Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                
Jump to content

George Alexander Forsyth: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Buckboard (talk | contribs)
24,788 edits
No edit summary
 
(48 intermediate revisions by 36 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Infobox military person
⚫
[[Image:James William Forsyth.jpg|thumb|Brig. Gen. George A. Forsyth]]
|name= George Alexander Forsyth
|birth_date= {{birth date|1837|11|7}}
|death_date= {{death date and age|1915|9|12|1837|11|7}}
|birth_place= [[Muncy, Pennsylvania|Muncy]], [[Pennsylvania]]
|death_place= [[Rockport, Massachusetts|Rockport]], [[Massachusetts]]
|placeofburial= [[Arlington National Cemetery]]
|placeofburial_label= Place of burial
|image= George Alexander Forsyth.jpg
⚫
|caption= Brevet Brig. Gen. George A. Forsyth
|nickname= Sandy<ref name=Eicher/>
|allegiance= [[United States|United States of America]]<br/>[[Union (American Civil War)|Union]]
|branch= [[Regular Army (United States)|U.S. Regular Army]];<br/>[[Union Army]]
|serviceyears=1861&ndash;1890
|rank= [[File:Union Army colonel rank insignia.png|35px]] [[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]]<br>[[File:Union Army brigadier general rank insignia.svg|35px]] [[brevet (military)|Brevet]] [[Brigadier general (United States)|Brigadier General]]
|unit= [[8th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry|8th Illinois Cavalry]]<br/>[[9th Cavalry Regiment (United States)|9th U.S. Cavalry]]<br/>[[4th Cavalry Regiment (United States)|4th U.S. Cavalry]]
|battles=[[American Civil War]]<br/>[[American Indian Wars]]
}}
'''George Alexander Forsyth''' (November 7, 1837, &ndash; September 12, 1915) was a United States military officer most notable for his service in the [[cavalry]].


==Early life==
'''George Alexander Forsyth''' was a United States military officer most notable for his service in the [[cavalry]]. Born in [[Muncy, Pennsylvania]], he enlisted as a private at the beginning of the [[American Civil War]] in a 3-months' regiment, Barker's Company, Chicago Volunteer Dragoons, on [[April 19]], [[1861]], mustering out on [[August 18]], [[1861]].
Forsyth was born in [[Muncy, Pennsylvania]]. He attended [[Canandaigua Academy]]<ref name=Eicher/> and moved to Illinois before the [[American Civil War]].


==Civil War==
⚫
He received a commission as a [[1st lieutenant]] in the [[8th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry|8th Illinois Cavalry]] on [[September 18]], [[1861]], followed by promotions to [[captain]] on [[February 12]], [[1862]], and [[major]] on [[September 1]], [[1863]], seeing action in all major campaigns fought by the [[Army of the Potomac]]. He also fought in many cavalry actions in the [[Shenandoah Valley Campaign|Shenandoah Valley]], where he received [[Brevet (military)|brevet]] promotions to [[colonel]] ([[October 19]], [[1864]]) and [[brigadier general]] of volunteers ([[March 13]], [[1865]]).
Forsyth enlisted on April 19, 1861, as a [[private (rank)|private]] in Barker's Company, Chicago Volunteer Dragoons (a 3-month regiment) and mustered out on August 18, 1861.


⚫
He received a commission as a [[First Lieutenant#United States|first lieutenant]] in the [[8th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry|8th Illinois Cavalry]] on September 18, 1861, followed by promotions to [[Captain (United States)|captain]] on February 12, 1862, and [[Major (United States)|major]] on September 1, 1863. He saw action in all major campaigns fought by the [[Army of the Potomac]]. He also fought in many cavalry actions in the [[Valley Campaigns of 1864|Shenandoah Valley]], where he served as [[aide-de-camp]] to [[Major general (United States)|Maj. Gen.]] [[Philip Sheridan]] and received a [[Brevet (military)|brevet]] promotion to [[Colonel (United States)|colonel]] on October 19, 1864, for his service at [[Battle of Opequon|Third Winchester]] and [[Battle of Cedar Creek|Cedar Creek]]. He was appointed a brevet [[Brigadier general (United States)|brigadier general]] of volunteers on March 13, 1865, part of widespread ceremonial promotion of officers at the end of the war.<ref name=Eicher>Eicher, p. 240.</ref>
⚫
After the Civil War ended he received a commission in the [[Regular Army]] as a major in the 9th U.S. Cavalry on [[July 28]], [[1866]], with brevets on [[March 2]], [[1867]], to [[lieutenant colonel]] for gallantry during the Civil War at the [[Battle of Dinwiddie Court House]] and to [[colonel]] for the [[Battle of Five Forks]].


⚫
After the Civil War ended, he received a commission in the [[Regular Army (United States)|regular army]] as a major in the [[9th Cavalry Regiment (United States)|9th U.S. Cavalry]] on July 28, 1866, with brevets on March 2, 1867, to [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|lieutenant colonel]] for gallantry during the Civil War at the [[Battle of Dinwiddie Court House]] and to colonel for the [[Battle of Five Forks]].
⚫
In 1868 he raised a band of 50 frontiersmen to serve as scouts into Indian territory. He led this group to victory at the [[Battle of Beecher's Island]] against Chief [[Roman Nose]]. For this action he received a brevet to [[brigadier general]] effective [[September 18]], [[1868]]. Between 1869 and 1873 he served as Military Secretary to Lt. Gen. [[Philip H. Sheridan]] and between 1878 and 1881 as Sheridan's Aide-de-Camp. In his permanent rank, he received a promotion to lieutenant colonel of the [[4th Cavalry Regiment (United States)|4th Cavalry]] on [[June 26]], [[1881]].


