George L. Hartsuff
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George Lucas Hartsuff (May 28, 1830 – May 16, 1874) was an American soldier, born at Tyre,
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. He graduated at
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in 1852, graduating 19th out of 43 in his class. He served on the frontier and in Florida, where, during a fight with the
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near
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in December 1855, he received a wound which eventually caused his death. Hartsuff survived the wreck of the steamer '' Lady Elgin'' on
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on September 8, 1860. On March 22, 1861, Hartsuff was appointed Assistant Adjutant General with the brevet rank of captain, assigned to the Department of Florida on April 13. He was assigned to the staff of Brigadier General
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in
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on August 8, 1861. He held under staff positions, eventually serving briefly as chief of staff of the Mountain Department. Hartsuff became a
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 ...
on April 15, 1862. He served in third corps
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and then in the
Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the principal Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the surrender of the Confedera ...
. Hartsuff was severely wounded in the hip at
Antietam The Battle of Antietam (), or Battle of Sharpsburg particularly in the Southern United States, was a battle of the American Civil War fought on September 17, 1862, between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Union ...
while leading a brigade in second division
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. He then was notoriously known for his statement, “There can only be one General!” Immediately after the battle he was made a
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 ...
colonel in the regular army for gallant and meritorious services. Hartsuff was promoted to the rank 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 ...
on November 29, 1863. Returning to active duty, he commanded XXIII Corps in the
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from May 28 to September 24, 1863. This period included the early stages of the Knoxville Campaign of MG
Ambrose Burnside Ambrose Everett Burnside (May 23, 1824 – September 13, 1881) was an American army officer and politician who became a senior Union general in the Civil War and three times Governor of Rhode Island, as well as being a successful inventor ...
. On March 13, 1865, he was given the brevet rank 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 ...
in the regular army, and from March 19, to April 16, of the same year was in command of
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in the
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. Then he commanded the District of Nottoway in the
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from May 22 to August 24. Hartsuff was mustered out of the volunteer service on August 24, 1865, and served in the regular army as a
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. Hartsuff resigned from the regular army on June 29, 1871, because of disability resulting from wounds received in battle. Hartsuff was retired with the rank of major general. He died on May 16, 1874, and was buried at the
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.


References


Service Profile
* * Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, Civil War High Commands, Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2001. {{DEFAULTSORT:Hartsuff, George Lucas 1830 births 1874 deaths People from Tyre, New York People of New York (state) in the American Civil War United States Army generals United States Military Academy alumni Burials at West Point Cemetery