Herringshaw's Encyclopedia of American Biography

Thousands of short American lives — soldiers, inventors, preachers, governors, novelists — each given a paragraph: born where, did what, and why anyone remembered.

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Pleasonton, Alfred

soldier, was born June 7, 1824, in Washington, D. C.

In 1844 he graduated from the United States Military academy. He took part in the Mexican war; served on frontier duty; and was an adjutant-general in the Seminole war. In 1861 he was appointed major; in 1862 was appointed brigadier-general of volunteers; and subsequently became major-general. He participated in the numerous actions that preceded the battle of Gettysburg, and was commander-in-chief of the cavalry in that engagement. In 1865 he was brevetted brigadier-general of the United States army. In 1868 he became United States collector of internal revenue; and a a few years later was appointed president of the Terre Haute and Cincinnati railroad.

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