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