Henry Clay Wood – Brigadier General, United States Army

Born at Winthrop, Maine, May 26, 1832, the son of General Samuel and Florena Sweet Wood, he received his AB degre from Bowdoin College in 1854, and AM degree from Norwich University, 1874 and he read both medicine and law, beginning in 1854. He was admitted to the Maine Bar and practiced at Augusta, Maine, August 19, 1856.

He was appointed Major and Aide-de-Camp to Major General Samuel Wood, Maine Militia, March 28, 1856. He was appointed Second Lieutenant, 1st U.S. Infantry, June 27, 1856; First Lieutenant, May 10, 1861; Captain, October24, 1861; Major, June 24, 1864. After the Civil War, he was appointed First Lieutenant, Assistant Adjutant General, February 28, 1887; Colonel, Assistant Adjutant General, Novemer 6, 1893.

He retired from the Army on May 26, 1896 and was advanced to the rank of Brigadier General on the Retired List, by Act of Congress, April 23, 1904.

He was berveted Lieutenant Colonel for “gallant and meritorious services in the Battle of Wilson’s Creek, Missouri” August 20, 1861; brevetted Colonel and received the Medal of Honor for “distinguished gallantry” at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. The Medal was actually awarded on October 28, 1893.

He died on August 30, 1918 and was buried among other family members in Section 1 of Arlington National Cemetery. His wives, Mary Bassett Wood and Mary Frances Lord Wood, are buried with him. See the Wood-Vroom Family for information on other family members in Arlington.


WOOD, H. CLAY

Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, 11th U.S. Infantry. Place and date: At Wilsons Creek, Missouri, 10 August 1861. Entered service at: Winthrop, Maine. Birth: Winthrop, Maine. Date of issue: 28 October 1893.

Citation:

Distinguished gallantry.

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