Charles B. Gatewood
Charles Bare Gatewood | |
|---|---|
| Nicknames | Scipio Africanus "Nanton Bse-che" translated as Big Nose Captain |
| Born | April 5, 1853 Woodstock, Virginia, U.S.A. |
| Died | May 20, 1896 (aged 43) |
| Place of burial | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Service years | 1877–1896 |
| Rank | First Lieutenant |
| Unit | 6th U.S. Cavalry Regiment |
| Conflicts | |
| Alma mater | United States Military Academy (West Point, New York) Class of 1877 |
First Lieutenant Charles Bare Gatewood (April 5, 1853 – May 20, 1896) was an American soldier and officer. Born in Woodstock, Virginia, he was raised in nearby Harrisonburg, where his father ran a printing press. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Army and assigned to the 6th U.S. Cavalry Regiment after graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point. Upon assignment to the American Southwest territories, Gatewood led platoons of Apache and Navajo scouts against renegades during the Apache Wars.
In 1886, Gatewood played a key role in ending the Geronimo Campaign. He pursued the leader of the campaign, Geronimo, before meeting with him and persuading him to cross back over the Mexico–United States border. With Geronimo holed up in the mountains of northern Mexico, Gatewood eventually convinced him to surrender to himself and commanding general Nelson A. Miles.
Beset with health problems due to exposure to the harsh conditions on the American frontier, Gatewood sustained serious injuries during the Johnson County War. Gatewood retired from the Army in 1895. He was nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honor, but was denied the award. He died of stomach cancer, a year after his retirement.