William S . Harney William Selby Harney ( 22 August 1800 – 9 May 1889 ) was a cavalry officer in the U . S . Army during the Mexican - American War and the Indian Wars . He was born in what is today part of Nashville , Tennessee but at the time was known as Haysborough . Early military career . William S . Harney ' s military career was initiated by his brother , Dr . Benjamin F . Harney , then an Army surgeon in Baton Rouge , Louisiana . He asked Andrew Jackson , hero of the War of 1812 and current Commander of the Army of the South , to write a letter to the Secretary of the Navy asking for Harney ' s acceptance into the Navy . This occurred July 23 , 1817 . Harney visited his brother and met high - ranking military officers . He so impressed them that they arranged a commission for him as US Navy second lieutenant , signed by then President James Monroe . Harney instead chose to serve under Andrew Jackson in the Army . His first military assignment under General Andrew Jackson was in 1818 , as a second lieutenant in the 1st U . S . Infantry . He forced the pirate Jean Lafitte to move his operations from the Louisiana territory to the Spanish Main . Harney served with distinction during the Seminole Wars and the Blackhawk War . During the Mexican - American War , he was appointed colonel and commanded the 2nd Dragoons . They were attached to John E . Wool ' s command during the Chihuahua Expedition and the Battle of Buena Vista . Harney joined Winfield Scott ' s Army as senior cavalry officer at the siege of Veracruz . He was temporarily in command of the 1st Brigade in David Twiggs ' division , where he fought with distinction at the battle of Cerro Gordo , and received a promotion to brevet brigadier general . He returned to cavalry command during Contreras , Churubusco and the battles for Mexico City . Harney was an original member of the Aztec Club of 1847 , which was composed of American officers who had served in Mexico . On May 14 , 1849 , on the death of Bvt . Major General William J . Worth , Harney assumed command of Military Department Number Five , which comprised almost all of the settled portion of Texas . While on leave in Paris in 1854 , Harney was recalled by the US government to lead a punitive expedition against the Sioux , after they killed a small US Army detachment in Nebraska Territory , an event called the Grattan Massacre . He led attacks against the Sioux culminating in the Battle of Ash Hollow in 1855 , in which the Sioux were defeated . After the battle , the Sioux called Harney " Woman Killer . " This was one of the opening battles in the more than two decades of the Plains Indian Wars . Harney was next assigned command of the Department of Oregon . During this time , he sent troops under Captain George E . Pickett to San Juan Island , precipitating the Pig War with British forces . Due to the altercations with the British , he was recalled by the Army . Briefly commanding troops during the Utah War , he was again recalled and placed in command of troops sent to deal with the guerrilla warfare of Bleeding Kansas . Promoted to brigadier general on June 14 , 1858 , Harney was one of the four general officers in the regular army at the opening of the Civil War . Civil War . Harney commanded the Army ' s Department of the West at Jefferson Barracks in St . Louis , Missouri in 1861 . Missouri Governor Claiborne Jackson was pro - secession , but the majority of Missourians were Unionist . After the bombardment of Fort Sumter , President Lincoln called for troops to suppress rebellion . Jackson refused , and began plotting with Confederate authorities to bring about Missouri secession by a military coup . On 10 May 1861 , Captain Nathaniel Lyon , commander of the St . Louis Arsenal , led a force of unofficial Unionist " Home Guards " to capture a force of state militia that were poised to seize the Arsenal — acting without any authorization from Harney , his nominal superior . The Camp Jackson Affair resulted in a bloody riot in St . Louis , and Harney was horrified . The state legislature responded by reorganizing the militia as the Missouri State Guard , and authorizing it to resist " invasion " by Federal troops . Harney tried to calm the situation . He agreed to the Price - Harney Truce with Guard commander Sterling Price , under which he agreed that the State Guard would control most of Missouri , while Federal troops stayed near St . Louis . Missouri Governor Claiborne Jackson ( who favored secession ) swore allegiance to the Union in the deal . This was not acceptable to Unionist leaders in Missouri , such as Republican leader Frank Blair , as Price did nothing to prevent the organization of pro - Confederate forces or protect Unionists in his territory . Blair reported all this to the Lincoln administration in Washington , and was authorized to replace Harney with Lyon . Blair acted on 30 May . Harney was called to Washington to discuss the situation . He was captured by Confederates en route and was offered a command by Confederate General Robert E . Lee . He refused and was released to continue on to Washington , where he was permanently relieved of his command . Harney remained in Washington , serving in various administrative positions . He retired in 1863 , and was breveted to major general in 1865 , in recognition of his long and distinguished career . Peace negotiator . Though a then - well - known cavalry officer of the Indian Wars , William Harney worked for peace with the Indians by advocating a good neighbor policy and strove throughout his career to improve the nation ' s treatment of the native population , vainly seeking to have them treated fairly . The Crows gave him the name " Man - who - runs - like - the - deer " after he challenged them to foot races outside the walls of the fort . After the Civil War he was a key figure in the Southern Treaty Commission that negotiated treaties with all the Plains Indians in 1867 - 68 , and urged Congress to honor past treaties . After his death in Orlando , Florida , the Sioux ( Lakota ) changed his name to " Man - who - always - kept - his - word " . Home . Harney ' s home in Sullivan , Missouri is privately owned by the Harney Mansion Foundation , a private organization which is seeking funds for the restoration of the structure . The Sullivan Chamber of Commerce cooperates with the foundation and can arrange visits to the home .