Peter D. Vroom

Peter D. Vroom (April 18, 1842 – March 19, 1926) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the American Civil War, American Indian Wars, and Spanish–American War, he served from 1862 to 1903, attained the rank of brigadier general, and was most notable for his service as Inspector General of the United States Army.

Biography Peter Dumont Vroom was born in Trenton, New Jersey on April 18, 1842, a son of Peter Dumont Vroom and Maria Matilda (Wall) Vroom. Garret D. Wall was his maternal grandfather. Vroom was educated in Trenton and graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1862 with a civil engineering (CE) degree.

Start of career In August 1862, Vroom joined the Union Army for the American Civil War and received his commission as a first lieutenant in the 1st New Jersey Infantry Regiment. He was wounded at the September 1862 Battle of South Mountain, and participated in the December 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg and July 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. In December 1867, he received brevet promotion to colonel.

Continued career Vroom was discharged from the Union Army in April 1866 and was appointed in the regular army as a second lieutenant in the 3rd Cavalry Regiment. In the late 1870s, Vroom was commander of the post at Fort Robinson, Nebraska.

In the 1880s, Vroom was transferred to Inspector General duties, and he was promoted to major in December 1888. Department of the Missouri, Department of the East, and Department of Texas.

Vroom married Margaret Emily Wood (1867–1901), the daughter of Brigadier General Palmer Gaylord Wood, and he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1895. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.