Class of 1846

Samuel Davis Sturgis: Born June 11, 1822, Shippensburg, PA.

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, July 1, 1842, to July 1, 1846, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Bvt. Second Lieut., 2d Dragoons, July 1, 1846.

Served: in the War with Mexico, 1846‑48, being captured, Feb. 20,

(Second Lieut., 1st Dragoons, Feb. 16, 1847)

1847, while reconnoitring near Buena Vista, and not released till Feb. 28, 1847, after the battle; on frontier duty in California, 1848‑51; as Quartermaster, 1st Dragoons, Apr. 1, 1851, to Mar. 1, 1852; in garrison at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., 1851; on frontier duty at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., 1851‑52, — as Acting Adjutant-General of the Department of  p279 New Mexico, Nov. 11, 1852, to Oct. 11, 1853, — Albuquerque, N. M.,

(First Lieut., 1st Dragoons, July 15, 1853)

1853‑54, — Scouting against Jicarilla Indians, being engaged in the Action of Cienega, N. M., Apr. 6, 1854, — at Moro, N. M., 1854, — Ft. Fillmore, N. M., 1854, Santa Fé, N. M., 1854‑55, — Scouting,

(Captain, 1st Cavalry, Mar. 3, 1855)

1855, being engaged against Apache Indians, in a Skirmish, Jan. 16, 1855; on Recruiting service, 1855; on frontier duty, in quelling Kansas Disturbances, 1855‑56, — Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., 1856‑57, — Cheyenne Expedition, 1857, being engaged in the Combat on Solomon's Fork of the Kansas, July 27, 1857, and Skirmish against Kiowa and Comanche Indians, near Grand Saline, Aug. 6, 1857, — Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., 1857‑58, — and March to Ft. Kearny, Neb., and Ft. Arbuckle, I. T., 1858, — in garrison at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., 1858‑59; and on frontier duty at Ft. Arbuckle, I. T., 1859, — Ft. Cobb, I. T., 1859‑60, — in command of Southern Column of Kiowa and Comanche Expedition, June to Oct., 1860, being engaged in a severe Action on Prairie Dog Creek, Aug. 9, 1860, and in several Skirmishes, — in adjusting difficulties between Cherokee Indians and White Settlers, Nov., 1860, — and at Ft. Smith, Ark., 1860‑61.

Served during the Rebellion of the Seceding States, 1861‑66: on the March from Ft. Smith, Ark. (which he had evacuated, Apr. 23, 1861, to prevent being captured by a formidable expedition), to Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., via Ft. Washita, I. T., Apr.‑May, 1861; on Expedition to

(Major, 1st Cavalry, May 3, 1861: 4th Cavalry, Aug. 3, 1861)

Southwest Missouri, June 24, 1861, uniting with General Lyon, July 5, 1861, on Grand River, Mo., and was engaged in the Action of Dug Spring, Mo., Aug. 2, 1861, — and Battle of Wilson's Creek, where he commanded, after the fall of General Lyon, and conducted

(Bvt. Lieut.‑Colonel, Aug. 10, 1861,
for Gallant and Meritorious Services in the Battle of Wilson's Creek, Mo.)

(Brig.‑General, U. S. Volunteers, Aug. 10, 1861)

the Retreat to Rolla, Mo.: on Expedition to Northeast Missouri, Sep., 1861; on March to Lexington, Mo., but did not reach there until after its Surrender by Colonel Mulligan, Sep. 20, 1861; on March from Kansas City, Oct., 1861, forming the right of General Fremont's Movement upon Springfield, Mo.; as Chief of Staff to Major-General Hunter, commanding Department of Missouri, Nov., 1861; on Tour of Inspection of Ohio and Mississippi River Posts, Dec., 1861; in command of the District of Kansas, Apr. 10 to May 5, 1862; in command of the Defenses of Washington, D. C., May 25 to Aug. 24, 1862; in the Northern Virginia Campaign, Aug., 1862, being engaged in the Battle of Manassas, Aug. 29, 1862; in the Maryland Campaign (Army of the Potomac), being engaged in the Battle of South Mountain, Sep. 14, 1862, — Battle of Antietam, Sep. 17, 1862, — and several Skirmishes while pursuing the enemy; in the Rappahannock Campaign (Army of the Potomac), Dec., 1862, to Apr., 1863, being engaged in the Battle of Fredericksburg,

(Bvt. Colonel, Dec. 13, 1862,
for Gallant and Meritorious Services at the Battle of Fredericksburg, Va.)

