Born September 18, 1815, Maj. Henry C. Wayne was a West Point graduate, Class of 1834, who served with valor in the Mexican War.  In 1860, he resigned his commission and became a Brigadier General of Volunteers, Confederate States of America, serving with distinction in the Civil War from 1861 to 1865.

In the middle of Wayne's colorful military career, he became the first test officer to conduct the first Army operational test and experiment - the Army Camel Corps.  Reporting directly to the Secretary of War - Jefferson Davis - Wayne planned his tests and experiments; conducted the tests with average American cavalrymen in the same harsh environment the camels were expected to operate; and reported to the Secretary on a regular basis.  These reports were complete with sketches, data and observations.

He built into his test plans a number of comparison tests to measure real-world endurance and capabilities between the horse, mule, waggoning, and the camel.  One of the objectives - known as issues today - of this test that had Congressional oversight - was to determine the combat capabilities of the camel.

Through Wayne's thorough and rigorous field testing program, it was soon apparent that the noble animal was simply not suited to the American style of combat.  Not wishing to hand off to the cavalry in the field a mount that could not be as effective as the horse, Wayne ended the tests of camels in direct combat and turned his attention to testing the logistical capabilities.  Prior to his reassignment to Washington in January 1857, Wayne recommended and planned a large-scale field trial of the camels in a combat support role.