Brevet Lt. Col. Samuel McRee

"McRee was an officer of what General Grant called “the old United States Army” and during the later years of his life was a distinguished citizen of St. Louis. The son of Major John McRee, Samuel was born in North Carolina. At the age of fifteen he was admitted to West Point Military Academy as a cadet. He graduated from there in 1820 and was commissioned second lieutenant and assigned to duty with the Eighth United States Infantry Regiment. The following year he was transferred to the First Regiment of Infantry, with which he served until the fall of 1839, having in the meantime been promoted to first lieutenant in 1823 and to captain in 1831. In 1838 he was appointed assistant quartermaster, and promoted to quartermaster with the rank of major in 1839. On the eve of the Mexican War, when General Zachary Taylor was ordered to proceed with all the force then available to Corpus Christi, Texas, Major McRee provided the necessary transportation and supplies for that expedition. He then reported to General Taylor at Corpus Christi and was appointed chief of the quartermaster’s staff and retained that position until the American troops advanced to the Rio Grande, when he was detached from the army of invasion to become quartermaster at Point Isabel. He remained at Point Isabel, winning the commendation of his superiors by his promptitude, firmness, coolness and courageous action, until the sailing of the expedition conveying the troops destined for the reduction of Tampico, Vera Cruz and the capital of Mexico. Being then ordered to report to the commanding officer at the Island of Lobos, the rendezvous of the American fleet, he was placed at the head of the quartermaster’s staff by General Scott, and retained that position until the capitulation of Vera Cruz, when he was permitted to return to his home. His health had been seriously impaired by the hardships and exposure encountered during his service. Soon after his return to the United States he was ordered on duty at Newport, Kentucky and remained there until he came to St. Louis in 1847. He was brevetted lieutenant colonel for “meritorious conduct while serving in the enemy’s country,” his brevet rank dating from May 30, 1848. He had become the owner of a considerable amount of real estate in St. Louis and began a life of comparative quiet. Here, however, the distinguished soldier, who had escaped the perils of battle, fell a victim of the dread disease of cholera during the memorable epidemic of 1849."

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