Civil War Union Brevet General. He was born in Bethel, Maine, the younger brother of Governor and Senator La Fayette Grover of Oregon. After graduating from the US Military Academy at West Point in 1850, he was stationed in the Western frontier before being transferred to help in defense preparations of Washington, D.C., at the outbreak of the Civil War in April 1861. He was appointed brigadier general of volunteers in April 1862, but with a date of rank of April 14, 1861, the day after the evacuation of Fort Sumter, making him one of the more senior generals in the Union Army. He served as a brigade commander in the 3rd Corps of the Army of the Potomac, in which role he won distinction at the Battle of Williamsburg on May 5, 1862, and was brevetted lieutenant colonel in the regular army, winning promotion to full colonel for gallantry at the Battle of Seven Pines on May 31 and June 1 1862. His brigade was later transferred to the command of Maj. Gen. John Pope and cited for bravery in leading a bayonet charge against Confederate forces of General Stonewall Jackson at the Second Battle of Bull Run, 28 to 30 August 1862. In December 1862 he was transferred to the Department of the Gulf and joined General Nathaniel Banks' Red River Campaign, commanding a division in the 19th Corps during the capture of Baton Rouge and the Siege of Port Hudson from May to July 1863. Returning to the East in August 1864, he joined General Philip Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign, participating in the Third Battle of Winchester (September 19, 1864), Fisher's Hill (September 21 to 22, 1864), and Cedar Creek (October 19, 1864), where he was wounded and brevetted to the rank of major general of volunteers. After recovering from his wounds, he assumed command of the District of Savannah, Georgia in January 1865 and remained there until the war's end. He was brevetted to the rank of major general in the regular army on March 13, 1865. After the war, he remained in the US Army and returned to Western frontier and garrison duty with the 1st Cavalry, eventually reaching the rank of colonel. He never recovered his health and he died in Atlantic City, New Jersey, while on military leave, at the age of 56.
Civil War Union Brevet General. He was born in Bethel, Maine, the younger brother of Governor and Senator La Fayette Grover of Oregon. After graduating from the US Military Academy at West Point in 1850, he was stationed in the Western frontier before being transferred to help in defense preparations of Washington, D.C., at the outbreak of the Civil War in April 1861. He was appointed brigadier general of volunteers in April 1862, but with a date of rank of April 14, 1861, the day after the evacuation of Fort Sumter, making him one of the more senior generals in the Union Army. He served as a brigade commander in the 3rd Corps of the Army of the Potomac, in which role he won distinction at the Battle of Williamsburg on May 5, 1862, and was brevetted lieutenant colonel in the regular army, winning promotion to full colonel for gallantry at the Battle of Seven Pines on May 31 and June 1 1862. His brigade was later transferred to the command of Maj. Gen. John Pope and cited for bravery in leading a bayonet charge against Confederate forces of General Stonewall Jackson at the Second Battle of Bull Run, 28 to 30 August 1862. In December 1862 he was transferred to the Department of the Gulf and joined General Nathaniel Banks' Red River Campaign, commanding a division in the 19th Corps during the capture of Baton Rouge and the Siege of Port Hudson from May to July 1863. Returning to the East in August 1864, he joined General Philip Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign, participating in the Third Battle of Winchester (September 19, 1864), Fisher's Hill (September 21 to 22, 1864), and Cedar Creek (October 19, 1864), where he was wounded and brevetted to the rank of major general of volunteers. After recovering from his wounds, he assumed command of the District of Savannah, Georgia in January 1865 and remained there until the war's end. He was brevetted to the rank of major general in the regular army on March 13, 1865. After the war, he remained in the US Army and returned to Western frontier and garrison duty with the 1st Cavalry, eventually reaching the rank of colonel. He never recovered his health and he died in Atlantic City, New Jersey, while on military leave, at the age of 56.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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