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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Second Lieutenant · U.S. Army

Thomas Cruse

Second Lieutenant Thomas Cruse, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on July 17, 1882 in Big Dry Fork (Chevelon's Fork), Arizona during the Indian Campaigns.

Indian Campaigns July 17, 1882

Second Lieutenant Thomas Cruse was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on July 17, 1882 in Big Dry Fork (Chevelon's Fork), Arizona during the Indian Campaigns. At the time he was serving with 6th U.S. Cavalry. Cruse was 24 years old.

3 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on July 12, 1892, 9 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Brigadier General.

Cruse was born on December 29, 1857 in Owensboro, Daviess County, Kentucky. Cruse died on June 8, 1943, at the age of 85. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Cruse is one of 426 Medal of Honor recipients from the Indian Campaigns and one of 44 credited to Kentucky.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Gallantly charged hostile Indians and with his carbine compelled a party of them to keep under cover of their breastworks, thus being enabled to recover a severely wounded soldier.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Battles and campaigns

1882 · Indian Campaigns

Battle of Big Dry Wash

Result: United States victory

4 Medal of Honor recipients

Also served in: World War I, Philippine–American War, Apache Wars, American Indian Wars.

Life beyond the battlefield

Source: Wikidata.

Places

  • Born: Owensboro — map
  • Died: Longport — map
  • Buried: Arlington National Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Kentucky →

Timeline

  1. December 29, 1857
    Born in Owensboro, Daviess County, Kentucky
  2. July 17, 1882
    Act of valor — Big Dry Fork (Chevelon's Fork), Arizona
    Age 24. 6th U.S. Cavalry
  3. July 12, 1892
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. June 8, 1943
    Died
    Age 85.
  5. Resting place
    Arlington National Cemetery
    Arlington, Virginia

Biography

Thomas Cruse (December 29, 1857 – June 8, 1943) was a brigadier general in the United States Army who was a recipient of the Medal of Honor for valor in action on July 17, 1882, at the Battle of Big Dry Wash, Arizona. An 1879 graduate of West Point, he served in numerous campaigns on the Western Frontier and later in the Philippines. He retired as a brigadier general in 1918.

From the Wikipedia article “Thomas Cruse”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on July 17, 1882

George Horace Morgan Second Lieutenant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1882 CT Charles Taylor First Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1882 Frank West First Lieutenant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1882

Same unit

William Harding Carter First Lieutenant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1881 Benjamin Harrison Cheever Jr. First Lieutenant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1891 John Thomas Kennedy Second Lieutenant · Army Philippine Insurrection · 1909 John Brown Kerr Captain · Army Indian Campaigns · 1891 Archie Miller First Lieutenant · Army Philippine Insurrection · 1909 Arthur Harrison Wilson Second Lieutenant · Army Philippine Insurrection · 1909

More Indian Campaigns recipients from Kentucky

WM William W. Morris Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 MM Michael McLoughlin Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 GS George D. Scott Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 TS Thomas W. Stivers Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 ✦ BW Brent Woods Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1881 WD William L. Day First Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1872
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.