Pinkney Lugenbeel

Pinkney Lugenbeel (1819-1886) - Born 20 Nov 1819 in Liberty, Frederick, Maryland. Died 18 Mar 1886 at Detroit, Michigan: Aged 66. During his distinguished military career he rose in rank from 2nd Lt. to Colonel and fought in three wars, the Mexican War, the Washington Indian Wars and the U.S. Civil War. He built two forts, Fort Colville and Fort Boise and commanded many others. He had a town and a county named after him, Pinkney City, Washington and Lugenbeel County in the Dakota Territory (both since renamed to Coleville City and Bennett County, North Dakota).

U.S. Military Academy (1835-1840)
Lugenbeel was appointed to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1835 and studied there between 1 Sep 1835 and 1 Jul 1840. On graduation with the Class of 1840 he was assigned to the 5th U.S. Infantry and given the rank of Brevet 2nd Lt.

Second Seminole War (1840-1841)
He sailed from New York harbor aboard the ship General Parkhill in Oct 1840 for Pilatka, Florida as a full 2nd Lt. In December he was on duty with Company E, 8th U.S. Infantry at Camp Riley, near Fort King, Florida.

Frontier Duty (1841-1846)
He was sent to Fort Gibson (1), Indian Territory in 1841 and following that tour he served in Fort Winnebago, Fort Gratiot and then in the occupation of Texas which led to the Mexican War.

Mexican War (1846-1848)
He was engaged in the Battle of Monterey, 21-23 Sep 1846, the Siege of Vera Cruz, 9-29 Mar 1847, the Capture of San Antonio, 20 Aug 1847, the Battle of Churubusco, 20 Aug 1847, where he was wounded (made Bvt. Capt., 20 Aug 1847, for Gallant and Meritorious Conduct in the Battles of Contreras and Churubusco, Mexico), the Battle of Molino del Rey, 8 Sep 1847, the Storming of Chapultepec (made Bvt. Major, 13 Sep 1847, for Gallant and Meritorious Conduct in the Battle of Chapultepec, Mexico) and the Assault and Capture of the City of Mexico, 13-14 Sep 1847.

Indian Territory (1848-1855)
Following the Mexican War he was stationed at a succession of posts in the Indian Territories and Texas and finally to Fort Monroe in Virginia. He was promoted to Captain 3 Mar 1855 in the 9th U.S. Infantry at Fort Monroe, Virginia.

Pacific Northwest (1855-1861)
Capt. (Bvt. Major) Lugenbeel was posted at Fort Vancouver, Washington in 1855; served in the defense of Fort Cascades, Washington; on the Yakima Expedition and from 1856 to 1859 at Fort Dalles, Oregon. In 1859 he was sent to establish Fort Colville, Washington. He arrived at the selected site, 14 miles southeast of the old Hudson's Bay Company's Fort Colvile with 4 companies of infantry on 21 Jun 1859 and began construction. He remained there, as commander, until Oct 1861 when he was withdrawn along with 355 regular troops to participate in the U.S. Civil War. The town of Colville, Washington is one of Washington's oldest cities and began as a small settlement outside of Fort Colville. It was first known as Pinkney City, named for Maj. Pinkney Lugenbeel.

U.S. Civil War (1861-1865)
Capt Lugenbeel was stationed in the Pacific Northwest during the early days of the U.S. Civil War recruiting volunteers and was promoted to Major in the 19th U.S. Infantry on 31 Dec 1862. He was chosen to select a site and supervise the building of Fort Boise (1), Idaho. Maj. Lugenbeel left Fort Walla Walla with a force of four companies of Oregon Cavelry and six companies of California infantry in May of 1863. He crossed the Snake River and proceeded up the Boise Valley to a point about 40 miles east of the original Hudson's Bay Company Fort Boise and established Boise Barracks at a point that is now in city limits of Boise, Idaho. He completed his assignment at Boise in Oct 1863 and then became Asst. Provost Marshal General for Oregon and Washington Territories until 1 Jan 1864. In Jan 1864 he assumed command of Fort Wayne, Michigan. In Mar 1865 he commanded a battalion at the battle of Lookout Mountain.

