Biography

He was a Union Brigadier General during the Civil War. He was United States army medical officer who became an outstanding Union Army combat commander. First appointed to the Army as an assistant surgeon after graduating from medical school in 1851, he was stationed at Fort Sumter, Charleston, South Carolina when Confederate forces bombarded it on April 14, 1861, beginning the Civil War. Shortly afterwards he was commissioned as Major of the 13th United States Regular Infantry. During the 1862 Shenandoah Valley Campaign he ascended to brigade command and was promoted to Brigadier General of Volunteers. His unit was decimated at the August 9, 1862 Battle of Cedar Mountain, and he was severely wounded commanding his division at the September 1862 Battle of Antietam, Maryland. Upon his return from healing from his wounds in May 1863 he was assigned to command the division in the Army of the Potomac made of the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps. At the July 1863 Battle of Gettysburg he became famous due to repulsing the Confederates on the second day. General Crawford himself led one the charges made by elements of his division. His men occupied the bloodsoaked Wheatfield after the Confederates retreated at the conclusion of the battle. He continued to lead his division throughout the rest of the war. He was mentioned in 18661106FWS_TxW wherein Frederick is trying to find General Crawford's New York address.