b. 1840 Davies County, Kentucky. d. 12/07/1870 Wichita River, Texas.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 12/07/1870 Wichita River, Texas.
Indian Wars Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served in the United States Army during the Wars with the Plains Indians as a Corporal in Company K, 6th United States Cavalry. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery in action on July 12, 1870 at the Battle of the Little Wichita River, Texas.
In the action he was part of a force of 57 men from the 6th Cavalry that went in pursuit of 250-strong group of Kiowa Indians led by Chief Kicking Bird. After tracking the Kiowas for five days, the cavalry force met them on the Wichita River in Archer County, Texas. After a short initial fight, the cavalrymen found that they were outnumbered and outgunned, and fought a fierce defensive battle that left 3 United States soldiers and fifteen Kiowas dead. Corporal Given was one of the cavalry dead, supposedly killed by a lance by Kicking Bird himself. After the Kiowas broke off the engagement in the early evening, the soldiers retreated, eventually making it back to their home base of Fort Richardson near Jacksboro, Texas. Corporal Given was left on the field, and his final resting place is unknown. He has a cenotaph at San Antonio National Cemetery in his honour.
MOH CITATION:
Bravery in action.
BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN. MEMORIAL AT SAN ANTONIO NATIONAL CEMETERY.
SECTION MA, SITE 88.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
