John Rutter Brooke
Major General, United States Army
Born: July 21, 1838, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Pre-War Profession: Student
On April 20, 1861, he entered Federal service as a Captain of the 4th Pennsylvania Infantry. At 1st Manassass, this three month regiment marched away on eve of battle while the rest of the Union Army was moving in to fight. Becoming Colonel of the 53rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry in November, he took part in the Peninsula Campaign and in temporaty command of a Brigade of Sumner's Second Corps at Sharpsburg. He reverted to command of his regiment at Fredericksburg, and was given permanent command of the Fourth Brigade, First Division of Second Corps, which he directed at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. On the second day at Gettysburg, Second Corps was ordered to support Daniel E. Sickles poorly deployed Third Corps, and in desperate fighting around the Wheatfield, was wounded.
He returned to the army and participated in Gran't Overland Campaign of 1864. For distinguished service at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania, his long delayed appointment of Brigadier General was conferred, to rank from May 14, 1864. Critically wounded at Cold Harbor June 3, 1864, he returned to duty in September, although temporarily incapacitated for field service. He served on court-martial duty until the Spring of 1865, when he was given command of a division of recruits in the Army of Shenandoah under Winfield S. Hancock. He was brevetted Major General of Volunteers and appointed to the Regular Army on July 28, 1866, as a Lieutenant-Colonel, 37th Infantry; promoted to Colonel in 1879; Brigadier-General 1888, and Major-General in 1897.
During the Spanish-American War he commanded the pestiferous camp at Chickamauga Park, Georgia, Where First and Third Corps were trained. Shortly thereafter took part in the Puerto Rico Campaign under Nelson A. Miles and was military governor first of Puerto Rico and then Cuba afterthe evacuation of islands by Spain.
His last command was that of the Department of the East. He retired July 21, 1902, having reached the statutory age of 64. His remaining years were spent quietly, mainly in Philadelphia, where he died September 5, 1926. The next to last survivor of the 583 Union generals of full rank.
He is buried in Section 2 of Arlington National Cemetery.
From Heitman's Historical Register, 1903
Brooke, John Rutter. Pa. Pa. Captain 4th Pa. Infantry 20 April 1861; honorably mustered out 26 July 1861; Colonel 53rd Pa. Infantry 7 November 1861; Brigadier General Volunteers 12 May 1864; Brevet Major General Volunteers 1 August 1864 for gallantry and meritorius service in the battles of Totopotomoy and Cold Harbor, Va.; resigned 1 February 1866; Lieutenant Colonel 37th Infantry 28 July 1866; transferred to 3rd Infantry 15 march 1869; Colonel 13th Infantry 20 March 1879; transferred to 3rd Infantry 14 June 1879; Brigadier General 6 April 1888; Major General 22 May 1897; Brevet Colonel 2 March 1867 for gallantry and merotorius service in the Battle of Gettysburg, Pa. and Brigadier General 2 March 1867 for gallantry and meritorius service in the Battle of Spottsylvania C.H., Va.; retired 21 July 1902.
