King, Charles, 1844-1933

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American Army officer and novelist.

From the description of Papers of Charles King [manuscript], 1827-1964, bulk 1887-1929. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647812138

Author and soldier; stationed at Camp Verde, Arizona in 1874 under Gen. Crook. King retired from the Army in 1879 to write fiction and non-fiction books about army life.

From the description of King papers, 1924-1929. (Arizona Historical Society, Southern Arizona Division). WorldCat record id: 37550962

American soldier, author, and historian.

From the description of Indian campaigns : sketches of cavalry service in Arizona and on the northern plains, 1880-1889. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122536543

Charles King, soldier, novelist and historian, graduated from West Point in 1866. In 1871 he was a lieutenant in the U.S. 5th Cavalry under General George Crook. In 1874, King was shot in the arm during a skirmish with Apache Indians. His wound forced him to retire from the military in 1879. King then became a teacher of military science and tactics, and in 1882 he became a colonel in the Wisconsin National Guard. King wrote many books about U.S. military history including Campaigning with Crook, which was published in 1890.

From the description of Papers of Charles King, 1875-1954. (Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens). WorldCat record id: 122545756

Biography / Administrative History

Charles King was born October 12, 1844, in Albany, New York. The family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin one year later. Son of Rufus King, Charles followed in his father's footsteps and joined the militia. At the age of 12, he was a "marker" for the Milwaukee Light Guard. In 1861, at the beginning of the Civil War, King received an appointment to West Point, and in his senior year, he became Cadet Adjutant. Upon graduation, he began his lengthy military career, serving in the Fifth Cavalry in Nebraska, Arizona, Kansas, and Wyoming. He retired in 1879.

Returning to Wisconsin, King taught at the University of Wisconsin, and at various military academies throughout the state. At the beginning of the Spanish American War, he was commissioned brigadier general of volunteers, served in the Philippines. He served in the National Guard during World War I, ending his career in 1929. Charles King died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1933.

King's long military career became subject matter for his many books. He started writing articles and short stories in 1880, and soon graduated to serials. His first novel, The Colonel's Daughter, was published in 1882; it was in print for more than 50 years. King also wrote non-fiction accounts of famous battles. His Campaigning With Crook focused on the1876 wars against the Sioux and the Cheyenne in Kansas. King published over 60 books during his life time.

King was the only United States Army officer to write fiction from his own acquaintance with army life and Indian warfare on the plains during 1870-1880. He was a pioneer in writing realistic fiction about the western frontier at a time when the usual western novel was the dime novel. King's depictions of life in the West, though, are sentimental, romanticized, and frequently include stereotypes of the worst kind. He is only truly effective in his descriptions of the day-to-day life of the Army soldier in the garrison on the frontier.

