Bio of Hardtack Henry
(Historical Fiction)
Henry Lee was born August 8th,
1848, on a small farm in Hardy County West Virginia. The Lee family lived a
humble life of farming, and the hunting of small game provided much of the food
for dinner. Henry’s father taught the art of shooting to all the children in
the family, but Henry seemed to be a natural shootist from a very young age.
His skill provided much of the food that was on their table. As Henry grew, he
found himself testing and honing that skill, taking more difficult shots at
greater distances. He realized that a miss could result in the family settling
for a meager dinner that night.
August 7, 1864, Henry was tending to his chores, when the family farm suddenly
became a battlefield. General
McCausland's cavalry was returning after burning Chambersburg and was
surprised by pursuing Union cavalry at Moorefield. The running battle swept
through the area like a wind and Henry’s family was caught in crossfire, and
was burned in their home. His family's farm was utterly destroyed in the
ensuing battle. Henry managed to escape with only his life and his memories of
the nightmare of what happened to his family. For a few months, Henry lived off
the land to survive.
Many weeks later, near starvation and cold, Henry came across a Union Infantry
patrol. The troops took care of the boy, sharing what they had to eat and
clothing him with an old, tattered, blue sack coat. Unfortunately, this did not
mean Henry was safe. In the following days, Henry found himself in the middle
of battle. The troops that befriended him came under fire and Henry watched in
horror as the platoon Sergeant fell from a Confederate "minnie ball".
Henry's instinct took over. He picked up the rifle that was dropped at his feet
and took aim. His natural ability was evident as he picked off a Confederate
soldier at over 300 yards. The rest of that afternoon was a blur. He didn't
come to his senses 'til late that evening. A Union corporal, who had seen this
boy take shots that a seasoned marksman would rarely attempt, was shaking him.
The battle was over but Henry's life had just started. His reputation spread
quickly and because of his bullheaded attitude and inner strength, his fellow
soldiers called him "Hardtack". During that time, the main staple of
their diet, hardtack
was the only man-made substance jokingly considered to be "bulletproof"!
"Hardtack" Henry was soon assigned to one of the Union Army's top Sharpshooter units,
where he served with distinction.
At the end of the Civil War, Henry was trying to decide what to do with his
life. After visiting the charred remains of his family's farm, there was not
much of a choice. He returned to the Army and, because of his service record,
was assigned to the Montana 
territories.
Late in the summer of 1876, the
U.S. Army authorized a new post to be established for the purpose of
controlling and observing the Sioux of the Northern Plains. This new post was located at
the mouth of the Tongue River where it joins the Yellowstone River. Henry's
unit, the 5th U.S. Infantry, under the command of Colonel Nelson A. Miles,
established the Tongue River Cantonment. The post was later renamed "Fort
Keogh" in honor of Captain
Myles W. Keogh, who had died at the "Battle of the Little Big
Horn".
By 1887, the Sioux were "contained" on the desolate wastelands called
"reservations", and General Miles had a new command. Hardtack decided
to retire from the Army and make a living with the only tools he was every
proficient at. After a few years of starving as a "deputy" in Miles
City, Henry hired on with the Northern
Pacific Railroad that came through the territory. His reputation as a
shootist proceeded him and the regional manager of the line made him head of
Railroad Security. After many good years with the Northern Pacific, “Hardtack”
Henry Lee retired and settled in Eastern Montana.
o-0-o
In
the world of “Cowboy Action Shooting”, I am known by the alias of “Hardtack
Henry”. I am a life member of the
Single Action Shooting Society (SASS), which is basically the governing body of
the shooting sport known as Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS). I am also a life member and former Treasurer
of the local CAS club, the Sun River Rangers Shooting Society located near
Simms, MT. In addition to these
memberships, I am also a life member of the NRA and the North American Hunting
Club, but I am most proud of the my affiliation with the Grand Army of the Frontier
(GAF), which is the military representatives of Cowboy Action Shooting. Since CAS is based on the portrayals of
characters from the Civil War to the turn of the century, GAF is the
incorporation of us “military” types, whether our characters were real or fictitious.
Within GAF, we follow a “chain of
command” based on our geographical location and many are placed in various
positions of leadership based on their skills, knowledge and/or
accomplishments. The Grand Army of the
Frontier also honors its troops for accomplishments with various awards, such as the
Star of Merit, Commander’s Citation and the Marksmanship award. As of present, click here for a list of my
awards. These devices are worn on the GAF
Medal, which is basically the equivalent of a club’s badge but looks much more
appropriate on our uniforms.