John R . Brooke John Rutter ( or Ruller ) Brooke ( July 21 , 1838 – September 5 , 1926 ) was a major general in the United States Army during both the American Civil War and the Spanish American War . He served as a military Governor of Puerto Rico and Governor of Cuba . Early life . Brooke was born in Pottstown , Pennsylvania , and was educated in nearby Collegeville and West Chester . Civil War . Brooke ' s military career began when he joined the 4th Pennsylvania Infantry with the rank of captain in April 1861 . In August , he became colonel of the newly raised 53rd Pennsylvania Infantry and served in the 1862 Peninsula Campaign . He temporarily commanded a brigade during the Battle of Antietam in September of that year . In May 1863 , he was given permanent command of a brigade of the 1st Division of the II Corps , which he led in the Battle of Chancellorsville and during the Gettysburg Campaign . On the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg , July 2 , 1863 , Brooke found himself in the thick of the action when Confederate lieutenant general James Longstreet launched his assault against the Union lines south of Gettysburg . Rushed into action as reinforcements by Maj . Gen . Winfield Hancock , Colonel Brooke launched a limited counterattack against oncoming Confederate forces with his brigade in the Wheatfield . Although he was knocked out of action with a severe wound , his men temporarily stopped the Confederates and stabilized the Union line long enough to prevent a breakthrough . After recovery , Brooke subsequently also fought in the Overland Campaign , including the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House and other battles . He was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on May 12 , 1864 . General Brooke was critically wounded , again , at Cold Harbor in June . Brooke led a division in western Virginia late in the war . He was promoted to brevet major general in the volunteer army on August 1 , 1864 , for his service at Totopotomoy and Cold Harbor , and to brevet brigadier general in the regular army on March 2 , 1867 , for Spotsylvania Court House . Postbellum career . In 1866 , Brooke accepted a commission as the lieutenant colonel of the 37th U . S . Infantry of the regular army . Thirteen years later , he was given the position of colonel of the 13th U . S . Infantry , serving on the frontier in various posts . In 1888 , he was promoted to brigadier general and was in command of the Department of the Platte when the Ghost Dance began in 1890 . He was ordered by General Nelson Miles to rush the 7th U . S . Cavalry up to Wounded Knee . He left this command in 1895 . In 1897 , he was made a major general and assigned to command the I Corps during the Spanish - American War . In Puerto Rico , he landed in Arroyo with General Hains , and reached Guayama by the time the armistice was signed . When General Miles left the island in October 1898 to return to the United States , Brooke became military governor and head of the army of occupation in the U . S . military government . On the December 6 , Brooke was replaced by General Guy Vernon Henry , and by December 13 , was named to the same position in Cuba . He retired July 21 , 1902 , in Philadelphia , where he lived until his death at age 88 in 1926 . He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery . The , launched February 1943 , was named in his honor .