Corporal Isaiah Mays, A Soldier's Story
Corporal Isaiah Mays, A Soldier's Story
Isaiah Mays was born on February 16, 1858, in Carter’s Bridge, Virginia, enslaved in a nation still divided by bondage. Emancipation came during his childhood, and as a young man, Mays chose a life defined not by his beginnings but by service.
In September 1881, Mays enlisted in the United States Army and was assigned to the 24th Infantry Regiment—one of the famed Buffalo Soldier units composed of African American enlisted men who served primarily on the Western frontier. He was sent to the Arizona Territory, where soldiers were tasked with protecting supply routes, maintaining order, and safeguarding federal operations under remote, dangerous conditions.
On May 11, 1889, Corporal Mays was assigned to an escort detail responsible for transporting military payroll from Fort Grant to Fort Thomas. Near Wham Canyon, the convoy was ambushed by a band of eleven armed attackers in what would become known as the Wham Paymaster Robbery, one of the most notorious armed robberies in frontier history.
During the attack, the detail came under intense fire. Demonstrating extraordinary courage and presence of mind, Corporal Mays crawled across open desert terrain under continuous enemy fire to reach reinforcements. His actions helped prevent further loss of life and enabled federal forces to respond to the attack.
For his conspicuous bravery and gallantry under fire, Corporal Isaiah Mays was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration—one of the few African American soldiers of the era to receive the honor for frontier service.
After completing his enlistment in September 1893, Mays remained in the West, working as a general laborer in Arizona Territory. In later years, he fell ill and was admitted to the Arizona State Hospital, where he died on May 2, 1925.
Corporal Mays was initially buried in the hospital cemetery. More than eighty years later, his service was formally recognized when the Old Guard Riders arranged for his reinterment with full military honors. On May 29, 2009, Corporal Isaiah Mays was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, restoring his place among the nation’s honored dead.
His story reflects both the hardships and the quiet heroism of the Buffalo Soldiers, men who served a country that often failed to fully recognize them, yet defended it with unwavering courage.
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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.
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