Floyd Henry Crumbly was born on May 10, 1859, to Robert and Mariah Crumbly. His father was a slave and his mother a free woman of color. In 1876, he enlisted in Company I of the 10th Cavalry and served until 1881. During his enlisted years he served in Texas and present-day Oklahoma, campaigning against the Northern Cheyenne, eventually rising to become the post sergeant major at Fort Stockton, Texas.
After his discharge, Crumbly returned to Atlanta, where he served as a business owner and later founded the Negro Historical Society of Atlanta. He received an appointment to the city’s Black militia battalion and went on to serve his country again by obtaining a commission in the 10th U.S. Volunteer Infantry during the Spanish-American War, serving from July 1, 1898, to March 8, 1899. He then served with the 49th U.S. Volunteer Infantry during the Philippine Insurrection, and left the military for good in 1901.
In 1903, Crumbly moved to Los Angeles, where the years of service began to take a toll on his health. In 1922, he was sent to the National Military Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in Sawtelle, California; he died there on November 14, 1929. He now rests in Section 61, Row C, Site 18 at Los Angeles National Cemetery. Honor his service at his Veterans Legacy Memorial page online.
This #VeteranOfTheDay is from the Veterans Legacy Program. To learn more about the VLP, our partnerships and how we share the stories of Veterans in our national cemeteries, please visit the VLP webpage.
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