1889 an attack upon a u.s
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1889 137 years ago Historical Events May 11 2 sources

An attack upon a U.S. Army paymaster and escort results in the theft of over $28,000 and the award of two Medals of Honor.

On May 11, in the year 1889, An attack upon a U.S. Army paymaster and escort results in the theft of over $28,000 and the award of two Medals of Honor. This event is recorded as a Historical Events event in the history of May 11, a notable event in this corner of history.

The Wham Paymaster robbery was an armed robbery of a United States Army paymaster and his escort on May 11, 1889, in the Arizona Territory. Major Joseph W. Wham was transporting a payroll consisting of more than US$28,000 in gold and silver coins from Fort Grant to Fort Thomas when he and his escort of eleven Buffalo Soldiers were ambushed. During the attack, the bandits wounded eight of the soldiers, forced them to retreat to cover, and stole the payroll.

Key Facts

  • This event took place on May 11, 1889 (AD era).
  • It is categorised as a Historical Events event in recorded history.
  • Referenced in 2 Wikipedia articles.
  • The event is associated with a specific geographical location (see map below).
  • Wikipedia source last updated on 6 September 2025.

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This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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