Charles King
Charles King was an American military officer, author, and educator born on October 12, 1844, in Albany, New York. He moved to Milwaukee with his family as a child and was involved in military service from a young age, volunteering as a drummer boy for the Wisconsin militia. After attending Columbia College and later the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he graduated in 1866 and began his military career as a lieutenant. King served in various roles during and after the Civil War, including overseeing Reconstruction troops in Louisiana, teaching at West Point, and fighting in campaigns against Native American tribes. His military service was marked by an injury that led to his retirement in 1879.
Following his military career, King became an author, writing both nonfiction and fiction, often focusing on military history and the experiences of soldiers. His notable works include "Campaigning with Crook" and the novel "The Colonel's Daughter". While his writings have been recognized for preserving historical accounts of military life, they have also faced criticism for perpetuating negative stereotypes of nonwhite characters. King passed away on March 17, 1933, in Milwaukee, leaving behind a legacy of military service and literary contributions.
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Subject Terms
Charles King
- Born: October 12, 1844
- Birthplace: Albany, New York
- Died: March 17, 1933
- Place of death: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Biography
Charles King was born on October 12, 1844, at Albany, New York, to Rufus King and Susan Eliot King. The month before his first birthday, he moved with his family to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where his father bought the Sentinel newspaper. Rufus King also served as an officer in the Wisconsin militia for which his teenaged son volunteered as a drummer boy.
Prior to the Civil War, King studied at Columbia College, where his grandfather was president. In 1861, he accompanied his father, who commanded the Iron Brigade, to Washington, D.C., as an orderly. In 1862, he enrolled at his father’s alma mater, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, serving as cadet adjutant before graduating in 1866.
King, commissioned as an U.S. Army lieutenant, oversaw Reconstruction troops in Louisiana, recruited enlistees, taught artillery techniques at West Point, and played professional baseball for the Cincinnati Red Stockings. Seeking more action, in 1871 he decided to serve with the Fifth U.S. Cavalry. King married Adelaide Lavender Yorke on November 20, 1872. They had one son and three daughters.
In 1874, King went to Camp Verde, Arizona Territory, serving with General George Crook. Chasing Apaches who stole cattle, King suffered an injury when a bullet struck his right arm. After recuperating, King returned to the cavalry at Fort Hays, Kansas, in 1875 and headed west to fight the Sioux. King then participated in campaigns against the Nez Perce. Attaining the rank of captain, King was forced to retire in 1879 because a military physician stated his wounded arm rendered him physically unfit.
Returning to Milwaukee, King sought income to supplement his military pension. He instructed military-science students at the University of Wisconsin for two years. Joining the Wisconsin National Guard, King directed troops to stop labor riots. King fought in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War. He trained World War I soldiers and frequently participated in military events. King died on March 17, 1933, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
King first wrote stories about his military adventures for the Sentinel. By 1880, King compiled those tales in his first book, Campaigning with Crook: The Fifth Cavalry in the Sioux War of 1876. He continued to write nonfiction, specializing in military history, and also wrote fiction, mostly with military and Western themes, starting with his first novel, The Colonel’s Daughter: Or, Winning His Spurs, in 1882. His realistic insights revealed how military families lived and average soldiers existed during military campaigns. King wrote the script for a 1913 film produced by his friend William (Buffalo Bill) Cody’s company during an Indian Wars veterans’ reunion.
Despite commenting that King’s writing lacked literary qualities and was too nostalgic, scholars credited his work with preserving accurate information concerning frontier military life. King’s nonfiction varied in usefulness for historians. Critics noted the negative stereotypes King sometimes used to depict nonwhite characters, especially Native Americans. King’s contemporaries, particularly soldiers and officers stationed in the West, welcomed his books, seeking references to factual occurrences and people. His civilian readers learned about both the frontier and military traditions.