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John Rutter Brooke (July 21, 1838 – September 5, 1926) was one of the last surviving
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 ** ''U ...
generals of the American Civil War when he died at the age of 88.


Early life

Brooke was born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and was educated in nearby Collegeville and West Chester.


Civil War

Brooke's military career began when he joined the 4th Pennsylvania Infantry with the rank of
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
in April 1861. In August, he became
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 of ...
of the newly raised 53rd Pennsylvania Infantry and served in the 1862 Peninsula Campaign. He temporarily commanded a brigade during the
Battle of 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 ...
in September of that year. In May 1863, he was given permanent command of a brigade of the 1st Division of 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 ...
, which he led in the
Battle of Chancellorsville The Battle of Chancellorsville, April 30 – May 6, 1863, was a major battle of the American Civil War (1861–1865), and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville campaign. Chancellorsville is known as Lee's "perfect battle" because ...
and during the Gettysburg Campaign. On the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 2, 1863, Brooke found himself in the thick of the action when Confederate lieutenant general James Longstreet launched his assault against 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 ** ''U ...
lines south of Gettysburg. Rushed into action as reinforcements by Maj. Gen. Winfield Hancock, Colonel Brooke launched a limited
counterattack A counterattack is a tactic employed in response to an attack, with the term originating in " war games". The general objective is to negate or thwart the advantage gained by the enemy during attack, while the specific objectives typically see ...
against oncoming Confederate forces with his brigade in the Wheatfield. Although he was knocked out of action with a severe wound, his men temporarily stopped the Confederates and stabilized the Union line long enough to prevent a breakthrough. After recovery, Brooke subsequently also fought in the
Overland Campaign The Overland Campaign, also known as Grant's Overland Campaign and the Wilderness Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and June 1864, in the American Civil War. Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all Unio ...
, including the
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes more simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania (or the 19th-century spelling Spottsylvania), was the second major battle in Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade's 18 ...
and other battles. 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 to ...
of volunteers on May 12, 1864. General Brooke was critically wounded, again, at
Cold Harbor The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought during the American Civil War near Mechanicsville, Virginia, from May 31 to June 12, 1864, with the most significant fighting occurring on June 3. It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses ...
in June. Brooke led a division in western Virginia late in the war. He was promoted to
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 ...
major general in the volunteer army on August 1, 1864, for his service at Totopotomoy and Cold Harbor, and to brevet brigadier general in the regular army on March 2, 1867, for Spotsylvania Court House.


Postbellum career

In 1866, Brooke accepted a commission as the lieutenant colonel of the 37th U.S. Infantry of the regular army. Thirteen years later, he was given the position of colonel of the 13th U.S. Infantry, serving on the frontier in various posts. In 1888, he was promoted to brigadier general and was in command of the
Department of the Platte The Department of the Platte was a military administrative district established by the U.S. Army on March 5, 1866, with boundaries encompassing Iowa, Nebraska, Dakota Territory, Utah Territory and a small portion of Idaho. With headquarters in Oma ...
when the Ghost Dance began in 1890. He was ordered by General
Nelson Miles Nelson Appleton Miles (August 8, 1839 – May 15, 1925) was an American military general who served in the American Civil War, the American Indian Wars, and the Spanish–American War. From 1895 to 1903, Miles served as the last Commanding G ...
to rush the
7th U.S. Cavalry The 7th Cavalry Regiment is a United States Army cavalry regiment formed in 1866. Its official nickname is "Garryowen", after the Irish air " Garryowen" that was adopted as its march tune. The regiment participated in some of the largest ba ...
up to Wounded Knee. He left this command in 1895. In 1897, he was promoted to major general in the Regular Army and assigned to command the I Corps during the Spanish–American War. In Puerto Rico, he landed in Arroyo with General Hains, and reached
Guayama Guayama (, ), officially the Autonomous Municipality of Guayama ( es, Municipio Autónomo de Guayama) is a city and municipality on the Caribbean coast of Puerto Rico. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 36,614. It is the ce ...
by the time the armistice was signed. When General Miles left the island in October 1898 to return to the United States, Brooke became military governor and head of the army of occupation in the U.S. military government. On the December 6, Brooke was replaced by General
Guy Vernor Henry Guy Vernor Henry (March 9, 1839 – October 27, 1899) was an American military officer and Medal of Honor recipient who served as military governor of Puerto Rico. Biography Henry was born in Fort Smith, Indian Territory (now Arkansas), the so ...
, and by December 13, was named to the same position in Cuba. General Brooke was a member of the
Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS), or simply the Loyal Legion is a United States patriotic order, organized April 15, 1865, by three veteran officers of the Army. The original membership was composed of members ...
(Companion #02434) and served as its national commander-in-chief from 1905 to 1907. He was also a member of the Minnesota
Society of Colonial Wars The Society of Colonial Wars is a hereditary society composed of men who trace their descents from forebears who, in military, naval, or civil positions of high trust and responsibility, by acts or counsel, assisted in the establishment, defense ...
and the Military Order of Foreign Wars. General Brooke retired from the Army on July 21, 1902, in Philadelphia, where he lived until his death at age 88 in 1926. He is buried at
Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...
.


Family

In 1863, Brooke married Louisa H. Roberts of Warwick, Pennsylvania. She died in 1867, and in 1877 he married Mary L. Stearns, the daughter of Governor
Onslow Stearns Onslow Stearns (August 30, 1810 – December 29, 1878) was an American businessman and politician who served as the 32nd governor of New Hampshire. Biography Stearns was born in Billerica, Massachusetts on August 30, 1810. He attended the local ...
. With his first wife, Brooke was the father of two sons, William and Louis.


Legacy

The troop transport , launched February 1943, was named in his honor. The former U.S. Army military post in San Juan, P.R., which encompassed El Morro Castle was named Fort Brooke in his honor.


See also

*
List of American Civil War generals (Union) Union generals __NOTOC__ The following lists show the names, substantive ranks, and brevet ranks (if applicable) of all general officers who served in the United States Army during the Civil War, in addition to a small selection of lower-rank ...


Notes


References

* Eicher, John H., and
David J. Eicher David John Eicher (born August 7, 1961) is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of ''Astronomy'' magazine since 2002. He is author, coauthor, or editor of 23 books on science and American ...
. ''Civil War High Commands''. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2001. .
''Military Album of Commissioned Officers in the Spanish–American War''
Library of Congress * "Gen. J. R. Brooke Comes to Atlanta." ''Atlanta Constitution''. May 18, 1898, p. 5.


External links

* Th

including correspondence, accounts, regimental reports, military orders and pamphlets that pertain to his military career, are available for research use at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
Arlington National Cemetery
*
Crónica de la guerra hispano-americana en Puerto Rico - page 2 (in Spanish)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brooke, John R. 1838 births 1926 deaths Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Governors of Puerto Rico Colonial heads of Cuba Military history of Puerto Rico Political history of Puerto Rico People of Pennsylvania in the American Civil War Military personnel from Philadelphia Pine Ridge Campaign American military personnel of the Spanish–American War Union Army generals United States military governors