DOB/DOD: January 20, 1839 (Colchester, CT) – March 28, 1913 (Washington, NJ); 74 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Married Jane “Jennie” Vannatta (1844-1911) on December 6, 1865, in Warren, New Jersey.
CHILDREN: Two sons, George O. (1861-1947) and William Q. (1875-1960). Two daughters, Susan M. Crocker Hampton (1868-1947) and Catherine (1874-?).
ENLISTMENT: March 19, 1863, as a 2nd Lieutenant.
DISCHARGE: Mustered out on July 20, 1865.
FAMILY: Born to Seth B. (1812-1852) and Laura B. Beckwith Crocker (1816-1866). One brother, John F. (1845-1929). Three sisters, Louisa J. Crocker Coon Doane (1834-1903), Elizabeth R. Crocker Loomis (1837-1880), and Harriet Rosella Crocker Riggs (1849-1875).
CIRCUMSTANCES: Wounded in action on October 19, 1864, at Cedar Creek, Virginia.
MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION
AWARDED FOR ACTIONS DURING: Civil War
BRANCH OF SERVICE: Army
UNIT: Company F, 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry
DATE OF ISSUE AND PRESENTATION: January 10, 1896 (32 years later)
AGE ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT: 24
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Captain Henry H. Crocker, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 19 October 1864, while serving with Company F, 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry, in action at Cedar Creek, Virginia. Captain Crocker voluntarily led a charge, which resulted in the capture of 14 prisoners and in which he himself was wounded.
From Beyer, W. F., & Keydel, O. F. (2000). Deeds of valor: How America’s Civil War Heroes won The Congressional Medal of Honor. Smithmark Publishers.
TWO RIDERS ON ONE HORSE
When Longstreet and Early planned to annihilate Sheridan’s Army in the Shenandoah Valley, the Federal forces were at the little village of Middletown, Virginia, and around the immediate neighborhood between the village and Cedar Creek. The Confederate attack made at early dawn on October 19, 1864, was a complete surprise and came so unexpectedly that many of the Union soldiers had no time to put on their clothes. About ten o’clock in the forenoon, General Sheridan reached the scene of action, and the battle of Cedar Creek, which continued throughout the day, was transformed from defeat, rout, and confusion to order and victory.
The Second Massachusetts Cavalry, Lieutenant-Colonel Caspar Crowninshield commanding, was attached to Lowell’s Brigade and was stationed near the village of Middletown. Captain Henry E. Crocker of Company F, a part of the so-called California Battalion attached to this regiment, refers to the battle as follows:
“We were aroused early in the morning by the attack of the enemy. As the enemy came upon us with force, we were compelled to fall back slightly, but as we did so, we inclined toward the pike at our right, thus keeping our line of communication open. It was a bitter contest, the enemy coming at us in several distinct charges, each of which they were repulsed. Colonel Lowell, our brigade commander, who was killed later in the day, rode up and down our line, encouraging the men to stand together and assuring them that General Sheridan would soon be on the field with reinforcements.
“About this time, a body of the enemy was seen to emerge from the woods and advance upon our front. My mind was immediately set on checking those fellows, so I rode up to Colonel Crowninshield and asked permission to charge them. The colonel gave his consent but cautioned me not to advance too far, and ‘if possible,’ he added, ‘come back with a few prisoners.’
“I hurried back to my company and told the boys, very much to their satisfaction, of the work before us. We waited until we knew that the advancing force could give us but one volley before we could reach them, and then I gave the command: ‘Forward! Trot! Gallop! Charge!’ and away we went with sabers flashing in the sunlight. The expected volley was received, saddles were emptied, and horses went down, but on we went. In less time than it takes to tell it we were among them, their line was broken, and we demanded their surrender. Many ran back into the woods where we could plainly see the enemy in force, but they did not fire upon us for fear of hitting their own men. We brought back fourteen prisoners on the run.
“In the heat of our charge, I had felt a dull, throbbing pain in my left leg and knew that I had been wounded, but that did not prevent me from stopping, on our return, to pick up Lieutenant McIntosh, whose horse had been killed and who was loosening the cinch from his saddle. When he had completed his task, he mounted my horse behind me, and thus, we rode back to our lines just as General Sheridan came dashing along the road on his famous ride from Winchester.”
The prisoners captured by Captain Crocker in this charge were, according to the statement of Colonel Crowninshield, the first rebels captured that day and, therefore, of great importance to General Sheridan, who had them questioned closely as to the strength and formation of the opposing army. They also gave valuable and assuring information that General Longstreet had not united forces with General Early, as had been believed by the leaders of the Union forces. This was information of such importance that it naturally changed arrangements of maneuvers, and the expected defeat of the morning was changed into a grand victory by evening.
Excerpt from the Oakland Tribune June 25, 1961
… Massachusetts was paying large bounties for volunteers to fill that state’s quota. It was suggested to Governor John A. Andrews that any bounty money be placed in a special fund to be used for paying passage east for a company from California. The Californians offered to provide their own uniforms.
The Massachusetts governor accepted the company to be applied to his state’s quota. Recruiting began on October 28, 1862. In a few days, nearly 1,000 men lined up to enroll. Then began the job of sifting out the volunteers to keep the company within the 100 agreed upon. J. Sewell Reed, formerly captain of the First Light Dragoons, was selected to command the company.
Money for the uniforms was raised by popular subscription. The California One Hundred was not clothed in the conventional blue of the Union Army.
Their uniforms were green and adorned with gold. The volunteers must have appeared like something out of a light opera. Besides the green uniforms, the men wore green velvet caps, each adorned by a gold eagle feather. The caps were encircled by a golden band with silver letters “EUREKA” and underneath the silver words “ONE HUNDRED” in a golden laurel wreath.
Cheering thousands saw them leave San Francisco on December 11, 1862, to the ringing tune of Hail Columbia, Happy Land. For gallant, young Captain Reed and many of his men, there was no return.
Enthusiastic welcomes greeted the company in New York and upon arrival at Camp Meigs near Charlestown, Massachusetts. In the camp, the California company was presented with an American flag, hand-sewn by Miss Abbie Lord, a Charlestown dressmaker, who paid for the banner and properly inscribed a silver plate on the staff.
“Many non-commissioned officers and privates of the battalion, all brave and patriotic Californians, were killed in various battles. I regret that the limits of this report will not permit me to mention the names and meritorious services of each. “No better soldiers died for the Union cause during the war.”
From the New York Tribune March 28, 1913
Washington, N.J., March 27 – Captain Henry H. Crocker, seventy-four years old, died today at the Easton (Penn.) Hospital from pleuro-pneumonia after an illness of only a week. Besides his wife, who was formerly Miss Jennie Vannatta of Washington, he leaves two sons and a daughter.
Captain Crocker was a veteran of the Civil War. He enlisted in one of the two California regiments and was later assigned to the 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry. Two years ago, Congress voted him a medal for distinguished bravery on the field of battle. He was a member of Ute Tribe, 40, I.O. of R.M. (International Order of Red Men), and of Starlight Lodge 112, K. of P. (Knights of Pythias).
Buried in Washington Cemetery, 2 Cemetery Hill Road, Washington, New Jersey; Section K (top of the hill, take a right, on the left). Photos by Jeff DeWitt.
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