In the 1880s, the United States Army offered various ways of becoming an officer. Fort Mackinac and the 23rd United States Infantry, Companies E and K, reflected this diversity among officers. These officers came from various backgrounds and reflected the transition between the “old army” of the Civil War and the emergence of the more recognizable army of the 20th century.
Starting in 1886, the two highest-ranking officers at Fort Mackinac were Civil War Veterans. Captains Greenleaf Goodale and William Manning enlisted in the volunteer army at the outbreak of the Civil War. Both later received commissions as officers in segregated Black regiments, where Black soldiers were not allowed to hold the rank of commissioned officer. Goodale served in the Corps d’Afrique, later re-designated as the 77th U.S. Colored Troops, mainly in Louisiana. At the war’s end, Goodale received a commission in the regular U.S. Army and joined the 23rd U.S. Infantry, where he saw extensive service in the West. Captain Goodale arrived at Fort Mackinac in 1886 with Company K and became the Fort’s commanding officer in 1886.
Manning’s career parallels Goodale’s career in many ways, with the tragic addition of serious injury. Manning fought at the 2nd Battle of Bull Run in 1862, where he was seriously wounded. He received a lieutenant’s commission 1863 in the 35th U.S. Colored Troops. The regiment fought at the Battle of Olustee in Florida, where Manning was again seriously injured. He transferred to the 103rd Colored Troops once he recuperated. At the end of the war, Manning transferred to the regular army. He became an expert in marksmanship, serving as Instructor of Rifle Practice for the Department of the Missouri and helping to edit “Instructions in Rifle and Carbine Firing” by Stanhope Blunt. He arrived at Fort Mackinac in 1886.
Manning and Goodale represented a unique sort of officer, having been commissioned based solely on their experience during the Civil War. Elevation of enlisted soldiers to the commissioned ranks was extremely rare in peacetime. Most new officers in the army went through the Military Academy at West Point.
Lieutenant Calvin Cowles and Lieutenant Benjamin Morse both graduated from West Point. Cowles graduated in 1873 and served in various campaigns in the West against the Native Americans. Cowles arrived at Fort Mackinac alongside the newly commissioned Morse in 1884. However, Cowles left in 1885 to serve as a recruiting officer and returned in 1887. Morse and Cowles helped survey the East and West bluffs on Mackinac Island and later served in the Philippines.
Amongst these officers was a rarer sort that circumvented the Military Academy and Civil War veteran status. It was common in the 19th century for officers to be directly appointed an officer by an act of Congress. These political appointees often lacked the experience or skills to be officers. An exception to this was Lieutenant Edward Pratt. Pratt’s father and grandfather served at Fort Mackinac before the Civil War. Pratt was directly appointed to the army at 19 in 1872. He arrived with the 23rd U.S. Infantry in 1884 and proved to be a very energetic officer. Pratt led the Fort Mackinac rifle team and supported the Fort baseball team. Pratt served in the Philippines, earning the Silver Star. He retired from the army in 1908 at the rank of Brigadier General.
Despite their differences and the varying pathways they took to become officers, all of these individuals reflected the unique setting of Fort Mackinac in the 1880s and the changing environment of the U.S. Army.
Finally, a common thread for these officers was that they all served at Fort Mackinac while it was headquarters to Mackinac National Park. The park was designated in 1875, 150 years ago. Mackinac State Historic Parks will celebrate this anniversary throughout the 2025 season with daily programs at Fort Mackinac, special events, and more. More information on events can be found here.
