Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Conrad, Joseph Speed

CONRAD, Joseph Speed, soldier, b. in Ithaca, N. Y., 23 Aug., 1833; d. in Fort Randall, 4 Dec., 1891. He was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1857, and assigned to Fort Columbus. He was sent to the western frontier in 1858, and during the three years succeeding served in Minnesota and Nebraska. When the civil war began he was a first lieutenant, and was detailed as commissary of subsistence to Gen. Lyon in the Missouri campaign in the summer of 1861. He was wounded at the battle of Wilson's Creek, 10 Aug., and was on sick-leave until October. He was promoted captain, 1 Nov., 1861, and placed at the head of the discharge department in Washington from that time until 21 Jan., 1864. Early in the summer of that year he joined the regular brigade of the Army of the Potomac, and was engaged in the campaigns that followed, including the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Petersburg, and Reams's Station. During this period he served at different times as judge-advocate, provost-marshal, and commissary of musters. He received three brevets, as major, lieutenant-colonel, and colonel of volunteers. From 1865 till 1871 he was occupied with garrison duty, after which he served as instructor of infantry tactics at the U. S. military academy, and then on special duty in Washington in connection with the Centennial exhibition at Philadelphia. In 1877 he was assigned to duty on the frontier. He was promoted to major of the 17th infantry on 27 April, 1879, and to lieutenant-colonel of the 22d infantry on 27 June, 1884. In 1886 he was in command of Fort Lyon, Colorado.