Dec. 13, 1862; in Operations in Central Kentucky, Apr. to July, 1863; as Chief of Cavalry, Department of the Ohio, July 8, 1863, to Apr. 15,

(Lieut.‑Colonel, 6th Cavalry, Oct. 27, 1863)

1864, being engaged in Organizing the Militia of Cincinnati during Morgan's Rebel Raid, — in Operations in East Tennessee, commanding the Cavalry in the Combat of Mossy Creek, Dec. 29, 1863, — Action near  p280 Dandridge, Jan. 16, 1864, — Capture of General Vance and his Rebel command, Jan. 13, 1864, — Rout of General Martin's Rebel Cavalry, near Fair Gardens, Jan. 25, 1864, — and Destruction of Camp of Rebels and Indians, near Quallatown, N. C., Feb. 2, 1864; in Expedition, May, 1864, from Memphis, Ten., being engaged in the Combat at Bolivar, Ten., May 10, 1864, — and Pursuit of the Rebels under General Forrest to Ripley, Mis.; and in the second Expedition against General Forrest, being engaged in the Combat near Gun Town, Mis., June 10, 1864; awaiting orders, July, 1864, to Aug. 24, 1865.

Mustered out of Volunteer Service, Aug. 24, 1865.

Served: in command of 6th Cavalry, Oct. 14, 1865, to May 24, 1866, at Austin, Tex.; on leave of absence, May 24 to Nov. 8, 1866; on frontier duty, at Austin, Tex., Dec. 9, 1866, to Apr. 28, 1867; in command of Ft. Belknap, Tex., May 27 to July, 1867, — and of Camp Wilson, Tex., July 30, 1867, to Apr. 20, 1868; on leave of absence, Apr. to July, 1868; as Member of Board upon a System of Cavalry Tactics, July 3, 1868, to Apr. 26, 1869; in command of regiment, June 7, 1869, to Sep. 25, 1874,

(Colonel, 7th Cavalry, May 6, 1869)

— of Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., Oct. 22, 1869, to Mar., 1871, — and of post of Louisville, Ky., Mar. 29, 1871, to Apr. 29, 1873; as Superintendent of Mounted Recruiting Service, and in command of Cavalry Depot, St. Louis, Mo., Oct., 1874, to Oct. 7, 1876; in command of regiment and Ft. Lincoln, Dak., Oct. 20, 1876, to Oct. 29, 1877, — on Yellowstone Expedition in Montana Territory, May to Oct., 1877; on leave of absence, Oct. 29, 1877, to Feb. 28, 1878; in command of regiment, and of Middle District, Feb. 28, 1878, to Jan. 5, 1881 (commanding troops at Bear Butte, Dak., July to Sep., 1878); on leave of absence to Feb. 21, 1881; Member of Board to examine and recommend text-books for schools in the Army to Apr. 5, 1881; in command of regiment and post of Ft. Meade, Dak., May 19 to June 16, 1881; as Governor of the Soldiers' Home, near Washington city, July 1, 1881, to May 15, 1885; and in command of regiment and post of Ft. Meade, Dak., to June 11, 1886 (leave of absence, Nov. 17, 1885, to May 10, 1886).

Retired from Active Service, June 11, 1886, he being 64 Years of Age.

Died, Sep. 28, 1889, at St. Paul, Min.: Aged 67.

Buried, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.