Patrick Edward Connor (March 17, 1820 – December 17, 1891) was an Irish American soldier who served as a Union general during the American Civil War. He is most notorious for his massacres against Native Americans during the Indian Wars in the American Old West.
Early life and career
Patrick Edward Connor was born in Ballyferriter, County Kerry, Ireland on St. Patrick's Day, 1820. He emigrated to the United States at 12 or 16 years old and enlisted, as "Patrick Edward O'Connor", in the United States Army on November 28, 1839. In addition to service in the Seminole Wars, he served as a dragoon at Fort Leavenworth, Fort Atkinson, Fort Sandford, and at the second Fort Des Moines. He was honorably discharged as a private on November 28, 1844, and after two years in New York, he moved to Texas. On April 5, 1845, he became a naturalized citizen.
Mexican–American War
Connor joined the Texas Volunteers in May 1846 using the name "P. Edward Connor", serving as a first lieutenant in the Texas Foot Riflemen during the Mexican–American War. On July 7, 1846, at Galveston, he was mustered into the United States Army as a first lieutenant, enlisting for 12 months. His independent company of Texas Volunteers under the command of Captain Charles A. Seefield was ordered to Port Lavaca on Matagorda Bay as a part of General John E. Wool's Army of the Center, which was slated to invade Mexico. Marching through Monclova, Parras, and Saltillo, the company, now under Connor's command as a captain, and attached to the 2nd Illinois Volunteers under the command of Colonel William H. Bissell, fought in the Battle of Buena Vista in February 1847. The company saw heavy action and Connor was wounded in the hand; two of his lieutenants and 13 men were killed. Connor was honorably discharged on May 24, 1847, near Monterey, Mexico, resigning due to rheumatism. When the California Gold Rush began, he crossed Mexico from Texas and arrived in California on January 22, 1850.
California
Upon his arrival in California, Connor was involved in a boating accident in the Pacific Ocean while attempting to establish a new settlement near the mouth of the Trinity River. Connor and his men were unaware that the Trinity River empties into the Klamath River instead of the Pacific. Of the 10 people in the whale boat attempting to navigate the heavy surf, five drowned.
On May 28, 1853, Connor was called by Harry S. Love to be his lieutenant in the company of California State Rangers with 20 other experienced Mexican–American War veterans. They hunted down and killed Mexican outlaw Joaquin Murrieta and three others of his gang and captured two others, breaking up the so-called "Five Joaquins".The rest of the Rangers and he were well-rewarded by the state before being disbanded.
Civil War
When the American Civil War broke out, Connor was in command of the "Stockton Blues", a unit in the California Militia. He brought the strength of the unit up to regimental size and it became the 3rd Regiment California Volunteer Infantry. His regiment was ordered to the Utah Territory to protect the overland routes from Indians and quell a possible Mormon uprising.
While in Utah, Connor, as senior officer, became commander of the District of Utah, Department of the Pacific, on August 6, 1862, establishing Camp Douglas at Salt Lake City in October, but became discontented with his assignment. His men and he wished to head to Virginia where the real fighting and glory was occurring. When Major General Henry W. Halleck (a personal friend of Connor's) became the general-in-chief of the Union armies, Connor pleaded that his men had enlisted to fight traitors. He offered to withhold $30,000 from the regiment's pay to ship the troops to the eastern battlefields. Halleck suggested that Connor reconnoiter the Salt Lake City area. Connor did so and established Fort Douglas in a commanding position over the city, despite the wishes of the Mormons. Brigham Young tried through his personal representative to Congress John F. Kinney to displace federal troops. However, through the efforts of Governor James Duane Doty and Colonel Connor, federal troops were sequestered at Fort Douglas by Washington and the Pacific Theatre commanding general.