Thaddius Riker
Colonel Thaddius Riker was a soldier in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was a distant ancestor of Kyle, William T., and Thomas Riker. 

Known to his compatriots as "Old Iron Boots", Colonel Riker was in command of the 102nd New York Infantry during Sherman's March on Atlanta. 

During the campaign, Colonel Riker was wounded at the Battle of Pine Mountain, Georgia, in late June 1864. He was carried back from the front line by another soldier who was actually discovered, in 2372, to be a  who eventually referred to himself as "Quinn". They were photographed together shortly after this incident.

Without the actions of Quinn, there would have been no William T. Riker, whose nonexistence would have ultimately allowed the Borg to assimilate United Federation of Planets. ()

Riker's cap, or at least a reproduction of it, was kept in the ready room of William Riker aboard the  in 2381. ()

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