George Crook

He graduated from West Point in July 1852 and was appointed brevet 2nd Lieutenant in the 4th US Infantry. He was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant a year later and served in California and the Pacific Northwest. He was promoted to First Lieutenant, Company D, on 11 March 1856 and was wounded by an arrow while commanding the Pitt River (CA) expedition in June 1857.

He was made Captain, USA on 14 May 1861 but on 13 September 1861 was appointed Colonel of the 36th Ohio Infantry and served with them in Western Virginia. He was wounded on 23 May 1862 at Lewisburg, VA (now WV) while commanding a provisional brigade.

He began the Campaign leading the 36th Ohio Infantry, but took command of the Brigade after Colonel Moor was captured near Frederick, MD on 12 September 1862.

He was appointed Brigadier General of Volunteers to date from 7 September 1862 and led the 2nd Cavalry Division in the Army of the Cumberland in the Chickamauga campaign and at Cloyd's Mountain in 1863. He commanded the Kanawha District (February - June 1864) then the Department of Western Virginia from July 1864 - seeing action in Shenandoah Valley campaign and promoted to Major General of Volunteers (October) - into February 1865 when he was captured at Cumberland, MD. He was exchanged in March 1865 and commanded the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac in the Appomattox campaign in April.

He was honored during the war by 6 brevets in rank from Major to Major General; one, to Lieutenant Colonel, USA, was for gallantry at Antietam.

He mustered out of the Volunteers in January 1866 and continued in Regular Army service. He was promoted to Major, 3rd US Infantry on 18 July 1866 and Lieutenant Colonel of the 23rd US Infantry 10 days later. He served in Idaho, the Department of the Columbia in the Northwest, at San Francisco, and in Arizona. He was jumped to Brigadier General on 29 October 1873 and is perhaps best known for his command on the (Little) Big Horn Campaign of 1876 and 1877. He was appointed Major General, USA on 6 April 1888 and was serving in command of the Department of the West (or Military Division of the Missouri) with headquarters at Chicago when he died at age 61 in 1890.

His service from Heitman1 and Cullum2 (Crook's Cullum #1573), who notes his name listed as George W. Crook at graduation from West Point. Personal details from family genealogists, at least one of whom has him as George H. Crook. His gravesite is on Findagrave, as George R. Crook; he was originally buried in Oakland, MD but removed to Arlington in November 1890. His picture from a photograph at the Library of Congress.

He married Mary Tapscott Dailey (1842-1895) in August 1865, probably in her home town of Cumberland, MD.

Other than the various references to a middle initial noted above, I've found no specific evidence that he had a middle name.

His memoirs were edited and published by Martin F Schmitt in General George Crook: His Autobiography (1946).

09/08/1828; Taylorsville, OH

03/21/1890; Chicago, IL; burial in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA