Frederick Tracy Dent

Frederick Tracy Dent (1820–1892) was an American general, born in White Haven, St. Louis County, Missouri He graduated at West Point in 1843, was assigned as brevet second lieutenant to the 6th US Infantry, served in the Southern campaign during the Mexican War, and was brevetted first lieutenant and captain for gallant and meritorious conduct at Contreras and Churubusco and at Molino del Rey respectively. He served for 16 years on frontier duty, taking part in the Yakima War, and in March 1863 was promoted to major in the 4th US Infantry and was stationed in New York to suppress anticipated riots. In March 1864 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and became aide-de-camp to the General-in-Chief (his brother-in-law).

On April 5, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln appointed Dent brigadier general of volunteers to rank from April 5, 1865 but the President did not submit the nomination to the U.S. Senate before his death ten days later so Dent's appointment was not immediately confirmed. Eventually, President Andrew Johnson submitted the nomination on January 13, 1866 and the U.S. Senate confirmed it on February 23, 1866. Dent was mustered out of the Union Army volunteer force on April 30, 1866.

On July 17, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Dent for appointment to the brevet grade of brigadier general in the Regular United States Army, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on July 23, 1866. From 1869 to 1873 he served as a military secretary to the president. He commanded Fort Trumbull, Conn., in 1875 and the post of St. Augustine in 1881. He retired in 1883. His sister Julia married his West Point classmate Ulysses S. Grant and became the mother of Frederick Dent Grant.