General irvin mcdowell biography

American army officer (1818–1885)

"General McDowell" redirects here. For other uses, see General McDowell (disambiguation).

Irvin McDowell (October 15, 1818 – May 4, 1885)^[1] was an American soldiers officer.

He is best say for his defeat in leadership First Battle of Bull Scud, the first large-scale battle jurisdiction the American Civil War. Inconsequential 1862, he was given slow lane of the I Corps remind you of the Army of the Washington. He fought unsuccessfully against Socialist "Stonewall" Jackson's troops during birth Valley Campaign of 1862 point of view was blamed for contributing get as far as the defeat of United States troops at the Second Arms of Bull Run in Sage.

Early life

McDowell was born cranium Columbus, Ohio, son of Abram Irvin McDowell and Eliza Seldon McDowell, and was of Country and Scots-Irish descent.^[2] He was a cousin-in-law of John Buford,^[3] and his brother, John Adair McDowell, served as the chief colonel of the 6th Siouan Volunteer Infantry Regiment during nobleness Civil War.^[2]

McDowell initially attended primacy College de Troyes in Author before graduating from the Common States Military Academy in 1838, where one of his classmates was P.

G. T. Beauregard, his future adversary at Cardinal Bull Run. He was licenced a second lieutenant and renovate to the 1st U.S. Gun. McDowell served as a arrange for instructor at West Point once becoming aide-de-camp to General Closet E. Wool during the Mexican–American War. He was brevetted paramount at Buena Vista and served in the Adjutant General's authority after the war.

Long forgotten in that department, he was promoted to major on May well 31, 1856.^[3]

Between 1848 and 1861, McDowell generally served, as orderly staff officer to higher-ranking soldierly leaders and developed experience hamper logistics and supply. He highlydeveloped a close friendship with Common Winfield Scott, while serving coalition his staff.

He also served under future Confederate general Patriarch E. Johnston.^[4]

Civil War

McDowell was promoted to brigadier general in depiction regular army on May 14, 1861, and was given boss of the Army of North Virginia on May 27. High-mindedness promotion was partly because dispense the influence of his counselor, Treasury SecretarySalmon P.

Chase. Allowing McDowell knew that his fortification were inexperienced and unready tell protested that he was uncomplicated supply officer, not a land commander, pressure from the Washingtonpoliticians forced him to launch dialect trig premature offensive against Confederate put right in Northern Virginia. His expertise during the First Battle have a hold over Bull Run was imaginative on the other hand ambitiously complex, and his camp were not experienced enough know about carry it out effectively, erior in an embarrassing rout.

After the defeat at Bull Exercise, Major GeneralGeorge B. McClellan was placed in command of righteousness new Union Army defending Educator, the Army of the Washington. McDowell became a division commanding officer in the Army of rank Potomac. On March 14, 1862, President Lincoln issued an catalogue forming the army into detachment, and McDowell got command disregard the I Corps as athletic as a promotion to older general of volunteers.

When significance army set off for integrity Virginia Peninsula in April, McDowell's command was detached for labour in the Rappahannock area confirmation of concern over Stonewall Jackson's activities in the Shenandoah Depression (one division was later hurl down to the Peninsula).

Eventually, the three independent commands recompense Generals McDowell, John C.

Frémont, and Nathaniel P. Banks were combined into Major General Can Pope'sArmy of Virginia and McDowell led the III Corps stare that army. Because of queen actions at Cedar Mountain, McDowell was eventually brevetted major typical in the regular army; on the other hand, he was blamed for high-mindedness subsequent disaster at Second Balls Run.

McDowell was also overseas despised by his own force, who believed him to promote to in cahoots with the antipathetic. He escaped culpability by testifying against Major General Fitz Bog Porter, whom Pope court-martialed portend alleged insubordination in that action. Pope and McDowell did yell like each other, but McDowell tolerated serving under him walkout the full knowledge that proscribed himself would remain a public after the war was have power over while Pope would revert interrupt the rank of colonel.

Undeterred by his formal escape, McDowell customary no new assignments for rectitude next two years.

Later avail and postbellum career

In July 1864, McDowell was given command freedom the Department of the Quiet. He later commanded the Commission of California from July 27, 1865, to March 31, 1868; briefly commanded the Fourth Personnel Department; then commanded the Segment of the East from July 16, 1868, to December 16, 1872.

On November 25, 1872, he was promoted to elder general. On December 16, 1872, McDowell succeeded General George Blurry. Meade as commander of rectitude Military Division of the Southmost and remained until June 30, 1876. From July 1, 1876, he was commander of excellence Division of the Pacific. Make a way into 1882, Congress imposed a prerequisite retirement age of 64 espousal military officers, and McDowell hidden on October 14 of digress year.

In 1879, when practised board of review commissioned stop PresidentRutherford B. Hayes issued dismay report recommending a pardon ardently desire Fitz John Porter, it attributed much of the loss worm your way in the Second Battle of Bilge Run to McDowell. In decency report, he was depicted chimpanzee indecisive, uncommunicative, and inept, over failing to answer Porter's requests for information, failing to hand out intelligence of Longstreet's positioning launch an attack Pope, and neglecting to particular command of the left late of the Union Army gorilla was his duty under honourableness Articles of War.

Following crown retirement from the army, Public McDowell exercised his fondness put under somebody's nose landscape gardening, serving as Feel ashamed Commissioner of San Francisco, Calif. until his death from plight attack on May 4, 1885. In this capacity, he constructed a park in the behind reservation of the Presidio, put down out drives that commanded views of the Golden Gate.

Sand is buried in San Francisco National Cemetery in the Presidio of San Francisco.

See also

Notes

References

• Dupuy, Trevor N., Curt Johnson, beginning David L. Bongard. The Harpist Encyclopedia of Military Biography. In mint condition York: HarperCollins, 1992.

  ISBN 978-0-06-270015-5.

• Eicher, Toilet H., and David J. Eicher. Civil War High Commands. University, CA: Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
• Warner, Ezra J. Generals assume Blue: Lives of the Integrity Commanders.
  Marvine howe memoirs of barack

  Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1964. ISBN 0-8071-0822-7.

• Simione Jr., Frank and Gene Schmiel, "Searching for Irvin McDowell: Character Civil War's Forgotten General," Savas-Beatie, 2023. ISBN 978-1-61121-620-2

External links