Thomas Cruse

Thomas Cruse (December 29, 1857 – June 8, 1943) was a United States Army Brigadier General 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.

Cruse was born in Owensboro, Kentucky on December 29, 1857. Before attending West Point, he attended Centre College in Kentucky, 1874–1875. He graduated from West Point in 1879. Cruse was commissioned Second Lieutenant, in the 6th United States Cavalry upon graduation. Cruse was later an honor graduate of the Infantry-Cavalry School in 1891. He received the Medal of Honor "for distinguished gallantry in action with hostile Indians" at Big Dry Fork, Arizona on July 17, 1882. He received the medal on July 12, 1892. Three other men also received the Medal of Honor at Big Dry Fork, Arizona: Frank West, George H. Morgan, and Charles Taylor.

Cruse later served in the Philippine-American War. Later in his career, he graduated from the Army War College in April 1916 and was promoted to Brigadier General in December 1916. He retired from active duty in January 1918. Shortly after his retirement he was accused of involvement in a scandal involving quartermaster-acquisition procedures with Chicago manufacturing agent Henry H. Lippert.

Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, 6th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Big Dry Fork, Ariz., July 17, 1882. Entered service at: Owensboro, Ky. Birth: Owensboro, Ky. Date of issue: July 12, 1892.

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.

Cruse retired to Longport, New Jersey, where he wrote Apache Days and After. He died on June 8, 1943, and is buried in Section 3, Lot 1763, of Arlington National Cemetery. He married Ms. Beatrice Cottrell (1862–1936), who is buried with him. They had two sons, Fred Taylor Cruse and United States Naval Academy Midshipman James Thomas Cruse. James was killed in an explosion aboard the USS Georgia in 1907. He is buried next to his parents.