Bennet C. Riley
[5] Riley married Arabella Israel, of Philadelphia, on 9 November 1834, at the Jefferson Barracks, Lemay, Missouri.[d] Ulysses S. Grant described Bennet Riley as "the finest specimen of physical manhood I had ever looked upon...6'2 (190 cm) in his stocking feet, straight as the undrawn [sic] bowstring, broad shouldered with every limb in perfect proportion, with an eagle and a step as light as a forest tiger.Forsyth sent Bennet C. Riley with about a half dozen riflemen upriver to gather some wood in a boat.Benjamin Forsyth and his riflemen rowed out on their boat providing sniper covering fire for Riley's crew.The British gunboats were held at bay as Riley and Forsyth both withdrew safely back to their fort in their boats.This was in spite of the explicit instructions of the American commander, Pike (who was killed in this raid), not to loot or burn private property.[17][18] Riley, Forsyth, and their riflemen were performing paramilitary operations in British Canada in support of America's invasion.The ruse worked, and the boys told Forsyth of valuable intelligence about a blockhouse that was being built to contest the American advance.[19] Benjamin Forsyth, Bennet C. Riley, and their riflemen spearheaded an attack on British-allied forces who were retreating back to a blockhouse.[20] Benjamin Forsyth, Bennet C. Riley, and 70 of their riflemen went out from their base from Chamberlain to patrol near the Canadian border.Forsyth commanded Riley to tell the rest of the riflemen to casually withdraw so as not to cause the Indians and Canadians to be eager to launch their ambush.Riley was honored for ten years of faithful service by being promoted to brevet major on 6 August 1828, leading the first military escort along the Santa Fe Trail in 1829.[13][14] During the Mexican–American War, as colonel of the 2nd U.S. Infantry, Riley fought at the Siege of Veracruz and the Battle of Cerro Gordo, where he was cited for bravery.In addition to the influx of prospectors seeking their fortunes, daily desertions of his own men rapidly depleted his troops.When Congress refused to act on the statehood of California and New Mexico, he called for the election of civil officers to a de facto government.Consequently, the military authorities could not prevent the slaughter of California's native population, nor could they suppress the violence in the lawless gold camps.[30] After his administrative service concluded on the Pacific, Riley was ordered to take command of a regiment on the Rio Grande.