Post War
After the war he worked in the reconstruction effort and in 1867, he was promoted to Lt. Col. and posted as regimental commander, headquarters, Fort Smith, Arkansas and then a succession of commands in Michigan, Dakota Territory and New York. On 15 Dec 1880 he was promoted to full Colonel in the 5th U.S. Infantry. He retired from active Service 6 Feb 1882.

Colonel Lugenbeel died in Detroit, Michigan on 18 Mar 1886 in his home and was interred in Elmwood Cemetery, Detroit, Michigan. His wife, Harriett, died in 14 Dec 1888.

Father: John Lugenbeel (1792-1874), born 26 Dec 1792 in Unionville, Frederick County, Maryland. Died 26 Dec 1874 in Wadsworth, Ohio.

Mother: Pamela Poole (1796-1888), born 27 Sep 1796 in Unionville, Maryland. Died 26 Apr 1888 in Wadsworth, Ohio.

Marriage:
 * Harriet E. Williams (1821-1888) born 28 Aug 1821 in New York, died 14 Dec 1888 in Detroit, Michigan, married 5 Sep 1843 in Detroit, Michigan.

Children:
 * James P. Lugenbeel (abt1845-1893)
 * Harriet Irene Lugenbeel (1850-1852) born Jun 1850, Fort Gibson (1), Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma, died 13 Aug 1852 at Fort Gibson.
 * Mary Irene Lugenbeel (abt1854-) born abt 1854, Fort Gibson (1), Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma, died 1887, Detroit, Michigan. Married Hutchings abt 1873, South Dakota.
 * Harriet Lugenbeel (1855-1924) born 22 Oct 1855, Detroit, Michigan, died 8 Apr 1924, Portland, Oregon. Married Samuel Hiram Gruber 2 May 1879, born 22 Jul 1849, Preble County, Ohio, died 1 Jun 1936, Portland, Oregon.
 * John G. Lugenbeel (abt1858-) born abt 1858, Oregon, died 8 Dec 1898, Montgomery, Alabama.

