US Army Major General, American Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient. He was issued the award on May 22, 1893 for his actions as a captain with Company A, 30th Indiana Infantry, US Army, on August 3, 1864 during the Atlanta Campaign. The son of a millwright, he joined the US Army shortly after the breakout of the American Civil War in April 1861. During the war, he saw action at the Battles of Philippi, Laurel Hill, Corrick's Ford. Shiloh, Stone's River, Chickamauga, the Siege of Corinth, and the Atlanta Campaign. At war's end, he was a brevet colonel and left the Army to attend law school at Harvard University. graduating in 1866. He then rejoined the US Army at the rank of 2nd lieutenant and participated in the Geronimo Campaign of the Apache Wars. By 1889 he had risen in rank to lieutenant colonel. When the Spanish-American War broke out, he was appointed brigadier general of volunteers and assumed command of the 2nd Division, 5th Army Corps, and took part in the invasion of Cuba in June 1898. He saw action at the Battle of Las Guasimas, the Battle of El Caney, and the Siege of Santiago. While in Cuba, he was promoted to the rank of major general of volunteers. He was then transferred to the Philippines to command the 1st Division, 8th Army Corps during the Philippine-American War and participated in the Battles of Santa Cruz, Zapote Bridge, San Isidro, and Paye (San Mateo), where he was killed by a Filipino sniper. He was the only U.S. general officer to be killed during the Philippine-American War, and the first US general officer to be killed in overseas action. His other military awards include the American Civil War Campaign Medal, the Indian Campaign Medal, the Spanish Campaign Medal, the Army of Cuban Occupation Medal, and the Philippine Campaign Medal. The city of Lawton, Oklahoma was named in his honor. His Medal of Honor citation reads: "Led a charge of skirmishers against the enemy's rifle pits and stubbornly and successfully resisted 2 determined attacks of the enemy to retake the works."
US Army Major General, American Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient. He was issued the award on May 22, 1893 for his actions as a captain with Company A, 30th Indiana Infantry, US Army, on August 3, 1864 during the Atlanta Campaign. The son of a millwright, he joined the US Army shortly after the breakout of the American Civil War in April 1861. During the war, he saw action at the Battles of Philippi, Laurel Hill, Corrick's Ford. Shiloh, Stone's River, Chickamauga, the Siege of Corinth, and the Atlanta Campaign. At war's end, he was a brevet colonel and left the Army to attend law school at Harvard University. graduating in 1866. He then rejoined the US Army at the rank of 2nd lieutenant and participated in the Geronimo Campaign of the Apache Wars. By 1889 he had risen in rank to lieutenant colonel. When the Spanish-American War broke out, he was appointed brigadier general of volunteers and assumed command of the 2nd Division, 5th Army Corps, and took part in the invasion of Cuba in June 1898. He saw action at the Battle of Las Guasimas, the Battle of El Caney, and the Siege of Santiago. While in Cuba, he was promoted to the rank of major general of volunteers. He was then transferred to the Philippines to command the 1st Division, 8th Army Corps during the Philippine-American War and participated in the Battles of Santa Cruz, Zapote Bridge, San Isidro, and Paye (San Mateo), where he was killed by a Filipino sniper. He was the only U.S. general officer to be killed during the Philippine-American War, and the first US general officer to be killed in overseas action. His other military awards include the American Civil War Campaign Medal, the Indian Campaign Medal, the Spanish Campaign Medal, the Army of Cuban Occupation Medal, and the Philippine Campaign Medal. The city of Lawton, Oklahoma was named in his honor. His Medal of Honor citation reads: "Led a charge of skirmishers against the enemy's rifle pits and stubbornly and successfully resisted 2 determined attacks of the enemy to retake the works."
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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