John Meck Cuyler, M.D. (March 9, 1810 – April 26, 1884) was an American Brevet Brigadier General and

military physician The term military medicine has a number of potential connotations. It may mean: *A medical specialty, specifically a branch of occupational medicine attending to the medical risks and needs (both preventive and interventional) of sold ...

. He was the Medical Inspector throughout 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 states th ...

, notable for his service at the

II Corps 2nd Corps, Second Corps, or II Corps may refer to: France * 2nd Army Corps (France) * II Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * II Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French ...

camp during the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...

Early years

John was born on March 9, 1810. After graduating from

Athens College Athens College ( el, Κολλέγιο(ν) Αθηνών; formally Hellenic-American Educational Foundation (HAEF)) is a co-educational private preparatory school in Psychiko, Greece, a suburb of Athens, part of the Hellenic-American Educational ...

and the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

, he began his military service on April 1, 1834, as an Assistant Surgeon. He saw active military combat at the Creek War of 1836 as well as the

Second Seminole War The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between the United States and groups collectively known as Seminoles, consisting of Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans and ...

. Cuyler would also serve the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...

and was promoted to Major and Surgeon on February 16, 1847, as well as officially being part of the United States Medical Corps. Before the

, he was stationed at the United States Military Academy from 1848 to 1855.

American Civil War

Despite being a Southerner, Cuyler chose to stay loyal to the

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 ...

and was the senior medical officer at Fort Monroe throughout the first years of the war. On June 11, 1862, Cuyler was promoted to Medical Inspector and Acting medical Inspector General as well as to Lieutenant Colonel. During the

, Cuyler served at the

field hospital and while operating a gangrenous wound, his scalpel slipped and cut into his finger. Not wanting to become potentially infected with the disease nor spreading the disease to the other patients, Cuyler amputated his own finger. Cuyler was then brevetted Colonel on November 29, 1864, and brevetted Brigadier General on March 13, 1865, for "faithful and meritorious services during the war". Cuyler continued serving in the Army, being promoted to a full colonel on June 26, 1876, before retiring on June 30, 1882.

Personal life

Cuyler married Mary Campbell Wayne on October 15, 1840, at Christ Church and proceeded to have 2 children with her: James Wayne Cuyler and William Clarendon Cuyler. He then moved to

Morristown, New Jersey Morristown () is a town and the county seat of Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. ...

at one point before dying there on April 26, 1884, and being buried at

Laurel Grove Cemetery Laurel Grove Cemetery is a cemetery located in midtown Savannah, Georgia. It includes the original cemetery for whites (now known as Laurel Grove North) and a companion burial ground (called Laurel Grove South) that was reserved for slaves and fr ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cuyler, John Meck 1810 births 1884 deaths Military personnel from Savannah, Georgia Military personnel from Morristown, New Jersey People of Georgia (U.S. state) in the American Civil War Union Army colonels Union Army generals Union Army surgeons Southern Unionists in the American Civil War American military personnel of the Mexican–American War Coco, Gregory A.(1989). The Bloodstained Field II “Dooley’s Story” p 96

Early years

American Civil War

Personal life

See also

References