Assignments:
 * (1835-1840) Cadet, United States Military Academy, West Point (1 Sep 1835, to 1 Jul 1840)
 * (1840-1840) Bvt. 2nd Lt. (1 Jul 1840), 5th U.S. Infantry
 * (1840-1841) 2nd Lt. (22 Sep 1840), 5th U.S. Infantry, Seminole War II
 * (1841-1841) 2nd Lt., 5th U.S. Infantry, Fort Gibson (1), I. T.
 * (1841-1841) 2nd Lt., 5th U.S. Infantry, Fort Winnebago, Wisconsin
 * (1841-1845) 2nd Lt., 5th U.S. Infantry, Fort Gratiot, Michigan
 * (1845-1846) 2nd Lt., 5th U.S. Infantry, Military Occupation of Texas
 * (1846-1847) 1st Lt. (29 Jun 1846), 5th U.S. Infantry, Mexican War
 * (1847-1847) Bvt. Capt. (20 Aug 1847), 5th U.S. Infantry, Mexican War
 * (1847-1847) Bvt. Maj. (13 Sep 1847), 5th U.S. Infantry, Mexican War
 * (1847-1848) Bvt. Maj., Adjutant 5th U.S. Infantry, in garrison at East Pascagoula, Mississippi
 * (1848-1851) Bvt. Maj., Adjutant 5th U.S. Infantry, frontier duty at Fort Gibson (1)
 * (1851-1851) Bvt. Maj., Adjutant 5th U.S. Infantry, Fort Washita, I. T.
 * (1851-1853) Bvt. Maj., Adjutant 5th U.S. Infantry, Fort Belknap (2), Texas
 * (1853-1854) Bvt. Maj., Adjutant 5th U.S. Infantry, Fort McIntosh (1), Texas
 * (1854-1855) Bvt. Maj., Adjutant 5th U.S. Infantry, Ringgold Barracks, Texas
 * (1855-1855) Capt. (3 Mar 1855), 9th U.S. Infantry, in garrison at Fort Monroe, Virginia
 * (1855-1855) Bvt. Maj., Recruiting service
 * (1855-1856) Bvt. Maj., 9th U.S. Infantry, on frontier duty at Fort Vancouver, Washington
 * (1856-1856) Bvt. Maj., 9th U.S. Infantry, Fort Cascades, Washington, engaged in its defense 28 Mar 1856
 * (1856-1856) Bvt. Maj., 9th U.S. Infantry, on Yakima Expedition
 * (1856-1859) Bvt. Maj., 9th U.S. Infantry, Fort Dalles, Oregon
 * (1859-1861) Bvt. Maj., 9th U.S. Infantry, Fort Colville, Washington
 * (1861-1863) Maj. (31 Dec 1862), 19th U.S. Infantry, Fort Vancouver, Washington
 * (1863-1863) Maj., 19th U.S. Infantry, Fort Vancouver, Washington, on Expedition into the Snake Indian Country to construct Fort Boise (1), Idaho, and protect the miners, June to Oct 1863
 * (1863-1864) Maj., 19th U.S. Infantry, Asst. Provost Marshal General for Oregon and Washington Territories, Oct 1863, to 1 Jan 1864
 * (1864-1865) Maj., 19th U.S. Infantry, Superintendent of Regimental Recruiting Service, and Acting Asst. Inspector-General of the District of Michigan, at Fort Wayne, Michigan, Jan 1864, to Mar 1865
 * (1865-1865) Maj., 19th U.S. Infantry, in command of Battalion, at Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, Mar 1865
 * (1865-1866) Maj., 19th U.S. Infantry, Acting Judge Advocate of the Department of Georgia, July 1865, to Jan 1866
 * (1867-1867) Lt. Col. (25 Jun 1867), 19th U.S. Infantry, as Supervising Inspector of Registration at Helena, Ark., June to Oct 1867
 * (1867-1869) Lt. Col., 19th U.S. Infantry, in command of regiment, headquarters, Fort Smith, Arkansas, 11 Oct 1867, to 31 Mar 1869
 * (1869-1870) Lt. Col., 1st U.S. Infantry, in command of Fort Gratiot, Michigan, 21 Apr 1869, to 30 Jun 1870
 * (1870-1870) Lt. Col., 1st U.S. Infantry, in command of Fort Wayne, Michigan, 2 Jul 1870, to 5 Sep 1870
 * (1870-1870) Lt. Col., 1st U.S. Infantry, as Member of Retiring Board, New York city, Sep to Dec 1870
 * (1871-1874) Lt. Col., 1st U.S. Infantry, in command of regiment, headquartersFort Wayne, Michigan, 5 Jan 1871, to 19 Jun 1874
 * (1874-1879) Lt. Col., 1st U.S. Infantry, in command at Fort Randall, D. T., 27 Jan 1874, to 3 Oct 1879
 * (1879-1880) Lt. Col., 1st U.S. Infantry, Fort Hall, Dakota, to 1 Jul 1880
 * (1880-1880) Lt. Col., 1st U.S. Infantry, San Antonio, Texas, to 7 Sep 1880
 * (1880-1880) Col. (15 Dec 1880), 5th U.S. Infantry,in command of Recruiting Depot at David’s Island, New York, to 28 Jan 1881
 * (1881-1881) Col., 5th U.S. Infantry, on Courts Martial, to 10 Jun 1881
 * (1881-1882) Col., 5th U.S. Infantry, awaiting orders, to 6 Feb 1882
 * (1882) Col., Retired from Active Service, 6 Feb 1882, He Being Over 62 Years of Age.

Personal Description:
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Links:
 * Military Record
 * Find-A-Grave - Pinkney Lugenbeel

Sources:
 * Foreman, Carolyn Thomas, Colonel Pinkney Lugenbeel, Chronicles of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Historical Society, Vol 24 (1946-47), No. 4, pp. 449-459
 * Cullum Register - Pinckney Lugenbeel (sic)