Rank: Private
Unit: D Co, 2d Cavalry
Reenlisted: February 6, 1869 in Fort D. A. Russell, Wyoming Territory. He was 24. It was his second enlistment.
Date of birth: 1845
Hometown: Buffalo, New York
Occupation prior to enlistment: Laborer
Campaign: Plains Indian War (post Civil War)
Died: May 1869
Age at death: 24
Cause of death: Accidental discharge of pistol in brawl.
Location of fatality: Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory,
Place of interment: Frances E. Warren Air Base Cemetery in Cheyenne, Wyoming
Click to open a new window to view Soldier’s grave site on the Find A Grave website.
Note: He stood 5’8” with grey eyes, brown hair, and fair complexion.
Original enlistment was August 25, 1865 in Albany, New York into Company F, 2d Cavalry. He was 20. He was discharged October 21, 1868 at Fort D. A. Russell, Dakota Territory for expiration of service and held the rank of private.
Cheyenne Leader no. 204 May 14, 1869, page 4
The following is the verdict rendered in the case of William Nelligan (sic), a soldier of Co. D, 2nd cavalry, who was accidently shot and killed yesterday, while struggling with Michael Cribbins: We, the undersigned jury sworn to investigate into the cause of the death of Wm. Nelligan (sic), a soldier of Co. D, 2nd cavalry, do hereby agree on the following verdict: That, after due investigation, the deceased came to his death by a pistol ball accidentally discharged with by deceased of Michael Cribbins, in the following manner: Deceased reached back of the bar where he received his death wound, for a pistol which was lying on the shelf behind said bar, and said Cribbins not wishing that he should have it in his possession, tried to take it or keep him from having it. In the scuffle the pistol went off, fatally to the deceased.
The following is from the F. E. Warren AFB, Cemetery Officer’s Report, dated 2 Jan 1963:
BURIALS RECORDED IN RECORDS BUT NOT LOCATED IN CEMETERY OR ON PLOT PLANS
The following recorded burials cannot be located in the cemetery or on any of the available plot plans. There is no record of the bodies having been buried elsewhere or having been disinterred at a later date. These graves are presently marked as “Unknown”, are misidentified or, in some cases unmarked and lost…In addition to the above recorded burials are the following deaths recorded in the medical records of Ft. D. A. Russell that may have been interred in the Base/Post Cemetery.