Captain Allyn Capron

Allyn Capron (1846–1898), was a Captain in the United States Army.

Life before the Spanish-American War
Capron was born in 1846 to Harriet and Erastus A. Capron. 1847 brought the death of Erastus in the Mexican-American War. Upon reaching age, Allyn was nominated by a U.S. Congressman to enroll, like his father before him, into the U.S. Military Academy.

After graduating from the Academy, Capron became a lieutenant and then a captain in the Artillery and Signal Corps. Capron became a well-known artillery officer in the Regular Army. He served in the Sioux Wars, for which he received official commendation in 1891 and in times of peace in California, Utah, Illinois, Virginia, and Florida, until the U.S. went to war with Spain in 1898.

Capron accompanied his artillery battery of General William R. Shafter's American corps that landed in Cuba. His son, Captain Allyn Kissam Capron, was a troop commander of the Rough Riders. During an early battle, the younger Capron was killed.

Capron's battery arrived at the front soon and the captain commanded his artillerymen throughout the Siege of Santiago. However, Capron contracted typhoid fever during the campaign and obtained leave of absence. He died near his home of his ailment.