WESLEY MERRITT
MERRITT, WESLEY, soldier, brought up on a farm, educated at McKendree college and at the United States military academy, entered the dragoons at twenty-four, reached the rank of captain of cavalry at twenty-six, was brigadier-general of volunteers at twenty-seven, major-general of volunteers at twenty-eight, brigadier-general United States army at fifty-one, major-general United States army at fifty-nine, and was retired by operation of law at sixty-four. He was born in New York city, June 16, 1836, where his father, John Willis Merritt, was a lawyer. His father removed to Illinois in 1840 and engaged in farming. His mother, Julia Ann DeForest, was a woman of fine character, the mother of a family of ten children, seven boys and three girls, nine of whom grew to maturity. His earliest paternal ancestor in America was an early settler in New Amsterdam, (New York) 1620. Wesley worked on his father's farm as a boy and for two years after he was able to do a man's work. He attended the Belleville school and McKendree college, Lebanon, Illinois; was appointed a cadet at West Point in 1855, and was graduated in 1860. He was assigned to the 2d United States dragoons; was promoted second lieutenant, January 28, 1861; first lieutenant, May 13, 1861; his regiment became the 2d United States cavalry, August 3, 1861; and he was appointed adjutant of the regiment while in Utah and when ordered to Washington, District of Columbia, served as adjutant, 1861-62. He was promoted to the rank of captain United States army, April 5, 1862; was aide-de-camp to Philip St. George Cooke, Army of the Potomac, 1862-63, and to General George Stoneman, 1863; was appointed brigadier-general of volunteers, June 29, 1863; commanded the reserve brigade, 1st division, Pleasanton's cavalry corps, in the battle of Gettysburg, and was brevetted major, United States army, July 1, 1863, for gallant and meritorious services at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. He commanded the reserve brigade, Torbert's division, Sheridan's cavalry corps at Cold Harbor, and in the other engagements of Sheridan in Virginia, 1863-64, including the Richmond
