▁the ▁State ▁Normal ▁School ▁in ▁Cort land , ▁New ▁York , ▁and ▁then ▁decided ▁upon ▁a ▁military ▁career . ▁ ▁Military ▁career ▁ ▁Bra in ard ▁en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Caval ry ▁Regiment ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 8 7 6 , ▁serving ▁at ▁Fort ▁Ke og h , ▁Mont ana ▁Territ ory ▁during ▁the ▁Great ▁Si oux ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 8 7 6 . ▁On ▁May ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 8 7 7 , ▁Bra in ard ▁fought ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Little ▁M ud dy ▁Creek , ▁Mont ana , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁wounded ▁in ▁action ▁in ▁the ▁face ▁and ▁right ▁hand . ▁He ▁also ▁served ▁during ▁the ▁Ne z ▁Per ce ▁War ▁and ▁B ann ock ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 8 7 7 ▁and ▁ 1 8 7 8 ▁under ▁Colonel ▁Nelson ▁App leton ▁Mil es , ▁in ▁Mont ana . ▁ ▁Ar ctic ▁expl oration ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 0 , ▁he ▁volunte ered ▁and ▁was ▁selected ▁for ▁the ▁How gate ▁expedition , ▁which ▁was ▁can ce led . ▁However , ▁the ▁next ▁year ▁he ▁was ▁detailed ▁as ▁first ▁ser ge ant ▁for ▁the ▁ill - f ated ▁Lady ▁Franklin ▁Bay ▁Ex ped ition ▁under ▁Ad olph us ▁Gre ely . ▁Over ▁the ▁three ▁years ▁of ▁this ▁expedition ▁he ▁continu ously ▁kept ▁a ▁journal . ▁ ▁Among ▁the ▁men ▁to ▁die ▁on ▁this ▁expedition ▁was ▁James ▁Bo oth ▁Lock wood , ▁second - in - command ▁of ▁the ▁expedition ▁and ▁Bra in