Loyd Wheaton (July 15, 1838 – September 17, 1918) was a United States general who fought in the Philippine–American War and in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Early life Wheaton was born in Pennfield, Michigan on July 15, 1838. Civil War service At the outbreak of the American Civil War in April 1861, Wheaton joined the 8th Illinois Infantry as a first sergeant. He was commissioned as a first lieutenant in July 1861, and was promoted to captain in March 1862, major in August 1863, and reached the rank of lieutenant colonel in November 1864. Wheaton received a brevet (honorary promotion) to colonel on March 26, 1865 for his service in the campaign against Mobile, Alabama. Wheaton received the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Fort Blakely on April 9, 1865; however, the medal was not presented until January 16, 1894. After mustering out of the volunteers in 1866, he became a captain in the regular army. He was discharged from the volunteer Army on May 4, 1866. After the war, he became a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States—a military society of officers of the Union armed forces and their descendants. Regular Army career Shortly after his discharge from the volunteer Army, Wheaton was commissioned as a captain in the 34th Infantry Regiment of the Regular Army on July 28, 1866. He transferred to the 20th Infantry on September 1, 1869. He was promoted to major of the 20th Infantry on October 14, 1891. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the 22nd Infantry on May 31, 1895 and transferred back to his old regiment, the 20th, on September 11 of the same year. Spanish–American War Wheaton was appointed brigadier general of volunteers at the outbreak of the Spanish–American War on May 27, 1898 and was placed in command of the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Seventh Army Corps stationed in Miami. Seventh Corps served in Cuba but only after the fighting was over; his brigade was part of the occupation force. He fulfilled a long held ambition when, on February 6, 1899, he became colonel of the 20th Infantry—the regiment with which he had spent the bulk of his long career. Philippine–American War Wheaton was then sent to the Philippines, where he was placed in command of a Provisional Brigade in the Eighth Army Corps