Colonel Carr

Colonel Eugene A. Carr - Commander, 4th Division
Eugene Carr

NPS Photo

COLONEL EUGENE A. CARR

Commander, 4th Division

Eugene Asa Carr had a reputation as a talented and courageous Indian fighter. He entered the U.S. Military Academy at age 16 and graduated in 1850, 19th out of a class of 44. Between 1850 and 1856, he served with the Regiment of Mounted Rifles in actions against the Kiowa and Comanche Indians. He spent the next two years assigned to peace-keeping duty in Kansas with the 1st U.S. Cavalry.

When the Civil War broke out, Carr commanded Company I, 1st U.S. Cavalry. Carr had been placed under arrest for an unknown reason by General Lyon prior to the Battle of Wilson's Creek, but was restored to duty as the campaign began. He led Company I at the battle, but his actions were undistinguished.

With the need for experienced officers, especially those who had seen combat duty, Carr was promoted to Colonel and given command of the 4th Division, Army of the Southwest. Carr was wounded three times on March 7 leading his division near the Elkhorn Tavern. In 1894, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his gallant leadership that day.

After Pea Ridge, he commanded a cavalry division under General Grant in Mississippi and Alabama. When the war ended, Carr, "the Black-bearded Cossack", returned to the frontier where he participated in General Sheridan's campaigns against the Plains Indians. He retired from the Army in 1893 and spent his later years as an enthusiastic supporter of the National Geographic Society. Carr died in Washington, D.C. in 1910.

Last updated: April 10, 2015

Park footer

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

15930 National Park Drive
Garfield, AR 72732

Phone:

479-451-8122 x1227

Contact Us