Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1855, placing 20th of 34. Appointed as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 1st United States Dragoons on July 1, 1855, he initially served at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis, Missouri, and Forts Leavenworth and Riley in Kansas. From 1856 to 1858 he was involved in the Army’s efforts to quell disturbances between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers in Kansas. He then served in the 1858 Utah expedition, and the 1860 Kiowa and Comanche campaign. Promoted to 1st Lieutenant in the 2nd United States Dragoons, on April 24, 1861, he was with the unit for just over three months when he was promoted Captain of the 1st United States Regular Cavalry in August 1861. Later that month he was commissioned as a Colonel of Volunteers, and assigned to command the 2nd Missouri Volunteer Cavalry. He would lead this unit through the rest of his war service, fighting with them in the numerous battles and skirmishes that marked the conflict in northern Missouri, Arkansas, and Georgia. He was brevetted Brigadier General, US Volunteers, on March 13, 1865 for “gallant and meritorious services during the war”. Mustered out of the Volunteers on December 14, 1865, he reverted to his Regular Army rank of Captain. On November 27, 1868 he was promoted to Major of the 7th United States Cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer. He served in South Carolina from March 1871 to June 1873, suppressing Ku Klux Klan activities. In 1876 he was detailed as Chief of the Military Staff of President Ulysses S, Grant for the 1876 Centennial celebrations, thus missing the June 1876 Battle of the Little Big Horn in which most of his regiment was killed. He returned to the frontier in 1877, and commanded troops who mostly guarded the railroad building crews until 1883. He retired on January 22, 1891 due to disability.

Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1855, placing 20th of 34. Appointed as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 1st United States Dragoons on July 1, 1855, he initially served at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis, Missouri, and Forts Leavenworth and Riley in Kansas. From 1856 to 1858 he was involved in the Army’s efforts to quell disturbances between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers in Kansas. He then served in the 1858 Utah expedition, and the 1860 Kiowa and Comanche campaign. Promoted to 1st Lieutenant in the 2nd United States Dragoons, on April 24, 1861, he was with the unit for just over three months when he was promoted Captain of the 1st United States Regular Cavalry in August 1861. Later that month he was commissioned as a Colonel of Volunteers, and assigned to command the 2nd Missouri Volunteer Cavalry. He would lead this unit through the rest of his war service, fighting with them in the numerous battles and skirmishes that marked the conflict in northern Missouri, Arkansas, and Georgia. He was brevetted Brigadier General, US Volunteers, on March 13, 1865 for “gallant and meritorious services during the war”. Mustered out of the Volunteers on December 14, 1865, he reverted to his Regular Army rank of Captain. On November 27, 1868 he was promoted to Major of the 7th United States Cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer. He served in South Carolina from March 1871 to June 1873, suppressing Ku Klux Klan activities. In 1876 he was detailed as Chief of the Military Staff of President Ulysses S, Grant for the 1876 Centennial celebrations, thus missing the June 1876 Battle of the Little Big Horn in which most of his regiment was killed. He returned to the frontier in 1877, and commanded troops who mostly guarded the railroad building crews until 1883. He retired on January 22, 1891 due to disability.

Bio by: Kit and Morgan Benson