George H. Sharpe

George Henry Sharpe
George Henry Sharpe
Member of the Board of General Appraisers
In office November 16, 1890 – March 1, 1899
Appointed by	Benjamin Harrison
Preceded by	Board created
Succeeded by	William Barberie Howell
Personal details
Born	(1828-02-26)February 26, 1828 Kingston, New York
Died	January 13, 1900(1900-01-13) (aged 71) New York City
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	Yale College Rutgers College
Profession	Politician

George Henry Sharpe (February 26, 1828 – January 13, 1900) was an American lawyer, soldier, secret service officer, diplomat, politician and a Member of the Board of General Appraisers.

Sharpe was born in Kingston, Ulster County, New York. He graduated from Rutgers in 1847, then studied law at Yale College. He was admitted to the bar in 1849 and practiced law at the firm of Bidwell & Strong (now known as Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft). Then he traveled to Europe and served 1851-52 as Secretary of Legation at Vienna. After his return in 1854, he practiced law until he joined the Union Army in 1861 as captain of Company B of the 20th New York State Militia (known as the "Ulster Guard") for three-months service.

Sharpe was appointed colonel of volunteers of the 120th New York Infantry in 1862, and took part in all the battles of the Army of the Potomac. He served on the staffs of Generals Joseph Hooker, George G. Meade, and Ulysses S. Grant, and was appointed brevet brigadier general of volunteers in 1864 and brevet major general of volunteers in 1865.

In January 1863, Sharpe assumed the intelligence role for Hooker that Allan Pinkerton had performed for McClellan. His estimates of enemy troop strength proved to be far more accurate than those of his predecessor.

In April 1865, as head of the Bureau of Military Information and assistant provost marshal, he paroled 28,000 Confederate Army soldiers, among them General Robert E. Lee, after the surrender of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House.