CIVIL WAR INDEX
Primary Source Material
on the Soldiers and the Battles
Home The Armies The Soldiers The Battles Civilians Articles
 
If this website has been useful to you, please consider making a Donation.

Your support will help keep this website free for everyone, and will allow us to do more research. Thank you for your support!

Civil War Soldiers - Emory

Emory, William H., major-general, U.S. Army, was born in Poplar Grove, Queen Anne county, Md., Sept. 9, 1811, was graduated at the United States military academy in 1831 and appointed lieutenant in the 4th artillery. He was on garrison duty at Charleston, S. C, during the nullification excitement, was engaged on the Delaware breakwater and in the survey of the northwest boundary, 1837-46, went with Gen. Stephen M. Kearny to California in 1846, and was on his staff during the Mexican war, receiving the brevet of captain for action at San Pasqual, Dec. 6, 1846, and major for San Gabriel, Jan. 9, 1847. He was on topographical duty on the Mexican boundary line from 1848 till 1853, was promoted lieutenant-colonel for this service, was in Kansas in 1854 and in Utah in 1858, and remained on border duty until May 9, 1861, when he resigned. In 1861 he captured with his command, and brought to Fort Leavenworth, Kan., the first prisoners of war taken by Federal troops in the Civil war, a body of Confederate troops from Texas. He was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the 6th cavalry, May 14, 1861, and took part in the Peninsular campaign under McClellan, engaging at Yorktown, Williamsburg, and Hanover Court House, and on March 17, 1862, was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers. Gen. Emory commanded a division under Gen. Banks in 1863, was raised to the command of the 19th corps and accompanied Banks in the Red River expedition of 1864, in which the displayed unusual skill and bravery, winning especial distinction at Sabine cross- roads, Pleasant Hill, and Cane river. He was afterwards transferred to the army operating in Virginia, where he defeated Early at Opequan creek, Sept. 19, 1864, and fought in the subsequent battles of Fisher's hill and Cedar creek. He commanded the department of West Virginia in 1865, and in Jan., 1866, was mustered out of the volunteer army. He was awarded the brevets of major-general in the volunteer army, July 23, 1864, brigadier-general and major-general U. S. A., March 13, 1865, and on Sept. 25, 1865, was commissioned full major-general of volunteers. After the war he was successively in command of the Department of Washington and the Department of West Virginia, and was retired in 1876 with the rank of brigadier-general in the regular army. Gen. Emory died in Washington, D. C., Dec. 1, 1887.

Source: The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States 1861-1865, Volume 8 Biographical, 1908
 


Whats New
Bibliography
About Us

Copyright 2010 by CivilWarIndex.com
A Division of Pier-Pleasure.com