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George Crook (1828-1890) - Born 8 Sep 1828 near Taylorsville, Ohio. A career U.S. Army infantry officer who served in the U.S. Civil War and the Indian wars before and after the civil war. He was a noted western Indian fighter and friend of the Indian He rose to the rank of regular Major General. General Crook died 21 Mar 1890 in Chicago, Illinois. Graduated 38th out of 43 from the United States Military Academy, West Point, Class of 1852.
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 Fort Omaha, General Crook's Quarters |
Early Years
He was assigned to the 4th U.S. Infantry as a brevet 2nd Lt., serving in California, 1852–61 during the California Gold Rush. He served in Oregon and northern California, fighting against several Native American tribes and establishing Fort Ter-Waw (1857) in northern California. He commanded the Pitt River Expedition of 1857 and in one of the several engagements was severely wounded by an Indian arrow.
U.S. Civil War
George Crook began the U.S. Civil War as a 1st Lieutenant in the 4th U.S. Infantry fresh from the Indian conflicts in California and the Northwest. He finished the war as a successful brevet Major General and then transitioned back into the regular Army after the war as an infantry captain.
He participated in many of the major battles of the U.S. Civil War including the Battle of Antietam, the Battle of Chickamauga, the Battle of Sailor's Creek and finally the Battle of Appomattox Courthouse. He was wounded at Lewisburg and captured by Confederate raiders at Cumberland, Maryland.
Postwar
Crook was known for his Indian fighting skills prior to the war and after the war he resumed this activity, first with the Snake War (1864-1868), and then with the Yavapai War in Arizona, the Sioux War of 1876-1877 and the Apache Wars.
Crook commanded the Department of the Platte (1875-1882), headquartered at Fort Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska. His quarters at Fort Omaha are still known as the General Crook House. General Crook returned to Arizona in 1882 to fight the Apache but by 1886 he was again commanding the Department of the Platte (1886-1888). He served as commander of the Division of the Missouri at Chicago until his death in 1890.
Major General Crook died of a heart attack in Chicago while serving as commander of the Division of the Missouri. He was originally buried in Maryland, but was moved, with his wife, to Section 2 of Arlington National Cemetery on 11 Nov 1898.
Father:
- Thomas Crook (1788-1875) - Born 30 Nov 1788 in Baltimore County, Maryland. Died 11 Jan 1875.
Mother:
- Elizabeth Matthews (1787-1844) - Born 4 Mar 1787 in Baltimore County, Maryland. Died 9 Feb 1844.
Marriage:
- Mary Tapscott Dailey (1842-1895) - Born 7 May 1842, Moorefield, Virginia. Married 22 Aug 1865, Alleghany County, Maryland. Died 24 Sep 1895, Oakland, Maryland. Buried with her husband in Arlington National Cemetery on 27 Sep 1895.
Children:
Assignments:
- (1848-1852) Cadet, U.S. Military Academy, West Point
- (1852-1852) Bvt. 2nd Lt. (1 Jul 1852) 4th U.S. Infantry, Fort Columbus, New York
- (1852-1853) Bvt. 2nd Lt., 4th U.S. Infantry, Benicia Barracks, California
- (1853-1853) 2nd Lt. (7 Jul 1853), 4th U.S. Infantry, Fort Humboldt, California
- (1853-1856) 2nd Lt., 4th U.S. Infantry, Fort Jones (2), Yreka, California
- (1856-1857) 1st Lt. (11 Mar 1856), 4th U.S. Infantry, Fort Jones (2), Yreka, California
- (1857-1858) 1st Lt., 4th U.S. Infantry, Fort Ter-Waw, California
- (1858-1858) 1st Lt., 4th U.S. Infantry, Fort Vancouver, Washington
- (1858-1861) 1st Lt., 4th U.S. Infantry, Fort Ter-Waw, California
- (1861-1865) U.S. Civil War
- Capt. (14 May 1861) 4th U.S. Infantry
- Col. (12 Sep 1861) 36th Ohio Volunteers
- Bvt. Maj. (23 May 1862) U.S. Army - Gallant and Meritorious Services at the Battle of Lewisburg, Virginia
- Brig. Gen. (7 Sep1862) U.S. Volunteers
- Bvt. Lt. Col. (17 Sep 1862) U.S. Army - Gallant and Meritorious Services at the Battle of Antietam, Maryland
- Bvt. Col. (7 Oct 1863) U.S. Army - Gallant and Meritorious Services at the Battle of Farmington, Tennessee
- Bvt. Maj. Gen. (18 Jul 1864) U.S. Volunteers - Gallant and Distinguished Services, West Virginia)
- Maj. Gen. (21 Oct 1864) U.S. Volunteers
- Bvt. Brig. Gen. (13 Mar 1865) U.S. Army - Gallant and Meritorious Services in the Campaign of 1864, West Virginia
- Bvt. Maj. Gen. (13 Mar 1865) U.S. Army - Gallant and Meritorious Services in the Battle of Fisher's Hill, Virginia
- (15 Jan 1866) Mustered out of Volunteer Service
- Maj. (18 Jul 1866) 3rd U.S. Infantry
- (1866-1872) Lt. Col. (28 Jul 1866) 23rd U.S. Infantry, Commanding District of Boise, Idaho
- (1871-1875) Brig. Gen. (29 Oct 1873) U.S. Army, Commanding the Department of Arizona
- (1875-1882) Brig. Gen. U.S. Army, Commander of the Department of the Platte, Fort Omaha, Nebraska
- (1882-1886) Brig. Gen. U.S. Army, Commander of the Department of the Arizona, Fort Whipple (2), Arizona
- (1886-1888) Maj. Gen. (6 Apr 1888) U.S. Army, Commander of the Department of the Platte, Fort Omaha, Nebraska
- (1888-1890) Maj. Gen. U.S. Army, Commander of the Division of the Missouri, Chicago, Illinois
- (21 Mar 1890) Died at Chicago, Illinois
Personal Description:
- Height: 6'
- Build: "straight as an arrow, broad-shouldered, lithe, sinewy as a cat"
- Hair Color:
- Eye Color: Blue-grey
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