Robert McPhelan was born in  Queens County Ireland (County Laois) around 1835. The first record of U.S. military service is his enlistment into the Army in 1858 and assignment to Company E, 5th U.S. Infantry Regiment. His decades-long military career was spent entirely in the western United States with this unit. He participated in the Utah War (1857-1858)—an armed conflict between Mormon settlers in the Utah Territory against the federal government. The 5th then moved into New Mexico for operations against the Navajo and remained there throughout the Civil War. Following that war, the 5th was transferred to Kansas and participated in larger campaign against Native Americans on the Plains. McPhelan was promoted to sergeant in 1868. Following Custer’s defeat at Little Big Horn in June 1876, Colonel Nelson Miles led the 5th Infantry into the Montana Territory to subdue the Sioux. Miles accepted an offer to meet with Lakota Sioux leader Chief Sitting Bull at Cedar Creek, MT, on October 21, 1876, to negotiate relations between native tribes and the federal government. The peaceful talks failed, and violence ensued. Sitting Bull’s forces withdrew and were pursued. Approximately 2,000 Sioux surrendered to Miles on October 27, however, Sitting Bull and his ardent supporters moved northward to Canada through the winter. Nearly thirty soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor for this winter campaign, including Sgt. McPhelan. Medals were presented by General William T. Sherman on July 18, 1877, at the regiment’s encampment at the Yellowstone and Tongue Rivers. McPhelan was discharged from the military in 1878 and became a civilian employee with the Quartermaster at Leavenworth working first as a teamster, then a night watchman. He died of pneumonia in February 1884—complications from wounds received in his military service possibly attributed to his death. He was buried in the paupers’ section of Mount Cavalry Catholic Cemetery in Leavenworth and reinterred in Leavenworth National Cemetery June 4, 2021 (Section 69, Site 61).

*The preceding content is not intended as a comprehensive biography, but it highlights their significance as a result of military or civilian distinction, lasting achievements, or association with impactful national events.


Photo of SGT McPhelan's headstone in Leavenworth, Kansas. 

This is a photo of SGT McPhelan's headstone

ROBERT MCPHELAN

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