Grierson, Benjamin Henry, 1826-1911

U.S. Army general.

American army officer.

United States Army Officer. Born in 1826 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Worked in Jacksonville, Illinois, as a music teacher and shopkeeper from 1849-1859. Served as major general of the Illinois volunteers during the Civil War and was promoted to colonel of the 10th Cavalry in 1866. His post-Civil War service included several western forts and Indian Territory appointments including Fort Sill, Indian Territory (1868-1873); Fort Concho, Texas (1875-1881); and Fort Davis, Texas (1883-1885). Also served in Arizona Territory (1885-1890). Retired in 1890 with the rank of brigadeer general. Moved to Fort Davis, Texas, where he died in 1911.

American general.

Jacksonville, Illinois musician, Civil War general, and post-war U.S. Army officer in the west.

Commander, New Mexico District, 10th Cavalry, US Army.

Benjamin Henry Grierson was born on July 8, 1826 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was the youngest son of Robert and Mary (Shepard) Grierson, who were born and married in Dublin, Ireland. Robert and Mary emigrated to the United States after the birth of their second child. Other children born to Robert and Mary were Louisa, who married Mr. Semple, and John C.

Benjamin attended the Yorktown, Ohio, Academy. In Youngstown, Ohio, he married Alice Kirk on September 24, 1854. Together, they had seven children: Charles Henry, who entered the army and attended West Point; John Kirk; Robert Kirk, who attended medical school and suffered from mental illness at various times; Edith Clare; Benjamin Henry Jr.; George Theodore; and Mary Louisa. After Alice's death in 1888, Benjamin married the widow Lillian Atwood King in 1897.

From 1849-1855, he taught music in Jacksonville, Illinois, and was a partner in a Meredosia store from 1855-1859. During the Civil War, Grierson became a major general of volunteers and was appointed Colonel of the 10th Regiment of Cavalry, U. S. Army, in July of 1866. From 1866-1867, he was stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Afterwards, he commanded Fort Riley, Kansas (September 1867-April 1868), Fort Gibson, Camp Wichita, Fort Sill, and Indian Territory (1868-1873) before serving as Superintendent of the General Mounted Recruiting Service in Saint Louis, Missouri from 1873-1874. Grierson also commanded Fort Concho, Texas, and the District of the Pecos from 1875-1881; Fort Concho and sub posts from 1881-1882; the Department of Texas in 1883; Fort Davis, Texas, sub posts and country west of the Pecos River from 1883-1885; and Whipple Barracks, Prescott, Arizona Territory from 1885-1890. In 1890, General Grierson retired to his ranch in Jeff Davis County, Texas, and had a home at Fort Davis. He died on September 1, 1911.

United States Army officer.

Benjamin Henry Grierson was born in Pittsburgh in 1826, grew up in Ohio, and finally settled in Jacksonville, Illinois, where he taught music and started a business career. At the start of the Civil War Grierson volunteered and soon became a staff officer in command of several cavalry divisions, achieving distinction during the years of conflict. Although not a graduate of West Point, after the war Grierson decided to remain in the Regular Army. Given the rank of colonel, he accepted the appointment to organize the 10th U.S. Cavalry, one of two mounted regiments composed of black enlisted men and white officers that became known as the Buffalo Soldiers. He was brevetted brigadier general and major general in the regular army in 1867, beginning a long and vigorous career serving on the western frontier. Grierson headed the District of the Indian Territory, commanding Fort Riley, Kansas and Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, from 1867 until 1869. He selected the site for Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and commanded the post until 1872. After two years supervising recruiting efforts in St. Louis, in 1875 he was sent to Fort Concho, Texas, where he then commanded the District of the Pecos from 1878 until 1880. In the following years he was in charge of the District of New Mexico and then the Department of Arizona. For nearly a quarter of a century Grierson was actively engaged in scouting and exploring throughout the western states and territories, often in the midst of the most hostile Indians of the frontier. He was known to treat both Indians and his black troops as tolerantly as was possible and seems to have earned affection and loyalty from those men who served closely with him. Grierson married Alice Kirk in 1854, and they had seven children. Alice died in 1888, and in 1897, Grierson married the widow Lillian Atwood King. In 1890, after finally being awarded the rank of brigadier general in the regular army, Grierson retired to his ranch in Concho, Texas. He died of a stroke in 1911.