Benjamin Harrison Cheever, Jr. – Colonel, United States Army

Born at Washington, D.C. on June 7, 1850, he was awarded the Medal of Honor while serving in the Indian Wars as First Lieutenant, 6th United States Cavalry at White River, South Dakota, on January 1, 1891.

He died on October 21, 1930 and was buried in Section 1 of Arlington National Cemetery.

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Benjamin Harrison Cheever, Jr. of Washington, D.C.

• Appointed from Washington, D.C., Second Lieutenant, 6th U.S. Cavalry, 15 August 1876; First Lieutenant, 30 December 1881;
• Captain 8 Mar 1893;
• Major, Inspector General of Volunteers, 12 May 1898;
• Honorably discharged from the Volunteers, 12 May 1899;
• Major, 8th U.S. Cavalry, 13 September 1902;
• Transferred to the 6th U.S. Cavalry, 25 February 1903;
• Awarded a Medal of Honor, 25 April 1891 for gallantry in action against hostile Sioux Indians on the north bank of the White River, near the mouth of Little Grass Creek, South Dakota, 1 January 1891 in heading the advance across the White River partly frozen in a spirited movement to the effective assistance of troop K 6th U.S. Cavalry while serving as First Lieutenant, 6th U.S. Cavalry.

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COLONEL CHEEVER DEAD; AN INDIAN FIGHTER

Congressional Medal Winner
A Messmate of General Pershing in the 80’s
Had Served In Two Wars
Decorated For Gallantry In Action Against the Sioux – Famous for Horsemanship

ATLANTIC CITY, October 22, 1930 – Colonel Benjamin Harrison Cheever, USA, retired, holder of the Congressional Medal of Honor, veteran of the War with Spain, the World War and many encounters with Indians, died late last night at his home, 112 South Oxford Avenue, Ventor City, after a long illness, in his eighty-first year.  He is survived by a widow, the former Cora Chapman Kelly, who became his second wife in 1912, and by a daughter, Mrs. Stewart C. Maxcey of Jacksonville, Florida.

General Pershing and Colonel Cheever were Lieutenants in the Sixth Cavalry.  Colonel Cheever served with this regiment for twenty-six years and was an officer in it when he won his Congressional Medal of Honor, which bears the following inscription:  “For gallantry against hostile Sioux Indians on the northern bank of the White River, near the mouth of the Little Grass Creek, South Dakota, January 1, 1891, in heading the advance across the White River, partly frozen, in a spirited movement to the effective assistance of Troop K, Sixth Cavalry.”

During the war with Spain Colonel Cheever was appointed an Inspector General of Volunteers, with the rank of Major.  He later served in the Philippines, as usual in the cavalry.  He was famous throughout the Army for his horsemanship.  In 1898 he was ordered to take Troop E to New York for an exhibition drill in Madison Square Garden.

He retired in 1910 on his own application after thirty-four years of continuous service.  He had entered the Army in 1876 as a Second Lieutenant on appointment from civil life.  He returned to duty in the World War.

He will be buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.

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CHEEVER, BENJAMIN H., JR.

Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, 6th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At White River, South Dakota, 1 January 1891. Entered service at: Washington, D.C. Born: 7 June 1850, Washington, D.C. Date of issue. 25 April 1891.

Citation:

Headed the advance across White River partly frozen, in a spirited movement to the effective assistance of Troop K, 6th U.S. Cavalry.

CHEEVER, BENJAMIN HARRISON

• COL   US ARMY
• INDIAN WARS
• DATE OF BIRTH: 06/07/1850
• DATE OF DEATH: 10/21/1930
• BURIED AT: SECTION 1  SITE 421
• ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

CHEEVER, CORA C WID/O BENJAMIN H

• DATE OF DEATH: 06/23/1950
• BURIED AT: SECTION I  SITE 421 E.H.
• ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
• WIFE OF BH CHEEVER, COL, CAV, USA