Eugene Asa Carr

Major General Eugene Asa Carr of General Staff U.S. Volunteers Infantry Regiment, seated by a camp tent in uniform with sword. From the Liljenquist Family Collection of Civil War Photographs, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

Eugene Asa Niel Carr (March 20, 1830 – December 2, 1910) was a soldier in the United States Army and a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Pea Ridge.

Early life Carr was born in Hamburg, New York. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1850, 19th in a class of 44 cadets. He was appointed a brevet second lieutenant in the Regiment of Mounted Riflemen and served in the Indian Wars until 1861. On October 3, 1854, Carr first saw combat in the Battle of the Diablo Mountains. By 1861, he had been promoted to captain (June 11, 1858) in the old 1st U.S. Cavalry (later designated the 4th U.S.) and command of Fort Washita in the Indian Territory.

Civil War During the Civil War, Carr's first combat was at the Battle of Wilson's Creek on August 10, 1861. He was appointed colonel of the 3rd Illinois Cavalry six days later and received a brevet promotion to lieutenant colonel in the regular army. On April 30, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln appointed Carr brigadier general of volunteers, to rank from March 7, 1862. The President had submitted the nomination to the U.S. Senate on April 11, 1862, and the Senate had confirmed the appointment on April 28, 1862

Postbellum service Subsequently, Carr stayed in the Regular Army and conducted successful operations on the frontier against the Indians, including leading the Republican River Expedition in Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado to a victory over the Cheyenne at the Battle of Summit Springs. He became Colonel of the 6th Cavalry Regiment in 1879; and Brigadier General in 1892. He was in command at the incident at Cibecue Creek with the Apache in 1881. He was the last commander of the District of New Mexico from November 26, 1888, to September 1, 1890.

Carr finally retired in 1893. His military nickname was "The Black-Bearded Cossack". Carr died in Washington, D.C. in 1910 and is buried in the West Point Cemetery, New York.

Medal of Honor citation Rank and organization: Colonel, 3d Illinois Cavalry. Place and date: At Pea Ridge, Ark., March 7, 1862. Entered service at: Hamburg, Erie County, N.Y. Born: March 10, 1830, Boston Corner, Erie County, N.Y. Date of issue: January 16, 1894.

Citation:

Directed the deployment of his command and held his ground, under a brisk fire of shot and shell in which he was several times wounded.