User:JManCan/Joel Elliott

Joel Haworth Elliot (October 27th, 1840 - November 27th, 1868) who served as a United States Army officer and cavalry during the American Civil War and Indian Wars. Elliot served under General George Armstrong Custer, taking command of the 7th U.S. Cavalry when Custer was court-martialed and relieved of duty for a year starting in October of 1867. Elliot was killed at the Battle of Washita River in November of 1868.

Birth and Early Life
Joel Haworth Elliott was born to a stanch pacifist Quaker family in Wayne County, Indiana and lived on the family farm until the age of 21. He was recorded in the 1850 and 1860 U.S. census records living on the family farm in Centre Township in Wayne County, Indiana. His father, Mark Elliott, died unexpectedly in 1858. The early demise of his father resulted in Joel, at age 17, having to help run the family farm.

Civil War
At the beginning of the Civil War more than 1200 young Quaker men of military age in Indiana joined the fight against the south. Joel H. Elliot was one of those 1200 men and he enlisted in Campany C, 2nd Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Cavalry on August 28th, 1861. Quaker records during the war make no reference to Elliott's involvement in the fighting, however after the war when Joel stayed on in the military he was disowned from the West Grove Friends Meeting for serving.

Post Civil War and Indian Wars
Promoted to Major

Through influence of Governor Oliver P. Morton, the Indiana war governor, he was raised to the rank of Major in the Seventh United States Cavalry in March of 1867. Major Elliot was assigned to the 7th Michigan and reported immediately to Fort Riley, Kansas. There he served under the command of Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer in Kansas.

On October 11, 1867 at Fort Leavenworth a court martial found Brevet Major General George Armstrong Custer, Lieutenant Colonel of the 7th U.S. Cavalry, guilty of "Absence without leave from his command" and two counts of "Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline." The court sentenced him to suspension from rank and command for one year, and forfeiture of his pay for the same time. Major Joel H. Elliott was put in command of the 7th Cavalry during the year Custer was suspended from his command and his rank after being court-martialed.

On November 27th, 1868 Custer's 7th U.S. Cavalry lead a surprise attack at dawn on a sleeping Cheyenne village located at White Rock along the banks of the Washita River, Indian Territory. Major Joel Haworth Elliott lost his life that day as he pursued a group of Cheyennes seeking escape from the slaughter. Retrieved on 2009-09-02