==Postbellum career==
⚫
Forsyth retired from the Army in March 1890 and was promoted to Colonel on the Retired List in April 1904. He died at [[Rockport, Massachusetts]], on [[September 12]], [[1915]], and was buried in [[Arlington National Cemetery]].
⚫
In 1868, Forsyth raised a band of fifty frontiersmen to serve as scouts into [[Indian Territory]]. He led this group to victory at the [[Battle of Beecher Island]] against [[Roman Nose]]. For this action, he received a brevet promotion to brigadier general effective September 18, 1868. Between 1869 and 1873, he served as military secretary to [[Lieutenant general (United States)|Lt. Gen.]] Sheridan, and between 1878 and 1881 as Sheridan's [[aide-de-camp]]. In his permanent rank, he received a promotion to lieutenant colonel of the [[4th Cavalry Regiment (United States)|4th U.S. Cavalry]] on June 26, 1881.


On April 23, 1885, at [[Fort Bowie]], [[Arizona]], he married Natalie Sedgewick Beaumont, the twenty-two-year-old daughter of fellow 4th Cavalry officer [[Eugene B. Beaumont]].<ref>Dixon, pp. 164–5</ref>
==External links==

⚫
* http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/gforsyth.htm
⚫
Forsyth retired from the Army in March 1890 and was promoted to colonel on the Retired List in April 1904. He died at [[Rockport, Massachusetts|Rockport]], [[Massachusetts]], and was buried in [[Arlington National Cemetery]]. He was the author of the 1900 work, ''Thrilling Days in Army Life''.<ref name=Eicher/>

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|American Civil War}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
⚫
*[http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/gforsyth.htm Arlington National Cemetery]
*{{cite book
| last = Dixon
| first = David
| title = Hero of Beecher Island
| publisher = University of Nebraska Press
| year = 1997
| location =
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=AohoktJT5qAC
| isbn = 978-0-8032-6605-6 }}
* Eicher, John H., and [[David J. Eicher|Eicher, David J.]], ''Civil War High Commands'', Stanford University Press, 2001, {{ISBN|0-8047-3641-3}}.

{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Forsyth, George Alexander}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Forsyth, George Alexander}}
[[Category:Brigadier generals]]
[[Category:1837 births]]
[[Category:1837 births]]
[[Category:1915 deaths]]
[[Category:1915 deaths]]
[[Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery]]
[[Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Chicago]]
[[Category:People from Lycoming County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:People of Illinois in the American Civil War]]
[[Category:Union army officers]]
[[Category:United States Army officers]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Pennsylvania]]

Latest revision as of 22:36, 31 October 2024

George Alexander Forsyth
Brevet Brig. Gen. George A. Forsyth
Nickname(s)Sandy[1]
Born(1837-11-07)November 7, 1837
Muncy, Pennsylvania
DiedSeptember 12, 1915(1915-09-12) (aged 77)
Rockport, Massachusetts
Place of burial
Arlington National Cemetery
AllegianceUnited States of America
Union
Service / branchU.S. Regular Army;
Union Army
Years of service1861–1890
Rank Colonel
Brevet Brigadier General
Unit8th Illinois Cavalry
9th U.S. Cavalry
4th U.S. Cavalry
Battles / warsAmerican Civil War
American Indian Wars

George Alexander Forsyth (November 7, 1837, – September 12, 1915) was a United States military officer most notable for his service in the cavalry.

Early life

[edit]

Forsyth was born in Muncy, Pennsylvania. He attended Canandaigua Academy[1] and moved to Illinois before the American Civil War.

Civil War

[edit]

Forsyth enlisted on April 19, 1861, as a private in Barker's Company, Chicago Volunteer Dragoons (a 3-month regiment) and mustered out on August 18, 1861.

He received a commission as a first lieutenant in the 8th Illinois Cavalry on September 18, 1861, followed by promotions to captain on February 12, 1862, and major on September 1, 1863. He saw action in all major campaigns fought by the Army of the Potomac. He also fought in many cavalry actions in the Shenandoah Valley, where he served as aide-de-camp to Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan and received a brevet promotion to colonel on October 19, 1864, for his service at Third Winchester and Cedar Creek. He was appointed a brevet brigadier general of volunteers on March 13, 1865, part of widespread ceremonial promotion of officers at the end of the war.[1]

After the Civil War ended, he received a commission in the regular army as a major in the 9th U.S. Cavalry on July 28, 1866, with brevets on March 2, 1867, to lieutenant colonel for gallantry during the Civil War at the Battle of Dinwiddie Court House and to colonel for the Battle of Five Forks.

Postbellum career

[edit]

In 1868, Forsyth raised a band of fifty frontiersmen to serve as scouts into Indian Territory. He led this group to victory at the Battle of Beecher Island against Roman Nose. For this action, he received a brevet promotion to brigadier general effective September 18, 1868. Between 1869 and 1873, he served as military secretary to Lt. Gen. Sheridan, and between 1878 and 1881 as Sheridan's aide-de-camp. In his permanent rank, he received a promotion to lieutenant colonel of the 4th U.S. Cavalry on June 26, 1881.

On April 23, 1885, at Fort Bowie, Arizona, he married Natalie Sedgewick Beaumont, the twenty-two-year-old daughter of fellow 4th Cavalry officer Eugene B. Beaumont.[2]

Forsyth retired from the Army in March 1890 and was promoted to colonel on the Retired List in April 1904. He died at Rockport, Massachusetts, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. He was the author of the 1900 work, Thrilling Days in Army Life.[1]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Eicher, p. 240.
  2. ^ Dixon, pp. 164–5

References

[edit]
  • Arlington National Cemetery
  • Dixon, David (1997). Hero of Beecher Island. University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 978-0-8032-6605-6.
  • Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J., Civil War High Commands, Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=George_Alexander_Forsyth&oldid=1254628100"