ate ▁States ▁Army ▁in ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁George ▁B . ▁C ritt enden ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Russell ville , ▁Kentucky , ▁his ▁father ▁being ▁the ▁U . S . ▁politician ▁John ▁J . ▁C ritt enden . ▁ ▁His ▁brother , ▁Thomas ▁Leon idas ▁C ritt enden , ▁and ▁cousin , ▁Thomas ▁Tur pin ▁C ritt enden , ▁were ▁both ▁future ▁gener als ▁for ▁the ▁Union ▁Army . ▁ ▁West ▁Point ▁education ▁and ▁early ▁military ▁experiences ▁George ▁B . ▁C ritt enden ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Military ▁Academy ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 2 ▁and ▁was ▁commission ed ▁a ▁second ▁lieutenant ▁in ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁U . S . ▁Infantry . ▁He ▁fought ▁in ▁the ▁Black ▁Haw k ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 8 3 2 ▁and ▁res igned ▁his ▁commission ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁He ▁attended ▁Trans ylvan ia ▁University ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁lawyer . ▁He ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Texas ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 2 ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁Army ▁of ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Texas . ▁During ▁the ▁M ier ▁Ex ped ition ▁of ▁ 1 8 4 3 , ▁he ▁was ▁captured ▁by ▁the ▁Mexican ▁army ▁and ▁ex changed . ▁He ▁rejo ined ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 6 ▁and ▁fought ▁with ▁the ▁Regiment ▁of ▁Mount ed ▁R if les ▁in ▁the ▁Mexican – American ▁War . ▁He ▁was ▁given ▁a ▁bre vet ▁promotion ▁to ▁major ▁for ▁gall antry ▁at ▁Con tr eras ▁and ▁Ch ur ub