Background
Pitcher was born at Rockport, Indiana, a son of Judge John Pitcher, who loaned his law books to young Abraham Lincoln.
Pitcher was born at Rockport, Indiana, a son of Judge John Pitcher, who loaned his law books to young Abraham Lincoln.
He graduated from West Point in 1845.
He was promoted to captain in 1858. During the Civil War, Pitcher participated in the defense of Harpers Ferry in June 1862, where he and his men were among the thousands of Union soldiers who surrendered to Stonewall Jackson. After being released and exchanged, he served in the Virginia campaign until the battle of Cedar Mountain (August 9, 1862), where he was severely wounded.
He was then brevetted major in the regular army, and three months later was commissioned brigadier general of volunteers, but saw no further active service.
On March 13, 1865, he was brevetted lieutenant colonel, colonel, and brigadier general in the regular army. On July 28, 1866, Pitcher was commissioned as the colonel of the 44th United States. Infantry.
From 1866 to 1870 he was superintendent of the United States Military Academy, and from 1870 until 1877 was superintendent of the New York Soldiers and Sailors Home.
