Rank Private | Name George Loyd | |
Born May 9, 1844
Muskingum County, Ohio ( 1844-05-09 ) Died May 13, 1917(1917-05-13) (aged 73) Place of burial Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati, Ohio Allegiance United States of America
Union Service/branch United States Army
Union Army Unit Company A, 122nd Ohio Infantry | ||
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.
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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, Pennsylvania. He was discharged as a corporal in Canton, Texas when his term of service expired on March 20, 1869. 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.
Loyd's third enlistment was into Company G, 7th Cavalry on April 13, 1874 at St. Louis, Missouri. 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. He was discharged as a sergeant on April 12, 1879 at Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota Territory when his term of service was completed.
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. He re-enlisted on April 15, 1884 at Fort Totten and served until discharged as a sergeant on April 14, 1889 as a sergeant at Fort Riley, Kansas.
"Geo" Loyd re-enlisted on April 15, 1889 at Fort Riley. 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. Loyd, a sergeant on the day of the battle, was commended for bravery, especially after suffering a wound to his lung; On April 16, 1891, Loyd was awarded the Medal of Honor. On December 17, 1892, slightly less than two years after the battle, First Sergeant Loyd, then one of the oldest soldiers at Fort Riley, Kansas, committed suicide and was buried at the Fort Riley post cemetery.
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.