From the guide to the Charles King Collection 1887-1974, 1887-1974, (Autry National Center. Institute for the Study of the American West)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Frackelton, Susan Stuart Goodrich, 1848-1932. The voices of friends concerning John Plankinton, Milwaukee's foremost citizen, father of the west side / with the accompaniment of illuminations by S.S. Frackelton. Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee County Federated Library System
creatorOf King, Charles, 1844-1933. Papers, 1840-1930. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
referencedIn Phillips Brooks papers Houghton Library
referencedIn Gregory, Alice Katherine. Captain Charles King, "the Army's novelist," 1945. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
creatorOf King, Charles, 1844-1933. Indian campaigns : sketches of cavalry service in Arizona and on the northern plains, 1880-1889. Harold B. Lee Library
creatorOf King, Charles, 1844-1933. Papers and still images, 1897-2000 [bulk 1897-1933]. Wisconsin Veterans Museum Research Center
creatorOf King, Charles, 1844-1933. Papers of Charles King, 1875-1954. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
referencedIn Wheeler, Olin Dunbar, 1852-1925. Olin Dunbar Wheeler papers, 1892-1924. Newberry Library
creatorOf King, Charles, 1844-1933. Papers, 1890-1934. Library Council of Metropolitan Milwaukee
referencedIn Doherty, Thomas F.,. Oral history interview with Thomas Doherty, [videorecording], 2002. Wisconsin Veterans Museum Research Center
creatorOf King, Rufus, 1814-1876. Rufus and Charles King family papers [microform], 1833-1903. Wisconsin Historical Society Archives
referencedIn Clemens, Paul Bernard, 1882-1960. Papers and photographs, 1904-1987. Wisconsin Veterans Museum Research Center
creatorOf Hebard, Grace Raymond, 1861-1936. The Bozeman Trail : historical accounts of the blazing of the overland routes into the Northwest, and the fights with Red Cloud's warriors / by Grace Raymond Hebard and E. A. Brininstool, with introduction by General Charles King, U.S.V. ... Arranged and bound for the private library of Jerome J. Day : typescript, 1922. University of Idaho Library
creatorOf King, Charles, 1844-1933. Letters. United States Military Academy, USMA Library
creatorOf King, Charles, 1844-1933. Letter to Amy Requa Long, 1898, August 25. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
creatorOf King, Charles, 1844-1933. Papers of Charles King [manuscript], 1827-1964, bulk 1887-1929. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf King, Charles, 1844-1933. Letter to Knickerbocker Publishing Co. Milwaukee, WI. 1916 May 13. University of Iowa Libraries
referencedIn Immell, Ralph M. Ralph M. Immell papers, 1908-1960. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
creatorOf Mitchell, John L. (John Lendrum), 1842-1904. Mitchell family papers, 1847-1923. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, UWM Libraries
creatorOf King, Charles, 1844-1933. King papers, 1924-1929. Arizona Historical Society, Southern Arizona Division
creatorOf King, Charles, 1844-1933. [Diary of Charles King] McCracken Research Library - BBHC
creatorOf King, Charles, 1844-1933. Letter : Milwaukee, to Julius Chambers, 1892 Dec. 29. Texas Christian University
creatorOf Poe Memorial Association. Correspondence of the Poe Memorial Association, 1899-1901. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf King, Charles, 1844-1933. Charles King papers 1840-1932 [microform]. McCracken Research Library - BBHC
creatorOf King, Charles, 1844-1933. Bibliography [manuscript]. Libraries Australia
creatorOf Poe Memorial Association. Correspondence of the Poe Memorial Association [manuscript], 1899-1911. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Smith, A. H. Remarks on General Charles King, 1936. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
referencedIn Joseph Halle Schaffner autograph collection, 1683-1948. Houghton Library
referencedIn Ellison, Robert Spurrier. Papers, 1833-1951. Harold B. Lee Library
creatorOf King, Charles, 1844-1933. Letter : Milwaukee, to Julius Chambers, 1892 Dec. 29. University of Chicago Library
referencedIn Clarence W. Rowley papers relating to Buffalo Bill and John L. Sullivan, 1878-1941, 1910-1920 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Charles King Collection 1887-1974, 1887-1974 Autry National Center. Institute for the Study of the American West
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Army life person
correspondedWith Brooks, Phillips, 1835-1893 person
associatedWith Buffalo Bill, 1846-1917. person
associatedWith Chambers, Julius, 1850-1920. person
correspondedWith Clemens, Paul Bernard, 1882-1960. person
associatedWith Corbusier, William Henry, 1844-1930, person
associatedWith Crook, George, 1828-1890. person
associatedWith Custer, George A. (George Armstrong), 1839-1876. person
associatedWith Doherty, Thomas F., person
associatedWith Eaton, George O., 1848-1930. person
associatedWith Ellison, Robert Spurrier. person
associatedWith Gregory, Alice Katherine. person
associatedWith Gregory, John Goadby, 1856-1947. person
associatedWith Hebard, Grace Raymond, 1861-1936. person
associatedWith Holbrook, Arthur T. person
associatedWith Holway, Orlando. person
associatedWith Immell, Ralph M. person
associatedWith Jauch, Bob, person
associatedWith King, Rufus, 1814-1876, person
associatedWith Koloa Kodak Klub. corporateBody
associatedWith Long, Amy Requa, person
associatedWith Long, Oscar Fitzalan, 1852-1928. person
associatedWith MacArthur, Arthur, 1845-1912. person
associatedWith McClure, S. S. (Samuel Sidney), 1857-1949 person
associatedWith McKinley, Ida Saxton, 1847-1907. person
associatedWith Mitchell, John L. (John Lendrum), 1842-1904. person
associatedWith Otjen, Theobald. person
associatedWith Phillips, John S. (John Sanburn), 1861-1949, person
associatedWith Poe Memorial Association. corporateBody
associatedWith Poe Memorial Association. corporateBody
associatedWith Press Supply Association. corporateBody
associatedWith Rideing, William H. (William Henry), 1853-1918 person
associatedWith Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. person
associatedWith Rowley, Clarence W. person
associatedWith Russell, Don, 1899-1986. person
associatedWith Schaffner, Joseph Halle, 1897-1972 person
associatedWith Schuyler, Walter Scribner, 1850-1932. person
associatedWith Scofield, Edward, 1842-1925. person
associatedWith Seaman, Horace M. person
associatedWith Sitting Bull, 1831-1890. person
associatedWith Smith, A. H. person
associatedWith State Historical Society of Wisconsin. Division of Archives and Manuscripts. corporateBody
associatedWith Stoddart, J. M. (Joseph Marshall), 1845-1921, person
associatedWith Terry, Alfred Howe, 1827-1890. person
associatedWith Tyndale, Hector, 1821-1880 person
associatedWith United States. Army corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army. Calvalry, 5th corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army. Cavalry, 5th. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army. Cavalry, 7th. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army. Corps, 8th. Division, 1st. Brigade, 2nd. corporateBody
associatedWith Van Vechten, Peter, d. 1913. person
associatedWith Walters, Lorenzo DeRetz, 1869-1943. person
associatedWith Watkins, S. G. C. person
correspondedWith Wheeler, Olin Dunbar, 1852-1925. person
associatedWith Wisconsin. National Guard. corporateBody
associatedWith Wisconsin Veterans Museum corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Vicksburg (Miss.)
Arizona
Philippines
United States
Philippines
Philippines
Wisconsin--Milwaukee
United States
Great Lakes (North America)
Milwaukee (Wis.)
Philippines
Subject
Alcohol
Authors, American
Authors, American
Apache Indians
Arizona (Steamship)
Authors
Authors
Authors
Authors and publishers
Business education
Copyright infringement
Generals
Greek letter societies
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Kodak camera
Lakes
Ocean travel
Photography
Photography
Short stories
Shoshoni Indians
Soldiers
Soldiers
Spanish
Spanish
Spanish
Tobacco use
Veterans
War stories, American
World War, 1914-1918
Yavapai Indians
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1844-10-12

Death 1933-03-18

Americans

English

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