William  McCabe

WILLIAM McCABE (1848 - ?). Medal of Honor Recipient William McCabe was born in Belfast, Ireland, in 1848, it is not known when he immigrated to Mexico, however, during the French occupation of Mexico he served as a scout for the republican army.

After the republicans defeated Emperor Maxmillian and reestablished a democracy in Mexico, McCabe immigrated to the United States. In 1871, he was employed by the Army as a civilian scout based out of Fort Duncan, Texas. After years of scouting in Mexico, McCabe had various Mexican contacts, was fluent in Spanish, and was very familiar with the geography of Northern Mexico. Colonel W.A. Shafter recognized McCabe's connections and extensive knowledge of Mexico, and employed McCabe as a spy imbedded within Mexico. In his capacity as a spy, McCabe reported back to Shafter with information on trans-border thefts, Mexican revolutionaries, and the movements of Native American tribes.

McCabe joined Company E of the 4th U.S. Cavalry as a Private on February 3, 1874, at Fort Duncan. Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie selected McCabe to act as scout and guide for the 4th Cavalry based on McCabe's superior horsemanship, marksmanship, and intimate knowledge of the Mexican border. McCabe was one of the first soldiers to engage the enemy at the battle of Tule Canyon, one of the battles around Palo Duro Canyon, between September 26 and 28, 1874.

Throughout the Palo Duro Canyon campaign, McCabe exhibited great bravery and Colonel Mackenzie recommended him for the Congressional Medal of Honor. He left the Army on May 30, 1875, due to a disability incurred in the line of duty. McCabe served as a civilian guide for the quartermaster of Fort Brown, Texas, where he received his Medal of Honor on January 28, 1876.

Later he returned to work as a spy for Colonel Shafter, working primarily out of Piedras Negras, Mexico. He was last seen in Eagle Pass, Texas, in December of 1881; the date and location of his death are unknown.

A cenotaph, or memorial marker, honoring McCabe was placed at Fort Concho National Historic Landmark in San Angelo, Texas.

Bibliography: "Above and Beyond: The Medal of Honor in Texas." Capitol Visitors Center, State Preservation Board of Texas; Handbook of Texas Online, Texas State Historical Association, University of Texas, http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles; Neal, Charles M., Jr. Valor Across the Lone Star: The Congressional Medal of Honor in Texas. Texas A&M University Press: 2002.