George Sykes | |
|---|---|
 General George Sykes | |
| Nicknames | Tardy George Slow Trot Sykes |
| Born | (1822-10-09)October 9, 1822 Dover, Delaware, US |
| Died | February 8, 1880(1880-02-08) (aged 57) Fort Brown, Texas, US |
| Place of burial | |
| Allegiance | United States of America Union |
| Branch | United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1842–1880 |
| Rank | Major general (Civil War) Colonel (Post Civil War) |
| Commands | V Corps 20th U.S. Infantry Regiment |
| Battles / wars | Second Seminole War Mexican–American War American Civil War |
George Sykes (October 9, 1822 – February 8, 1880) was a careerUnited States Army officer and aUniongeneral during theAmerican Civil War.
He graduated from theUnited States Military Academy in 1842, and served in numerous conflicts, including theSecond Seminole War and theMexican–American War. During the Civil War, he was appointed commander of the 2nd Division of theV Corps of theArmy of the Potomac during thePeninsula Campaign of 1862, and continued in that role through theSecond Battle of Bull Run, theBattle of Antietam, theBattle of Fredericksburg, and theBattle of Chancellorsville.
Sykes assumed command of the V Corps on June 28, 1863, following the promotion of Major GeneralGeorge G. Meade to command of the entire army. Sykes's Corps fought with distinction on the second day of the subsequentBattle of Gettysburg on July 2. He continued in command through the end of the year, was relieved from command for medical reasons on March 23, 1864, and sent to duty in Kansas. Sykes remained in the army after the war and died in 1880.
Sykes was born inDover, Delaware. He graduated from theUnited States Military Academy in 1842 and graduated 39th out of 56 cadets.[1] It was during his time as cadet that he acquired the nicknames "Tardy George" and "Slow Trot" Sykes. He was commissioned as abrevetsecond lieutenant in the3rd U.S. Infantry. He served in theSecond Seminole War,Mexican–American War, and numerous other conflicts.
Sykes was brevetted as acaptain for actions at theBattle of Cerro Gordo. By virtue of his service in the Mexican War, Sykes became a member of theAztec Club of 1847. Sykes continued his frontier service and Indian fighting, mainly in New Mexico, and was promoted to full captain in 1855. His final peacetime station wasFort Clark, Texas.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Sykes was assigned as amajor in the new14th U.S. Infantry. At theFirst Battle of Bull Run he commanded the Regular InfantryBattalion, a collection of eightregular army companies from different regiments, the only regulars on the field. Sykes got command of a brigade of regulars after Bull Run, and was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on September 28. He led his regulars in the Peninsula Campaign and rose to division command in May 1862 in the newly created V Corps. His men, who often referred to themselves as "Sykes' Regulars", distinguished themselves defending their position atGaines' Mill during theSeven Days Battles, before the Union line broke elsewhere.[2]
Sykes was notably the only division commander in the Army of the Potomac not rewarded with a promotion to major general after the Seven Days Battles. He continued leading his division atSecond Bull Run,Antietam, andFredericksburg, although it was not heavily engaged in the latter two battles.[3] AtChancellorsville, his regulars led the advance into the Confederate rear at the start of the battle. Sykes' division engaged Maj. Gen.Lafayette McLaws' division on the Orange Turnpike.[2]
Sykes' division was forced to retreat after being attacked on the right flank by Maj. Gen.Robert E. Rodes' division, then the army commander, Maj. Gen.Joseph Hooker, nervously recalled his advance to a defensive position; and Sykes' men were not engaged for the remainder of the campaign.[2] Sykes finally received a promotion to major general of volunteers on November 29, 1862. When corps commander Maj. Gen.George G. Meade was promoted to lead theArmy of the Potomac on June 28, 1863, Sykes assumed command of the V Corps.
At theBattle of Gettysburg, Sykes' corps fought in support of the beleagueredIII Corps on the Union left flank. In his 1st Division (Brig. Gen.James Barnes), the fabled defense ofLittle Round Top was led by brigade commander Col.Strong Vincent and the20th Maine Infantry under Col.Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. His 3rd Division, thePennsylvania Reserves, led by Brig. Gen.Samuel W. Crawford, attacked from Little Round Top, drove theConfederates across the "Valley of Death" and ended the deadly fighting in theWheatfield.
On October 16, 1863, Sykes was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the regular army.
Sykes and his V Corps served in theBristoe Campaign and in theMine Run Campaign in the fall and winter of 1863. In March 1864, upon recommendation from the V Corps medical director due to severesciatica, Sykes was relieved of command of the V Corps and sent to uneventful duty in the Department ofKansas. DuringPrice's Raid in 1864, he was replaced withJames G. Blunt.
After the war, Sykes was mustered out of the volunteer service and returned to serve in the regular army in 1866. As lieutenant colonel, he served in the5th U.S. Infantry. Sykes was promoted to colonel on January 12, 1868 and received command of the 20th U.S. Infantry. He commanded at a number of duty stations fromMinnesota toTexas until he died while on duty in Texas atFort Brown on February 8, 1880, at age 57. He was interred inWest Point Cemetery,West Point, New York.
His grandson,Macrae Sykes, was a financier and a former chairman of theAmerican Stock Exchange.[4][5][6][7]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Commander of theFifth Army Corps February 5, 1863 – February 5, 1863 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander of theFifth Army Corps June 28, 1863 – October 7, 1863 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander of theFifth Army Corps October 15, 1863 – March 23, 1864 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
