Winfield Scott Edgerly (May 29, 1846 – September 10, 1927) was an officer in the United States Army in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

[1] He was the son of Josiah Bartlett and Cordelia (Waldron) Edgerly and great-grandson of Colonel Thomas Tash of the New Hampshire Revolutionary militia.

[2][3] He was educated in public schools in Farmington, at Effingham Institute, and at Phillips Exeter Academy.

[1] On July 1, 1866, he began his studies at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.

[7]: 121 [8]: 145  Prior to the battle, Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer was discussing upcoming events with his junior officers; Edgerly expressed enthusiasm about the possibility of success; Custer replied that success depended on the "young officers.

[9] At about 12:15 p.m. on June 25, Benteen's battalion separated as ordered from the remainder of the regiment and proceeded at an angle of approximately 45 degrees from the regiment's route of march; Benteen's mission was to intercept any Sans Arc warriors who attempted to escape from their village.

[9] The troopers in the defensive enclave took fire from Native American warriors until late in the evening.

[9] On June 26, Benteen's battalion continued to defend against attacks and parties of volunteers went down to the river for water; the idea of sending a message to ask for help was posed but proved unnecessary when the Sioux and Cheyenne broke camp and left.

[7]: 319  The battalion remained in or near its position for an additional night and learned on the morning of June 27 that Custer and the men fighting with him had all been killed.

One of his non-commissioned officers was Sergeant Frederick E. Toy, whom Edgerly recommended be awarded the Medal of Honor "for bravery displayed while shooting hostile Indians."

He was assigned professor of military science at Maine State College during the 1895–1896 school year.

In January 1900, he was serving as a major with the 7th Cavalry Regiment at Columbia Barracks in Quemados, Cuba.

He commanded Fort Myer, Virginia until December 1903, leaving that post for duty in the Philippines.

[14] After he returned to the U.S., Edgerly commanded the Department of the Gulf from March to July 1907 after which he was detailed to observe the Kaiser Maneuvers in Germany.