George Alexander Forsyth
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George Alexander Forsyth (November 7, 1837 – September 12, 1915) was a United States military officer most notable for his service in the cavalry.
Born in Muncy, Pennsylvania, he moved to Illinois before the war. He enlisted as a private at the beginning of the American Civil War in a 3-months' regiment, Barker's Company, Chicago Volunteer Dragoons, on April 19, 1861, mustering out on August 18, 1861.
He received a commission as a 1st lieutenant in the 8th Illinois Cavalry on September 18, 1861, followed by promotions to captain on February 12, 1862, and major on September 1, 1863. He saw action in all major campaigns fought by the Army of the Potomac. He also fought in many cavalry actions in the Shenandoah Valley, where he received brevet promotions to colonel (October 19, 1864) and brigadier general of volunteers (March 13, 1865).
After the Civil War ended, he received a commission in the United States as a major in the 9th U.S. Cavalry on July 28, 1866, with brevets on March 2, 1867, to lieutenant colonel for gallantry during the Civil War at the Battle of Dinwiddie Court House and to colonel for the Battle of Five Forks.
In 1868 he raised a band of fifty frontiersmen to serve as scouts into Indian territory. He led this group to victory at the Battle of Beecher's Island against Chief Roman Nose. For this action, he received a brevet to brigadier general effective September 18, 1868. Between 1869 and 1873 he served as military secretary to Lt. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan and between 1878 and 1881 as Sheridan's aide-de-camp. In his permanent rank, he received a promotion to lieutenant colonel of the 4th Cavalry on June 26, 1881.
Forsyth retired from the Army in March 1890 and was promoted to colonel on the Retired List in April 1904. He died at Rockport, Massachusetts, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
