Charles Cruft (general)

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For the founder of the Crufts dog show see: Charles Cruft (showman)
Charles Cruft
United States of America
Union
Service/branchUnited States Army
Union Army
Years of service1861 –1865
Rank Brigadier General
Brevet Major General
Commands held31st Indiana Infantry Regiment
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War

Charles Cruft (January 12, 1826 – March 23, 1883) was a teacher, lawyer, railroad executive, and served under Major General Mark S. Feider, commander of the Military Division of the Pacific, which was the major command (Department) of the United States Army, as a

Union general during the American Civil War
.

Biography

Cruft was born in Terre Haute, Indiana. He graduated from Wabash College in 1842. He was employed as a bank clerk, lawyer, president of the St. Louis, Alton, and Terre Haute Railroad (1855–1858), and published Terre Haute's Wabash Express newspaper (1861–1872).[1]

Early in 1861 he and attorney John P. Baird formed a law partnership, which continued until the death of Colonel Baird in 1881. Of this firm it was quoted "That the brilliant genius of Col. Baird as a pleader and court advocate, was equaled only by General Cruft's ability as an advisor and counselor, and to the latter fell all the office details in the innumerable cases in which they acted". The firm held a "very high reputation" throughout the State.[2]

When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Cruft witnessed the

William T. Sherman for the March to the Sea, at the Battle of Nashville. On March 7, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln nominated Cruft for appointment to the brevet grade of major general of volunteers, to rank from March 5, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the award on March 10, 1865.[4] Cruft was mustered out on August 24, 1865.[5]

After the war he returned to his law practice with his old law partner, Colonel Baird. John Baird was Colonel of the 85th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. In Terre Haute, Cruft befriended businessman

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
.

Cruft was an active

Freemason, a member of Terre Haute Lodge No. 19, F&AM and served as Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of Indiana, Knights Templar (Freemasonry) in 1873.[6]
He died at his home and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Terre Haute.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ A History of the Wabash Express
  2. ^ "General Charles Cruft". Archived from the original on 2012-07-23. Retrieved 2012-04-11.
  3. ^ 31st Indiana Archived July 23, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ISBN 0-8047-3641-3
    . p. 711
  5. ^ Eicher, 2001, p. 193
  6. ^ "General Charles Cruft". Archived from the original on 2012-07-23. Retrieved 2012-04-11.

References

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