Samuel P. Spear

Samuel P. Spear
Born 1815
Boston, Massachusetts
Died May 4, 1875 (aged 59–60)
New York City, New York
Place of burial Cypress Hills National Cemetery[1]
Allegiance United States of America
Union
Service/branch United States Army
Union Army
Years of service 1833–1865
Rank Colonel
Brevet Brigadier General
Commands held 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry
2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, Army of the James
Battles/wars

Seminole Wars
Mexican–American War

American Civil War

Samuel Perkins Spear (1815 – May 4, 1875) was an American soldier who saw combat in the Seminole Wars, the Mexican–American War, and the American Civil War (Civil War). Before the Civil War, he served as an enlisted man, having assignments twice to the 2d Dragoons and once to the 2d Cavalry in which he was promoted from private to first sergeant each time.[2]

Spear was discharge from the U.S. Regular Army on August 6, 1861.[2] He was appointed lieutenant colonel of the 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment.[2] He was promoted to colonel on August 20, 1862.[2] He commanded the brigade to which his regiment was assigned in the XVIII Corps of the Department of Virginia and North Carolina to which his regiment was assigned from August 1863 to April 28, 1864.[2] For the rest of 1864, he commanded the brigade as part of the XVIII Corps, Army of the James.[2] From January 1865 to April 1, 1865, he commanded the brigade as Brigade 2 of the Cavalry Division of the Army of the James.[2]

He commanded his regiment at the Joint Expedition Against Franklin, October 3, 1862.[2] He commanded his brigade at the Second Battle of Ream's Station, August 25, 1864, the Battle of Fair Oaks & Darbytown Road, October 27–28, 1864 and the Battle of Five Forks, April 1, 1865 during the Siege of Petersburg.[2] Spear was wounded at the Battle of Five Forks.[2] He resigned from the volunteers on May 9, 1865.[2]

On January 13, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Spear for appointment to the grade of Brevet brigadier general of volunteers for his actions as a brigade commander at the Battle of Fair Oaks & Darbytown Road, to rank from April 13, 1865, and the United States Senate confirmed the appointment on March 12, 1866.[3]

After the Civil War, he served for a time as a Major-general in the British Army.[2]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Eicher, p. 502.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, Civil War High Commands. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 978-0-8047-3641-1. p. 502.
  3. ↑ Eicher, 2001, p. 758.

References

External links