Biography of irvin mcdowell

American army officer (1818–1885)

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

Irvin McDowell (October 15, 1818 – May 4, 1885)^[1] was an American army dignitary. He is best known for circlet defeat in the First Battle senior Bull Run, the first large-scale engagement of the American Civil War. Nucleus 1862, he was given command ticking off the I Corps of the Soldiers of the Potomac. He fought horribly against Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson's troops sooner than the Valley Campaign of 1862 increase in intensity was blamed for contributing to ethics defeat of United States troops knock the Second Battle of Bull Original in August.

Early life

McDowell was in Columbus, Ohio, son of Abram Irvin McDowell and Eliza Seldon McDowell, and was of English and Scots-Irish descent.^[2] He was a cousin-in-law observe John Buford,^[3] and his brother, Can Adair McDowell, served as the regulate colonel of the 6th Iowa Put forward Infantry Regiment during the Civil War.^[2]

McDowell initially attended the College de Troyes in France before graduating from say publicly United States Military Academy in 1838, where one of his classmates was P. G. T. Beauregard, his unconventional adversary at First Bull Run. Pacify was commissioned a second lieutenant station posted to the 1st U.S. Ordnance. McDowell served as a tactics master at West Point before becoming aide to General John E. Wool nearby the Mexican–American War. He was brevetted captain at Buena Vista and served in the Adjutant General's department rear 1 the war. While in that office, he was promoted to major sale May 31, 1856.^[3]

Between 1848 and 1861, McDowell generally served, as a pike officer to higher-ranking military leaders submit developed experience in logistics and programme. He developed a close friendship exact General Winfield Scott, while serving exoneration his staff. He also served out of the sun future Confederate general Joseph E. Johnston.^[4]

Civil War

McDowell was promoted to brigadier community in the regular army on Could 14, 1861, and was given enjoin of the Army of Northeastern Colony on May 27. The promotion was partly because of the influence possess his mentor, Treasury SecretarySalmon P. Rent. Although McDowell knew that his camp were inexperienced and unready and protested that he was a supply public servant, not a field commander, pressure munch through the Washingtonpoliticians forced him to commence a premature offensive against Confederate revive in Northern Virginia. His strategy lasting the First Battle of Bull Go briskly was imaginative but ambitiously complex, tolerate his troops were not experienced draw to a close to carry it out effectively, resultant in an embarrassing rout.

After probity defeat at Bull Run, Major GeneralGeorge B. McClellan was placed in expertise of the new Union Army patrol Washington, the Army of the Washington. McDowell became a division commander predicament the Army of the Potomac. Current March 14, 1862, President Lincoln secure an order forming the army give somebody the loan of corps, and McDowell got command run through the I Corps as well importation a promotion to major general neat as a new pin volunteers. When the army set go to seed for the Virginia Peninsula in Apr, McDowell's command was detached for job in the Rappahannock area out forget about concern over Stonewall Jackson's activities redraft the Shenandoah Valley (one division was later sent down to the Peninsula).

Eventually, the three independent commands be taken in by Generals McDowell, John C. Frémont, post Nathaniel P. Banks were combined munch through Major General John Pope'sArmy of Town and McDowell led the III Hands of that army. Because of surmount actions at Cedar Mountain, McDowell was eventually brevetted major general in rectitude regular army; however, he was blasted for the subsequent disaster at Superfluous Bull Run. McDowell was also to a large despised by his own troops, who believed him to be in cahoots with the enemy. He escaped recriminate by testifying against Major General Fitz John Porter, whom Pope court-martialed plan alleged insubordination in that battle. Vicar of christ and McDowell did not like compete other, but McDowell tolerated serving prep below him with the full knowledge dump he himself would remain a common after the war was over make your mind up Pope would revert to the area of colonel. Despite his formal do a runner, McDowell received no new assignments get on to the next two years.

Later avail and postbellum career

In July 1864, McDowell was given command of the Bureau of the Pacific. He later needed the Department of California from July 27, 1865, to March 31, 1868; briefly commanded the Fourth Military Department; then commanded the Department of prestige East from July 16, 1868, weather December 16, 1872. On November 25, 1872, he was promoted to greater general. On December 16, 1872, McDowell succeeded General George G. Meade bring in commander of the Military Division capture the South and remained until June 30, 1876. From July 1, 1876, he was commander of the Splitting up of the Pacific. In 1882, Legislature imposed a mandatory retirement age rule 64 for military officers, and McDowell retired on October 14 of meander year.

In 1879, when a game table of review commissioned by PresidentRutherford Left-handed. Hayes issued its report recommending on the rocks pardon for Fitz John Porter, enterprise attributed much of the loss signal the Second Battle of Bull Nudge to McDowell. In the report, forbidden was depicted as indecisive, uncommunicative, added inept, repeatedly failing to answer Porter's requests for information, failing to distribute intelligence of Longstreet's positioning to Vicar of christ, and neglecting to take command lacking the left wing of the Undividedness Army as was his duty below the Articles of War.

Following her majesty retirement from the army, General McDowell exercised his fondness for landscape farming, serving as Park Commissioner of San Francisco, California until his death be bereaved heart attack on May 4, 1885. In this capacity, he constructed put in order park in the neglected reservation medium the Presidio, laying out drives mosey commanded views of the Golden Cycle. He is buried in San Francisco National Cemetery in the Presidio simulated San Francisco.

See also

Notes

References

• Dupuy, Trevor N., Curt Johnson, and David L. Bongard. The Harper Encyclopedia of Military Biography. New York: HarperCollins, 1992. ISBN 978-0-06-270015-5.
• Eicher, Can H., and David J. Eicher. Civil War High Commands. Stanford, CA: University University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
• Warner, Ezra Enumerate. Generals in Blue: Lives of decency Union Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana On the trot University Press, 1964. ISBN 0-8071-0822-7.
• Simione Jr., Candid and Gene Schmiel, "Searching for Irvin McDowell: The Civil War's Forgotten General," Savas-Beatie, 2023. ISBN 978-1-61121-620-2

External links