april january officer general united_states_army recipient medal honor formed unit detailed memoirs chronicled life texas frontier father rhode_island lieutenant governor bliss native rhode_island graduated west_point served thirty seven year career texas frontier served union_army american_civil_war civil war captured confederate forces held prisoner war bliss received medal honor actions leading regiment early life military career bliss born april rhode_island upper middle class family parents received appointment west_point new_york july years old graduated west_point served years texas stationed fort davis assignment second lieutenant 1st regiment fort duncan promoted rank second lieutenant 8th march subsequently promoted lieutenant october following outbreak civil war promoted captain civil war service american_civil_war began april bliss immediately saw action captured confederate forces spent months prisoner war san_antonio texas later richmond virginia finally exchanged sent union lines subsequently took command tenth island infantry received commission volunteer army colonel 10th rhode_island served days defenses washington 10th rhode_island discharged bliss assumed command seventh island infantry august october seventh island joined brigade regiment saw action december bliss performed actions earned medal honor decades later sent west participated siege seventh served capture jackson mississippi april seventh rejoined army bliss commander brigade brigade fought bliss badly injured horse returned lead brigade siege court inquiry following crater bliss remained duty civil war bliss received honorary promotion major dated december gallantry service later lieutenant colonel gallantry service battle wilderness bliss mustered volunteer service june reverted rank captain awarded medal honor december career bliss remained civil war promoted major 30th infantry regiment august promoted lieutenant colonel 19th infantry march colonel 24th infantry unit black soldiers white officers april bliss promoted brigadier general april major general retired army days later including years west_point bliss served years months days uniform retired bliss member assigned insignia number member republic order indian wars died washington january age buried alongside wife arlington national cemetery arlington virginia grave found section lot bliss wife children lived adulthood sons served lieutenant governor rhode_island life sized portrait general bliss providence rhode_island medal honor citation rank organization colonel place date officer encourage regiment action ordered lie protect enemy fire arose feet advanced line fired shots enemy short range fully exposed fire time
Zenas Bliss