MO Commandery of MOLLUS, Circular No.384, 25Jan1911
Original Photo from the MO Commandery of MOLLUS Photograph collection
Located at the Missouri State Historical Society Library and Archives, St. Louis, MO
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Eugene Asa Carr was born March 20, 1830 in Concord, Erie Co., New York to Clark Merwin and Delia Ann (Torry) Carr.His service in the regular army was as follows: Cadet, US Military Academy September 1, 1846; Graduated from West Point 1850; Bvt. 2nd Lieut. Mtd. Rifles, July 1, 1850; 2nd Lt. Mtd. Rifles (later the Third Cavalry) at Jefferson Barracks, near St. Louis, Missouri, in 1851 July 1, 1850; 1st Lieut. 1st Cav. March 3, 1855; Capt. 4th Cav. June 11, 1858; Major 5th Cav. July 17, 1862; Lieut. Col. 4th Cav. January 7, 1873; Col. 6th Cav. April 29, 1879; Brig. Gen. July 19, 1892; retired February 15, 1893.
General's Carr's service in the volunteer army was as follows:
In May 1861, Captain Carr marched under Major Emory from Fort Washita to Fort Levenworth and was at once ordered on active service in General Lyon's campaign in South Missouri, participating in the battles of Dug Springs and Wilson's Creek. Served as acting Brigadier General in Fremont's hundred day campaign, and later under General Hunter, Halleck, and Curtis. In February, 1862, in command of the 4th Division of the Army of the Southwest, he participated in the battle of Pea Ridge. Commanded the 14th Division, 13th Army Corps during the Vicksburg campaign, and the Cavalry Division in the demonstration against Camden. In the operations against Mobile, he commanded the 3rd Division, 16th Army Corps.
General Carr received a brevet commission as Major General in the regular Army March 13, 1865, and on June 16, 1894, a Medal of Honor "for distinguished gallantry in the Battle of Pea Ridge," directing the development of his command and holding his ground under brisk fire of shot and shell in which he was several times wounded, while serving as Colonel of the 3rd Illinois Cavalry. He was also known as ''the black-bearded Cossack.''
After the war Carr married Mary Magwire, a St. Louis woman, in St. Louis on October 12, 1865. He went on to be a well-known cavalry leader and Indian fighter in the West which led him to employ as scouts and become lifelong friends with James Butler (Wild Bill) Hickok and William F. (Buffalo Bill) Cody.
After General Carr's retirement from the Army in February, 1893, he resided in Washington, DC, where he remained until his death, December 2, 1910. He was buried at West Point with honors befitting his rank.
Bvt. MGen Eugene Asa Carr, USV was elected a Companion through the Commandery of CA, Insignia #2852, was a charter member of the MO Commandery October 21, 1885, served as the first MO Commander (1885-1886), and was a member of the Council-in-Chief (1889-1893) during the CiC meeting held in St. Louis in 1890. His son Clark M. Carr MO#16717 was also a hereditary member of the MO Commandery.
Sources:
1) MO Commandery of MOLLUS, Circular No.384, 25Jan1911
2) Membership Records of the MO Commandery of MOLLUS
3) Commandery-in-Chief of MOLLUS 1890 Meeting Banquet Program, St. Louis, MO
4) Webpage on The Handbook of Texas Online.
Other webpages of interest on Carr: