George Loyd

George Loyd (1843 – December 17, 1892), whose last name was occasionally spelled "Lloyd," was a United States Army soldier. He fought in the Battle of the Little Big Horn and in the Battle of Wounded Knee, now called the Wounded Knee Massacre, receiving the Medal of Honor for his actions in the latter.

Not to be confused with the Union Army private and Medal of Honor recipient, George A. Loyd.
For other people with similar names, see George Lloyd (disambiguation).

George Loyd
U.S. Army Medal of Honor (1862–1895)
Born1843
County Tyrone, Ireland
DiedDecember 17, 1892(1892-12-17) (aged 48–49)
Fort Riley, Kansas, U.S.
Place of burial
Fort Riley, Kansas
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1866 – 1892
RankFirst sergeant
Unit7th Cavalry Regiment
Battles/wars
AwardsMedal of Honor
Gravestone at Fort Riley

Biography

George Loyd was born in County Tyrone, Ireland in 1843. He immigrated to the U.S.

Loyd first enlisted in the U.S. Army (7th Cavalry Regiment) on March 17, 1866, in Philadelphia. He was discharged as a corporal in Canton, Texas, when his term of service expired on March 20, 1869.[1] He re-enlisted on March 21, 1869, at Canton in the 6th Cavalry Regiment; he was discharged as a private on March 21, 1874, at Camp Supply, Indian Territory upon the expiration of his term of service.[2]

Loyd's third enlistment was into Company G, 7th Cavalry on April 13, 1874, at St. Louis, Missouri.[3] Loyd was a survivor of the Battle of the Little Big Horn on June 25–26, 1876; he was promoted to corporal on June 25, 1876.[4] He was discharged as a sergeant on April 12, 1879, at Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota Territory when his term of service was completed.[3]

Loyd immediately re-enlisted at Fort Abraham Lincoln and served until his five-year enlistment expired on April 12, 1884, at Fort Totten, Dakota Territory.[5] He re-enlisted on April 15, 1884, at Fort Totten and served until discharged as a sergeant on April 14, 1889 Fort Riley, Kansas.[6]

"Geo" Loyd re-enlisted on April 15, 1889, at Fort Riley.[7] He was among the cavalrymen ordered to capture Chief Big Foot. On December 29, 1890, troopers surrounded the Sioux camp on Wounded Knee Creek with the intention of arresting the Sioux chieftain and disarming his followers.[8] Loyd, a sergeant on the day of the ensuing Wounded Knee Massacre, was commended for bravery, especially after suffering a wound to his lung; On April 16, 1891, Loyd was awarded the Medal of Honor.[9]

On December 17, 1892, slightly less than two years after the massacre, First Sergeant Loyd, then one of the oldest soldiers at Fort Riley, Kansas, died by suicide and was buried at the Fort Riley post cemetery.[7][10]

Medal of Honor Citation

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Sergeant George Lloyd, United States Army, for bravery, especially after having been severely wounded through the lung on 29 December 1890, while serving with Company I, 7th U.S. Cavalry, in action at Wounded Knee Creek, South Dakota.[11]

See also

References
  1. "United States Registers of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJD5-B2TY : 24 May 2014), George Loyd, 17 Mar 1866; citing p. 152, volume 062, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, NARA microfilm publication M233 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 31; FHL microfilm 350,337.
  2. "United States Registers of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJDR-9WM6 : 24 May 2014), George Loyd, 21 Mar 1869; citing p. 144, volume 069, Canton, , Texas, United States, NARA microfilm publication M233 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 36; FHL microfilm 350,342.
  3. "United States Registers of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJDR-SH64 : 24 May 2014), George Loyd, 13 Apr 1874; citing p. 308, volume 074, Saint Louis, , Missouri, United States, NARA microfilm publication M233 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 39; FHL microfilm 350,345.
  4. Overfield, Loyd J., ed. (1971). The Little Big Horn, 1876: The Official Communications, Documents and Reports. UNP - Nebraska Paperback. p. 173. ISBN 9780803286016. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  5. "United States Registers of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJDR-QVDY : 24 May 2014), George Loyd, 13 Apr 1879; citing p. 270, volume 080, Fort Abraham Lincoln, , Dakota Territory, United States, NARA microfilm publication M233 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 42; FHL microfilm 350,348.
  6. "United States Registers of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJDR-Q22L : 24 May 2014), George Loyd, 15 Apr 1884; citing p. 321, volume 080, Fort Totten, , Dakota Territory, United States, NARA microfilm publication M233 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 42; FHL microfilm 350,348.
  7. "United States Registers of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJD5-LW9T : 24 May 2014), Geo Loyd, 15 Apr 1889; citing p. 42, volume 086, Fort Riley, , Kansas, United States, NARA microfilm publication M233 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 45; FHL microfilm 1,319,378.
  8. Green, Jerry (1994). "The Medals of Wounded Knee" (PDF). nebraskahistory.org. Nebraska State Historical Society. pp. 200–208. Archived from the original on April 2, 2012. Retrieved November 2, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. "George Lloyd - Recipient -". valor.militarytimes.com. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  10. "George Loyd Suicide". The Kinsley Mercury (Kinsley, Kansas). December 29, 1892. p. 4. Retrieved June 24, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. icon of an open green padlock
  11. "George Lloyd - Recipient -".
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