George B. Fitzgerald: His brother in California 1852-1860

George's brother Edward continued with his army career in California. He established Fort Jones in 1852, and manned various posts with Co. E, First Dragoons between 1852 and 1854.

The most notable action Edward participated in before his death in 1860 was the battle of Hungry Hill on Grave Creek, near Yreka, Siskiyou County in the "Rogue River War" in 1855. For further information on Edward's participation in the Rogue River War, including some of his official report, see History of the Pacific Northwest, Oregon and Washington, 1889, Volume I, page 431 - 444.

Local rivalry between the regular army and the civilian volunteers sparked a sarcastic speech Dec. 30, 1855 by Dr. A. G. Henry, complaining that the volunteers were getting too little credit and the regular army under Fitzgerald was getting too much, in the Rogue River war.  From the speech:




















After Edward died, Camp Fitzgerald, established briefly near Los Angeles in 1861, was named after him.
It is well known to everybody in Rogue River Valley that Maj. [Edward] Fitzgerald had no opportunity afforded him while in the valley for a display of his acknowledged gallantry. He was not in the battle of “Grave Creek Hills,” being prevented by sickness, but his company was, under command of their Orderly, the Lieutenant being left in the rear with the baggage. The company did not distinguish themselves above any one company of volunteers on the ground, and yet hear what is said in the Statesman last Saturday, editorially, of them, while no one of the volunteer companies under command of Col. Ross has ever been complimented with a notice of the fact that they were in the fight:

Maj. Fitzgerald’s command left here Tuesday morning, en route for the Dalles. The Major and his men have won a high fame south for gallantry and bravery, and the people in that section part with them reluctantly. We noticed that a large share of the men were "domned furriners". [Many of Fitzgerald's men were natives of Germany or Ireland.]

A brave and chivalric man like Maj. Fitzgerald should rather consider himself insulted, than complimented, by such a notice, under all the circumstances, and will no doubt so regard it; for those who have won brevet ranks for gallantry in Mexico will not suffer themselves to be bedaubed with unmerited praise.