1855-1856 (?). At
which time, he visited both the Mounted Rifles (a.k.a. "The Texas
Rangers") and the Dragoons which had been ordered to serve in "Oregon
Territory" for four years, i.e., sometime in the 1850's.
In light of this historical data, I am now seeking information on: (1)
Lieutenant Jérôme (Williams) Bonaparte, Jr. at West Point, (2) the
Mounted Rifles (a.k.a. "The Texas Rangers") and the Dragoons were
actually stationed in "Oregon Territory," (3) when and where they were
stationed, and (4) whether or not Colonel Jérôme (Williams) Bonaparte,
Jr., may have actually traveled to "Oregon Territory" to visit his
former West Point cadets.
If verified, this document establishes beyond a shadow of a resonable
doubt, that Colonel Jérôme (Williams) Bonaparte, Jr., was in
communication with both the Mounted Rifles (a.k.a. "The Texas Rangers")
and the American Dragoons which were both stationed in "Oregon
Territory." And, that he was living in the United States after after
the Crimean War.
Clearly, continued research is required on my part. But who knows
perhaps in time, I may find yet another link between: Jérôme (Williams)
Bonaparte, Jr., The Mounted Rifles (a.k.a. "The Texas Rangers"), and the
Dragoons in "Oregon Territory." In the meantime, posting this data to
lists is part of my continued objective research process.
Since, I'm seeking obscure historical references, e.g., books,
citations, magazine articles, newspaper articles, photographs, Web site
links, etcetera. By the way, if you know of a "West Point" or "Military
History list" or any other relevant "Web site," etcetera, please pass it
along -- trivial data tends to be the most "valuable" research
information! Thanks in advance for your time and assistance.
Best,
Dick Pollard
pollard(a)gte.net
http://home1.gte.net/pollard/00site.htm
509-429-7029 (Fax)
[1] See, Dabney Herndon Maury, "Recollections of a Virginian in the
Mexican, Indian, and Civil Wars" (New York: Scribner, 1894), Bonaparte,
Jérôme Napoleon, Jr., Francis B. Heitman, "Historical Register and
Dictionary of the United States Army" (2 vols., Washington: GPO, 1903;
rpt., Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1965), and "The Handbook of
Texas Online:"
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/BB/fbo11.html