Civil War CDV US Army Union Major General Samuel Ryan Curtis Rare Anthony Photo

  
4" inches x 3" inches This is a rare and highly sought-after CDV military photo of Civil War. This CDV photo depicts Civil War Samuel Ryan Curtis. Date of birth: February 3, 1805. Place of birth: Champlain, New York.

Date of death: December 26, 1866. Place of death: Council Bluffs, Iowa. Final resting place: Oakland Cemetery, Keokuk, Iowa. Samuel Ryan Curtis was the most successful federal general west of the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. He is primarily remembered as the victor at the battles of Pea Ridge and Westport.

But Curtis was far more than just a general; he played a key role in the opening and exploitation of the American West as an engineer, politician, railroad advocate, and soldier. Curtis graduated 27th out of 33 students in the West Point class of 1831. He was assigned to the 7th U. Infantry at Fort Gibson, Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) and served for a year before leaving the army to pursue a career in civil engineering. Curtis worked on a variety of projects before deciding to study law. He also became active in local Whig Party politics, raised and commanded an Ohio militia unit, and with the coming of the Mexican-American War in 1846, Curtis was elected to command the 3rd Ohio Volunteers. During the Mexican War, Colonel Curtis and the 3rd Ohio served together for a little over a year, but they did not participate in any significant battles. The 3rd Ohio's main job involved chasing guerrillas and what the military today calls stability operations. Curtis became more involved in Whig politics after his return from Mexico. He worked as the city engineer of St.

Louis for three years and built the sewer system that the city went on to use for over 150 years. Curtis then moved his family to Keokuk, Iowa, where he was elected mayor in 1856. Curtis decided to run for the U. House of Representatives seat from the 1st Iowa congressional district as a Republican that same year, and with the support of the railroad interests he won the first of three terms to the U.