: ''For the founder of the Crufts dog show see:

Charles Cruft (showman) Charles Alfred Cruft (28 June 1852 – 10 September 1938) was a British showman who founded the Crufts dog show. Charles first became involved with dogs when he began to work at Spratt's, a manufacturer of dog biscuits. He rose to the positi ...

'' 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 Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

general during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by state ...

Biography

Cruft was born in

Terre Haute Terre Haute ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, about 5 miles east of the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a ...

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th ...

. He graduated from

Wabash College Wabash College is a private liberal arts men's college in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Founded in 1832 by several Dartmouth College graduates and Midwestern leaders, it enrolls nearly 900 students. The college offers an undergraduate liberal arts c ...

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

First Battle of Bull Run The First Battle of Bull Run (the name used by Union forces), also known as the Battle of First Manassascites 18,052 Confederate men and 37 guns engaged. McDowell's plan was to move westward in three columns and make a diversionary attack on ...

as a civilian. This encouraged him to return to his native

and raised the 31st Indiana Infantry; he was appointed its

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

on September 20, 1861. At the

Battle of Fort Donelson The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from February 11–16, 1862, in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The Union capture of the Confederate fort near the Tennessee–Kentucky border opened the Cumberland River, an important ave ...

, he commanded a brigade in

Lew Wallace Lewis Wallace (April 10, 1827February 15, 1905) was an American lawyer, Union general in the American Civil War, governor of the New Mexico Territory, politician, diplomat, and author from Indiana. Among his novels and biographies, Wallace is ...

division Division or divider may refer to: Mathematics *Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication *Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division Military * Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...

and was wounded during the fighting. He was again wounded, in the head, shoulder, and left thigh, at the Battle of Shiloh while leading his regiment in the Hornet's Nest. He was promoted to

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed t ...

of volunteers on July 16, 1862. He recovered and commanded a brigade at the

Battle of Richmond The Battle of Richmond, Kentucky, fought August 29–30, 1862, was one of the most complete Confederate victories in the war by Major General Edmund Kirby Smith against Union major general William "Bull" Nelson's forces, which were defending ...

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virgini ...

, where he was again wounded. He commanded a brigade during the

Battle of Perryville The Battle of Perryville, also known as the Battle of Chaplin Hills, was fought on October 8, 1862, in the Chaplin Hills west of Perryville, Kentucky, as the culmination of the Confederate Heartland Offensive (Kentucky Campaign) during the ...

, but was not engaged in the fighting. He fought at

Stones River The Stones River (properly spelled Stone's River) is a major stream of the eastern portion of Tennessee's Nashville Basin region. It is named after explorer and longhunter Uriah Stone, who navigated the river in 1767. Geography and hydrography ...

and

Chickamauga Chickamauga may refer to: Entertainment * "Chickamauga", an 1889 short story by American author Ambrose Bierce * "Chickamauga", a 1937 short story by Thomas Wolfe * "Chickamauga", a song by Uncle Tupelo from their 1993 album ''Anodyne'' * ''Chick ...

. At

Chattanooga Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, ...

he commanded the 1st Division, IV Corps, and took part in the fight for

Lookout Mountain Lookout Mountain is a mountain ridge located at the northwest corner of the U.S. state of Georgia, the northeast corner of Alabama, and along the southeastern Tennessee state line in Chattanooga. Lookout Mountain was the scene of the 18th-centu ...

. He led his division during the Atlanta Campaign and commanded a Provisional Division, composed of units from the

Army of the Tennessee An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

that could not rejoin

William T. Sherman William is a masculine given name of Norman French origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conq ...

for the March to the Sea, at the

Battle of Nashville The Battle of Nashville was a two-day battle in the Franklin-Nashville Campaign that represented the end of large-scale fighting west of the coastal states in the American Civil War. It was fought at Nashville, Tennessee, on December 15–16, 18 ...

. On March 7, 1865, President

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

nominated Cruft for appointment to the

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

grade of

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

of volunteers, to rank from March 5, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the award on March 10, 1865. Cruft was mustered out on August 24, 1865. 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

Chauncey Rose Chauncey Rose (December 24, 1794 – August 13, 1877) was a successful American businessman of the 19th century. Early life Chauncey Rose was born in Wethersfield, Connecticut to Scottish immigrants on December 24, 1794. Chauncey was one of ...

and aided in the founding of, and was an early manager of, 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) The Knights Templar, full name The United Religious, Military and Masonic Orders of the Temple and of St John of Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes and Malta, is a fraternal order affiliated with Freemasonry. Unlike the initial degrees conferred in ...

in 1873. He died at his home and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Terre Haute.

Notes

References

* Eicher, John H., & Eicher, David J., ''Civil War High Commands'', Stanford University Press, 2001, .
Indiana in the Civil War

Wabash Valley Profiles
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cruft, Charles 1826 births 1883 deaths People from Terre Haute, Indiana People of Indiana in the American Civil War Union Army generals Wabash College alumni

Biography

See also

Notes

References