George H. Sharpe
Encyclopedia
George Henry Sharpe was an American lawyer, soldier, secret service officer, diplomat and politician.
, Ulster County, New York
. He graduated from Rutgers in 1847, then studied law at Yale College
, and was admitted to the bar in 1849. Then he traveled to Europe and served 1851-52 as Secretary of Legation at Vienna
. After his return in 1854, he practiced law until he joined the Union Army in 1861 as a captain in the First Regiment of New York Volunteers.
of volunteers of the 120th New York Infantry in 1862, and took part in all the battles of the Army of the Potomac
. He served on the staffs of Generals Joseph Hooker
, George G. Meade, and Ulysses S. Grant
, and was appointed brevet
brigadier general
of volunteers in 1864 and brevet major general
of volunteers in 1865.
In April 1865, as head of the Bureau of Military Information
and assistant provost marshal, he paroled 28,000 Confederate Army soldiers, among them General Robert E. Lee
, after the surrender of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia
at Appomattox Court House
.
, Sharpe became a special agent of the U.S. State Department and went to Europe to locate and investigate Americans who might have been involved in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln
. Seward was particularly interested in finding John Surratt
, whose mother Mary Surratt
had been hanged as one of the assassination conspirators. Surratt was brought back to the United States and put on trial in a civilian court. The trial ended with a hung jury
, and Surratt was soon set free, never to be tried again.
From 1870 to 1873, he was United States Marshal for the Southern District of New York, and took the census that demonstrated the great election frauds of 1868 in New York City
, which led to the enforcement of the federal election laws for the first time in 1871, and helped to smash the Tweed Ring.
In 1873 he was appointed Surveyor of the Port of New York
. In 1877, President Rutherford Hayes asked the Collector of Customs Chester A. Arthur
and his principal subordinates, Surveyor Sharpe and Naval Officer Alonzo B. Cornell
to resign, which they refused to do. They were removed from office the next year.
Afterward he became head of the commission appointed to promote the commercial relations between the United States
and Central/South American countries with the rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. He resigned after the inauguration of President Grover Cleveland
in 1885.
He was a Republican member from Ulster County of the New York State Assembly
from 1879 to 1883, and was Speaker
in 1880 and 1881.
From 1890 to 1899, he was a member of Board of United States General Appraisers.
He was married to Caroline Hasbrouck, daughter of Abraham Bruyn Hasbrouck
, and their children were Severyn Bruyn Sharpe, a county judge, Henry G. Sharpe, a U.S. Army officer, and Katherine Lawrence Sharpe who married Ira Davenport
. He died while visiting the Davenport's residence at 31 East 39th Street in New York City
. He was buried at Wiltwyck Cemetery in Kingston, New York.
Early life
Sharpe was born in KingstonKingston, New York
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
, Ulster County, New York
Ulster County, New York
Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...
. He graduated from Rutgers in 1847, then studied law at Yale College
Yale College
Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...
, and was admitted to the bar in 1849. Then he traveled to Europe and served 1851-52 as Secretary of Legation at Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. After his return in 1854, he practiced law until he joined the Union Army in 1861 as a captain in the First Regiment of New York Volunteers.
Civil War
Sharpe was appointed colonelColonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
of volunteers of the 120th New York Infantry in 1862, and took part in all the battles of the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
. He served on the staffs of Generals Joseph Hooker
Joseph Hooker
Joseph Hooker was a career United States Army officer, achieving the rank of major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Although he served throughout the war, usually with distinction, Hooker is best remembered for his stunning defeat by Confederate General Robert E...
, George G. Meade, and Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
, and was appointed brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
of volunteers in 1864 and brevet major general
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
of volunteers in 1865.
In April 1865, as head of the Bureau of Military Information
Bureau of Military Information
The Bureau of Military Information was the first formal and organized American intelligence agency, active during the American Civil War.-Predecessors:...
and assistant provost marshal, he paroled 28,000 Confederate Army soldiers, among them General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
, after the surrender of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
at Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House
The Appomattox Courthouse is the current courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia built in 1892. It is located in the middle of the state about three miles northwest of the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, once known as Clover Hill - home of the original Old Appomattox Court House...
.
Postbellum career
In 1867, on request of William H. SewardWilliam H. Seward
William Henry Seward, Sr. was the 12th Governor of New York, United States Senator and the United States Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson...
, Sharpe became a special agent of the U.S. State Department and went to Europe to locate and investigate Americans who might have been involved in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. Seward was particularly interested in finding John Surratt
John Surratt
John Harrison Surratt, Jr. was accused of plotting with John Wilkes Booth to kidnap U.S. president Abraham Lincoln and suspected of involvement in the Abraham Lincoln assassination. His mother Mary Surratt was convicted of conspiracy and hanged by the United States Federal Government...
, whose mother Mary Surratt
Mary Surratt
Mary Elizabeth Jenkins Surratt was an American boarding house owner who was convicted of taking part in the conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln. Sentenced to death, she was hanged, becoming the first woman executed by the United States federal government. She was the mother of John H...
had been hanged as one of the assassination conspirators. Surratt was brought back to the United States and put on trial in a civilian court. The trial ended with a hung jury
Hung jury
A hung jury or deadlocked jury is a jury that cannot, by the required voting threshold, agree upon a verdict after an extended period of deliberation and is unable to change its votes due to severe differences of opinion.- England and Wales :...
, and Surratt was soon set free, never to be tried again.
From 1870 to 1873, he was United States Marshal for the Southern District of New York, and took the census that demonstrated the great election frauds of 1868 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, which led to the enforcement of the federal election laws for the first time in 1871, and helped to smash the Tweed Ring.
In 1873 he was appointed Surveyor of the Port of New York
Port of New York and New Jersey
The Port of New York and New Jersey comprises the waterways in the estuary of the New York-Newark metropolitan area with a port district encompassing an approximate area within a radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument...
. In 1877, President Rutherford Hayes asked the Collector of Customs Chester A. Arthur
Chester A. Arthur
Chester Alan Arthur was the 21st President of the United States . Becoming President after the assassination of President James A. Garfield, Arthur struggled to overcome suspicions of his beginnings as a politician from the New York City Republican machine, succeeding at that task by embracing...
and his principal subordinates, Surveyor Sharpe and Naval Officer Alonzo B. Cornell
Alonzo B. Cornell
Alonzo Barton Cornell was a New York politician and businessman who served as 27th Governor of New York from 1880 to 1882.-Early years:...
to resign, which they refused to do. They were removed from office the next year.
Afterward he became head of the commission appointed to promote the commercial relations between the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Central/South American countries with the rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. He resigned after the inauguration of President Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
in 1885.
He was a Republican member from Ulster County of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
from 1879 to 1883, and was Speaker
Speaker of the New York State Assembly
The Speaker of the New York State Assembly is the highest official in the New York State Assembly, customarily elected from the ranks of the majority party....
in 1880 and 1881.
From 1890 to 1899, he was a member of Board of United States General Appraisers.
He was married to Caroline Hasbrouck, daughter of Abraham Bruyn Hasbrouck
Abraham Bruyn Hasbrouck
Abraham Bruyn Hasbrouck was a United States Congressman from New York and the sixth President of Rutgers College serving from 1840 to 1850...
, and their children were Severyn Bruyn Sharpe, a county judge, Henry G. Sharpe, a U.S. Army officer, and Katherine Lawrence Sharpe who married Ira Davenport
Ira Davenport (New York)
Ira Davenport was an American politician.-Life:...
. He died while visiting the Davenport's residence at 31 East 39th Street in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was buried at Wiltwyck Cemetery in Kingston, New York.