In recognition of his service, in 1866, he was nominated and confirmed for appointment as a brevet brigadier general in the Regular Army of the United States, to rank from March 13, 1865.

[3] Craig entered the U.S. Army as a first lieutenant assigned to the 2nd Artillery Regiment in March 1812, was promoted captain in December 1813, and served for a time near the end of the War of 1812 as commander of Fort Niagara.

This was accomplished between dusk and dawn on a rough road within a period of seven hours, despite the fact that the axle on the gun carriage supporting one of the cannon snapped and had to be replaced.

During the ten years before the Civil War, budget allocations for the army were cut back considerably, and Craig did as much as he could to ensure that adequate funding was available for the production and procurement of the necessary weapons and munitions for peacetime activity.

He encouraged studies of foreign ordnance and supported efforts to keep a good supply of proven models of rifles, cannon, and similar equipment on hand.

In the spring of 1861, at the age of 70 and after nearly 48 years of army service, Craig was relieved of his duties at the direction of the new Secretary of War, Simon Cameron, on the grounds that the Ordnance Department needed more vigorous leadership in light of the national emergency.

He is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C.[5] This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army.