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 - Wool

Wool, John E., major-general, U.S. Army, was born at Newburg, N. Y., Feb. 20, 1784, son of a soldier of the War for Independence. He was for a time a book-seller at Troy and then a law student, but raised a company of volunteers at the beginning of the war of 1812, and through the influence of De Witt Clinton was made a captain in the 13th infantry in April, 1812. He was badly wounded in his first battle, that of Queenstown heights, received a major's commission April 13, 1813, took part at Plattsburg and was brevetted lieutenant-colonel. After the reduction of the army to a peace footing he was made colonel and inspector-general (1816). He was brevetted brigadier-general in 1826 and attained the rank by commission in 1841. In 1832 he went to Europe on a tour of inspection and witnessed the siege of Antwerp by the French. In 1836 he had charge of the removal of the Cherokees. In the early days of the war with Mexico he equipped and forwarded from the West 12,000 volunteers. Following them in person, he led 3,000 men from San Antonio to Saltillo and was next in command to Gen. Taylor during the later operations in the interior. At Buena Vista he chose the ground, disposed the forces for action and led them in the beginning of the battle. For his services here he received the brevet of major-general, and at a later date was presented swords by New York and Congress, with the thanks of the latter. He had command in the East, with headquarters at Troy, 1847-54 and 1857-60; was in charge of the Department of the Pacific, 1854-57, taking the field in 1856 against hostile Indians in the northwest. His promptness in reinforcing Fortress Monroe in the spring of 1861 secured that important post to the Union, and in August he was placed there as commander of the Department of Virginia. He occupied Norfolk and Portsmouth May 10, 1862, was commissioned major-general, U. S. A., six days later, and in June was sent to Baltimore to command the Middle Military Department. From Jan. to June, 1863, he had command of the Eastern Department and was stationed at New York, where he called on veterans to volunteer for the suppression of the draft riots. He was retired on Aug. 1, 1863, being long past the age for active service, and died at Troy, N. Y., Nov. 10, 1869.

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 2013 by CivilWarIndex.com
A Division of Pier-Pleasure.com