Virginia, and major for gallant and meritorious service during the war, he was awarded a medal of honor "for most distinguished gallantry in action, at Peeble's Farm, Virginia," in which battle he commanded his regiment.
In 1866 he was promoted captain; and major and assistant adjutant-general, July 6, 1886. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel February 19, 1895, and colonel May 18, 1898. He was commissioned a brigadier-general of volunteers, May 4, 1898, which grade he held till February 28, 1901, and vacated only in consequence of his appointment as a brigadier-general United States army, February 2, 1901. In the interval between the Civil war and the war with Spain, he served on frontier duty in Texas; was transferred to the Department of Dakota; was on recruiting service; was senior instructor in the Infantry Tactics, and assistant instructor in other departments at the Infantry and Cavalry school at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Attached to the adjutant-general's department, in 1886, he was on duty in the war department until 1892. Subsequently he was sent abroad to obtain military information — being attached to the embassy of the United States in Berlin for that purpose. He also served as inspector-general of the Department of Dakota and as adjutant-general of the Department of Dakota and of the Platte. For some months after the declaration of war against Spain, he assisted at the war department in the organization of a volunteer army; and he was then placed in command of the 1st division, 14th corps, near Mobile. On July 31, 1898, he embarked for Porto Rico with his brigade. He commanded the expedition which expelled the Spanish troops from Western Porto Rico, after having defeated them twice, the second engagement occurring on August 13, 1898, and being fought in ignorance of the preliminary treaty of peace which had been concluded on the preceding day. General Miles, in his official report, says: "Great credit is due to the troops who composed and the general who commanded the expedition for well-sustained and vigorous action in the face of most trying conditions."
Recalled to the United States he was on duty at the war department until June 20, 1899; chief of staff to the general commanding the United States troops in the Philippines, and principal assistant to the military governor of the Islands, to April 15, 1900. Of the first of two expeditions of which he had charge, General Lawton,
