Charles D. Cruft

Charles D. Cruft was born January 12, 1826, in Terre Haute, Indiana. He graduated from Wabash College in 1842. He taught school and worked as a bank clerk before being admitted to the bar in 1848. He served as president of the St. Louis, Alton, and Terre Haute Railroad from 1855 to 1858. Cruft was a spectator at the battle of the First Manassas, returned to Indiana, and raised a regiment for the Union Army. On September 20, 1861, he was mustered into the volunteer army as colonel of the 31st Indiana Infantry. He commanded a brigade in Lew Wallace’s division in the capture of Fort Donelson, participated in the battle of Shiloh, and the siege of Corinth. He was severely wounded the first day of Shiloh; he took a bullet in the shoulder, a second in the thigh, and a piece of shell in his skull, but “he picked them out, without dismounting, as coolly as a man would draw a splinter from his finger.” Cruft was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers to rank from July 16, 1862, and was given command of a brigade in the Army of Kentucky. He distinguished himself at Richmond even though most of his command was captured during Bragg’s invasion. He was present at Perryville (his brigade was not engaged) and commanded a brigade of J. M. Palmer’s division at Murfreesboro and Chickamauga. At the battle of Chattanooga, he led a division of Granger’s IV Corps. Cruft participated in the Knoxville relief expedition under Sherman, the early portion of the Atlanta campaign, and accompanied Sherman to Alabama. He returned to Tennessee to oppose John B. Hood’s invasion and commanded the “provisional division” Army of the Cumberland (an outfit composed of detachments of Negro troops from the XIV, XV, XVII, and XX Corps) that were unable to join the army under Sherman on the March to the Sea. When the Civil War ended, he was stationed at Huntsville, Alabama. He was brevetted a major general to rank from March 5, 1865, and mustered out of service on August 24, 1865. Charles Cruft then returned to Terre Haute and resumed law practice. He rose high in the Masonic Order becoming a member of the Supreme Commandery, Knights Templer of the United States. He died March 23, 1883, in Terre Haute and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery there.

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