Near Comstock in Val Verde County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Medal of Honor Fight, 1875
Photographed By William F Haenn, May 29, 2012
1. Medal of Honor Fight, 1875 Marker
Inscription.
Medal of Honor Fight, 1875. . In the 1870s, the U.S. Army relied on Black Seminole (Seminole-Negro) Indian scouts in campaigns against raiding Native Americans along the Texas-Mexico border. In April 1875, Lt. John L. Bullis and three scouts -- Sergeant John Ward, Private Pompey Factor and Trumpeter Isaac Payne -- left Fort Clark to scout for raiders in this area. After four days, they found a fresh trail and on April 25, within a half-mile of this site, they engaged a party of about 30 Comanche Indians with dozens of horses. Outgunned and outnumbered, the scouts withdrew, but Bullis' horse bolted, stranding him. Factor and Payne provided cover fire, and Ward rescued his Lieutenant. The three Seminole scouts later received Medals of Honor for their gallantry.
In the 1870s, the U.S. Army relied on Black Seminole (Seminole-Negro) Indian scouts in campaigns against raiding Native Americans along the Texas-Mexico border. In April 1875, Lt. John L. Bullis and three scouts -- Sergeant John Ward, Private Pompey Factor and Trumpeter Isaac Payne -- left Fort Clark to scout for raiders in this area. After four days, they found a fresh trail and on April 25, within a half-mile of this site, they engaged a party of about 30 Comanche Indians with dozens of horses. Outgunned and outnumbered, the scouts withdrew, but Bullis' horse bolted, stranding him. Factor and Payne provided cover fire, and Ward rescued his Lieutenant. The three Seminole scouts later received Medals of Honor for their gallantry.
Erected 2006 by State Historical Survey Committee. (Marker Number 13504.)
Location. 29° 42.371′ N, 101° 21.201′ W. Marker is near Comstock, Texas, in Val Verde County. Marker can be reached from U.S. 90. From Del Rio take US 90 about 45-50 mile West to bridge. In roadside
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park - Entrance off of US 90 W leads to picnic area/park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Comstock TX 78837, United States of America. Touch for directions.
More about this marker. Marker was in a scenic overlook off US Hwy 90 at Pecos River Canyon. That marker could not be found during a recent visit to the site, and it seems to have been removed or relocated. Text above was retrieved from the Texas Historical Commission's website.
Photographed By William F Haenn, May 29, 2012
2. Medal of Honor Fight, 1875 Marker with Pecos River below
View is looking downstream towards the mouth of the Pecos where it joins the Rio Grande. The low hills of old Mexico are in the distance. The MOH fight took place beyond the ridge on the left of the photo.
Photographed By Don Morfe, October 18, 2003
3. Pompey Factor grave marker.
He is buried in Seminole Scout Cemetery, Brackettville TX. His grave GPS coordinates are N29.2732 W100.4425. His Medal of Honor information and citation is: FACTOR, POMPEY
• Rank and organization: Private, Indian Scouts
• Place and date: At Pecos River, Tex., 25 April 1875
• Date of issue: 28 May 1875
Citation: With 3 other men, he participated in a charge against 25 hostiles while on a scouting patrol.
Photographed By Don Morfe, October 18, 2003
4. Issac Payne grave marker
He is buried in Seminole Scout Cemetery, Brackettville TX. His grave GPS coordinates are N29.2727 W100.4428. His Medal of Honor information and Medal of Honor citation is: PAYNE, ISAAC
• Rank and organization: Trumpeter, Indian Scouts
• Place and date: At Pecos River, Tex., 25 April 1875
• Date of issue: 28 May 1875
Citation: With 3 other men, he participated in a charge against 25 hostiles while on a scouting patrol.
Photographed By Don Morfe, October 18, 2003
5. John Ward grave marker
He is buried in Seminole Indian Scout Cemetery, Brackettville TX. His grave GPS coordinates are N29.2724 W100.4425. His Medal of Honor information and citation is: WARD, JOHN
• Rank and organization: Sergeant, 24th U.S. Infantry Indian Scouts
• Place and date: At Pecos River, Tex., 25 April 1875
• Entered service at. Fort Duncan, Tex.
• Date of issue: 28 May 1875
Citation. With 3 other men, he participated in a charge against 25 hostiles while on a scouting patrol.
Courtesy Old Guardhouse Museum, Fort Clark, Texas, circa 1880
6. Lieutenant John L. Bullis
Museum of the Big Bend, Sul Ross State University, July 1888
7. Sergeant John Ward, Seminole Scout
Museum of the Big Bend, Sul Ross State University, July 1888
8. Trumpeter Isaac Payne, Seminole Scout
Public Domain - US Army - Wikipedia, circa 1890s
9. Private Pompey Factor, Seminole-Negro Indian Scout
Credits. This page was last revised on February 10, 2024. It was originally submitted on September 8, 2010, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. This page has been viewed 2,011 times since then and 83 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on June 5, 2012, by William F Haenn of Fort Clark (Brackettville), Texas. 3, 4, 5. submitted on July 4, 2016, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. 6, 7, 8. submitted on June 5, 2012, by William F Haenn of Fort Clark (Brackettville), Texas. 9. submitted on February 8, 2024, by William F Haenn of Fort Clark (Brackettville), Texas. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.