Henry C. Merriam

Henry Clay Merriam was a United States Army general who dedicated decades of service to the nation. He is best remembered for his courageous actions during the American Civil War, where he commanded African American troops as a Union officer and earned the nation's highest military decoration for valor, the Medal of Honor.

Following the Civil War, Merriam continued his military career in the western United States, participating in various Indian Wars campaigns. During this period of frontier service, he commanded the 7th Infantry Regiment and helped establish order and security in the rapidly expanding American West.

In his later career, Merriam was promoted to the rank of brigadier general. During the Philippine–American War, he took on a vital training and supply role, ensuring that American forces were adequately prepared and equipped for overseas deployment before eventually retiring as a major general.