Henry McIver

Henry Douglas McIver (c. 1841–1907) was an American mercenary who fought for 18 countries during the nineteenth-century.

Early life McIver was born in about 1841. He spent first ten years of his life in Virginia, United States, and then he was sent to his uncle, General Donald Graham, to finish school and prepare for West Point. Instead of West Point, McIver joined the private army of the East India Company when he was only 16 years old.

Career He was sent to India in 1858. At that time, the Sepoy Mutiny raged in India and during battle, McIver was seriously wounded by a tulmar blow to his skull.

In 1860, McIver fought under Giuseppe Garibaldi in Italy, and after that joined the pretender for the Spanish crown, Don Carlos.

When the American Civil War broke out, Henry McIver joined the Confederate side. Although he was only 20 years old at the time he was already an experienced soldier. While fighting for the Confederates, he was under the command of three famous Confederate generals: Jackson, Stewart and Smith. He was wounded in the Second Battle of Bull Run in August 1862.

At the end of the war, he allegedly challenged a Union officer, Major Tomlin, to a duel, which he won, running Tomlin through the body. When the Confederacy capitulated, McIver fled to Mexico, where he joined Emperor Maximilian in fighting Juárez’s rebels.

In Mexico he was captured by Indians, and escaped three months later by swimming across the Rio Grande. He fought at Monterrey, and for his deeds received the title of count. When the Juárez rebellion was successful, Maximilian was executed, and McIver fled to Tampico, where he boarded a ship and left for South America.

McIver later sought to fight for Greece against the Turks alongside Bennet Burleigh in the Great Cretan Revolution of 1866–1869. Richard Harding Davis reports:

McIver then went to Athens and was given the role to fight against brigands alongside Colonel Panos Koronaios in Thessaly, which he did. McIver was later recommended for the highest Greek decoration for his service.

In 1883, McIver organized a company for British colonization of New Guinea; the project had to be abandoned in 1884 after failing to gain the approval of the Earl of Derby.

Death McIver died in 1907.