b. 1843 County Tyrone, Ireland. d. 17/12/1892 Fort Riley, Kansas.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 29/12/1890 Wounded Knee, South Dakota.
George Loyd was born in County Tyrone, Ireland in 1843. He immigrated to the U.S.
Loyd first enlisted in the U.S. Army (7th Cavalry Regiment) on March 17, 1866, in Philadelphia. He was discharged as a corporal in Canton, Texas, when his term of service expired on March 20, 1869. He re-enlisted on March 21, 1869, at Canton in the 6th Cavalry Regiment; he was discharged as a private on March 21, 1874, at Camp Supply, Indian Territory upon the expiration of his term of service.
Loyd’s third enlistment was into Company G, 7th Cavalry on April 13, 1874, at St. Louis, Missouri. Loyd was a survivor of the Battle of the Little Big Horn on June 25–26, 1876; he was promoted to corporal on June 25, 1876. He was discharged as a sergeant on April 12, 1879, at Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota Territory when his term of service was completed.
Loyd immediately re-enlisted at Fort Abraham Lincoln and served until his five-year enlistment expired on April 12, 1884, at Fort Totten, Dakota Territory. He re-enlisted on April 15, 1884, at Fort Totten and served until discharged as a sergeant on April 14, 1889 Fort Riley, Kansas.
“Geo” Loyd re-enlisted on April 15, 1889, at Fort Riley. He was among the cavalrymen ordered to capture Chief Big Foot. On December 29, 1890, troopers surrounded the Sioux camp on Wounded Knee Creek with the intention of arresting the Sioux chieftain and disarming his followers. Loyd, a sergeant on the day of the ensuing Wounded Knee Massacre, was commended for bravery, especially after suffering a wound to his lung; On April 16, 1891, Loyd was awarded the Medal of Honor.
On December 17, 1892, slightly less than two years after the massacre, First Sergeant Loyd, then one of the oldest soldiers at Fort Riley, Kansas, died by suicide and was buried at the Fort Riley Post Cemetery.
MOH CITATION:
Bravery, especially after having been severely wounded through the lung.
BURIAL LOCATION: FORT RILEY POST CEMETERY, FORT RILEY, KANSAS.
SECTION F, ROW 8, PLOT 19.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
