Randolph Barnes Marcy

April 9, 1812 (age 75)

Greenwich, Massachusetts, Massachusetts, United States of America

This publication became a key handbook for the thousands of Americans wanting to cross the continent. Marcy first saw combat while serving in the Black Hawk War in Illinois and Wisconsin. He was promoted Captain in the Mexican War, and fought at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. He was then assigned to duty in Texas and Oklahoma, where he escorted emigrants, located military posts, explored the wilderness, and mapped routes. In 1852 he was in charge of the expedition that first reached the headwaters of both forks of the Red River. (lieutenant was on this expedition that he met McClellan) Here he distinguished himself on a forced march through the Rockies in midwinter, when he led his troops to safety after they had run out of provisions for two weeks. Here he prepared his acclaimed guidebook to the western trails, The Prairie Traveler: A Handbook for Overland Expeditions, with Maps, Illustrations, and Itineraries of the Principal Routes between the Mississippi and the Pacific. Published by the United States. Government in 1859, the Prairie Traveler quickly became an indispensable guide for the thousands of Americans wanting to reach California, Oregon, Utah, and other destinations. Based on his own extensive experience as a pioneer, the book provided authoritative advice about reconnaisance, fieldcraft, provisions and healthcare, that would save many lives on these perilous routes. lieutenant covered key topics like hunting and tracking, and food and water supply, as well as specialist advice about the selection of horses, the avoiding of quicksands, the interpreting of smoke signals and sign language, and numerous other issues. lieutenant was a best-selling book for the remainder of the century. Andrew J. Birtle, author of United States. Army Counterinsurgency and Contingency Operations Doctrine 1860-1941, has described the Prairie Traveler as “perhaps the single most important work on the conduct of frontier expeditions published under the aegis of the War Department.” After completing this work, Marcy was promoted to the rank of major and posted to the Pacific Northwest, where he was assigned as paymaster. By the end of the war, he was Inspector-General of the United States Marcy was promoted major general of volunteers in 1868 (back-dated to 1865), and brigadier general of the United States. Army in 1878. A species of garter snake, Thamnophis marcianus, is named in his honor.

Randolph Barnes Marcy

Edit Profile

Background

Marcy was born at Greenwich, Massachusetts, and graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1832 as a lieutenant in the 5th United States Infantry.

Education

United States Military Academy.

Career

This publication became a key handbook for the thousands of Americans wanting to cross the continent. Marcy first saw combat while serving in the Black Hawk War in Illinois and Wisconsin. He was promoted Captain in the Mexican War, and fought at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma.

He was then assigned to duty in Texas and Oklahoma, where he escorted emigrants, located military posts, explored the wilderness, and mapped routes.

In 1852 he was in charge of the expedition that first reached the headwaters of both forks of the Red River. (lieutenant was on this expedition that he met McClellan) Here he distinguished himself on a forced march through the Rockies in midwinter, when he led his troops to safety after they had run out of provisions for two weeks.

Here he prepared his acclaimed guidebook to the western trails, The Prairie Traveler: A Handbook for Overland Expeditions, with Maps, Illustrations, and Itineraries of the Principal Routes between the Mississippi and the Pacific. Published by the United States. Government in 1859, the Prairie Traveler quickly became an indispensable guide for the thousands of Americans wanting to reach California, Oregon, Utah, and other destinations.

Based on his own extensive experience as a pioneer, the book provided authoritative advice about reconnaisance, fieldcraft, provisions and healthcare, that would save many lives on these perilous routes.

lieutenant covered key topics like hunting and tracking, and food and water supply, as well as specialist advice about the selection of horses, the avoiding of quicksands, the interpreting of smoke signals and sign language, and numerous other issues. lieutenant was a best-selling book for the remainder of the century. Andrew J. Birtle, author of United States. Army Counterinsurgency and Contingency Operations Doctrine 1860-1941, has described the Prairie Traveler as “perhaps the single most important work on the conduct of frontier expeditions published under the aegis of the War Department.” After completing this work, Marcy was promoted to the rank of major and posted to the Pacific Northwest, where he was assigned as paymaster.

By the end of the war, he was Inspector-General of the United States Marcy was promoted major general of volunteers in 1868 (back-dated to 1865), and brigadier general of the United States. Army in 1878.

A species of garter snake, Thamnophis marcianus, is named in his honor.

Achievements

Meanwhile his achievements and well-written military reports had attracted attention in Washington, and he was recalled to work for the Department of State.

Connections

Father:: Laban Marcy
Mother:: Fanny (Howe) Marcy
Spouse:: Mary Mann

Main Photo