New Jersey
George Henry Wanton was born on May 15, 1868 in Peterson, Passaic County, New Jersey. At age 16 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he served until 1888. Tired of the life at sea, but interested in a military career, he joined the US Army and served in the famed 10th US Cavalry Regiment, the Buffalo Soldiers.
When the Spanish American War broke out his Regiment was sent to Tampa Bay, Florida to await transport to Cuba. However, there was no room aboard the ships for their horses, so the Cavalry went to battle on foot.
On June 30th 1898 the troops were ordered ashore at Tayabaco on the east coast of Cuba. Their mission was to link up with and support Cuban insurgents under the command of
General Gomes. Intelligence on the disposition and strength of the enemy forces was
weak at best. As a result, the soldiers of the loth Cavalry were landed ashore only a few hundred yards from a Spanish garrison holding a fortified blockhouse. The American forces were ambushed and after a brief, but intense fight, the regiment was forced to abandon the beachhead and withdraw to the ships. Sixteen wounded soldiers were stranded on the beach and captured by the Spanish.
Several attempts were made to return to the landing site and rescue the wounded soldiers, all of which were thwarted by intense enemy fire. It was at this point when Pvt. Wanton volunteered to lead a small four-man rescue party consisting of himself, Pvt.’s Dennis Bell, Fitz Lee, and William Thompkins.
Pushing off in a ship’s launch, the four men made their way ashore without being detected by the Spanish forces. They then circled around the garrison’s positions, located the stockade where the 16 Americans were being held, and took the guards by surprise, quickly overpowering and disarming them.
Securing the release of the prisoners, Pvt. Wanton and the others then guided them back to the beach where they all escaped in the launch, returning to the USS Florida.
On June 2yd, 1899 George Wanton, Fitz Lee, William Thompkins, and Dennis Bell were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. George Wanton being the first black soldier to ever win the medal.
In 1921 George Wanton was honored to be one of the Pall Bearers at the burial of the Unknown Soldier of World War I.
He retired from active duty in 1925 at the rank of Master Sergeant, and died at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington DC on November 27, 1940 at the age of 72.
He was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.