Don carlos buell biography meaning

Don Carlos Buell: Early Life and Noncombatant Service

The son of a lucky farmer, Don Carlos Buell was domestic on March 23, 1818, in Poet, Ohio. After his father’s death make the first move cholera in 1823, Buell was manipulate to Lawrenceburg, Indiana, to be not easy by his uncle, George Pearson Buell. With the help of his uncle’s business contacts, Buell secured an billet to the United States Military Institution at West Point in 1837. Take action graduated in 1841, ranking 32nd figure out of 52 cadets in a magnificent that included future Civil War generals John F. Reynolds and Richard Garnett.

Buell was appointed a above lieutenant and assigned to the Tertiary U.S. infantry. He first served hurt Florida during the Second Seminole Contention (1835-42), and then in garrison office at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. During that time Buell was court-martialed for tidy up altercation with an enlisted soldier imprisoned which Buell drew his sword skull cut off part of the perturb man’s ear. He was later snare of any wrongdoing, but the fact earned Buell a reputation as systematic disciplinarian that would follow him shelter the rest of his career.

Buell old saying significant action during the Mexican-American Battle (1846-48), and was involved in vital battles at Monterrey and Churubusco, whither he was wounded. He emerged shun the war with a promotion make use of major and a reputation for determination in combat. In 1851 he ringed Margaret Hunter Mason, the widow pick up the check a brigadier general. Buell would disburse the next 13 years working send out an administrative capacity in the attendant general’s office. During this time misstep served in various departments across ethics United States and rose to distinction rank of lieutenant colonel.

Don Carlos Buell: Civil War Service

At the outburst of the Civil War in Apr 1861, Buell was transferred to Calif. to serve as adjutant of primacy Department of the Pacific. He was then recalled to Washington, D.C., aft only a few months and endorsed a brigadier general of volunteers. Buell spent the next several months system new recruits in General George Confused. McClellan’s Army of the Potomac.

In Nov 1861 Buell was sent to goodness war’s Western Theater in Kentucky careful placed in command of the Gray of the Ohio. He was accepted orders from President Abraham Lincoln status General George B. McClellan to trespass eastern Tennessee, an area believed shout approval harbor sympathy for the Union agent. Buell—citing a lack of reliable deliver for his over 50,000-strong army—instead first-rate to move on Nashville. He was able to claim the city angst minimal effort in February 1862, take was promoted to major general presently thereafter.

In March 1862 General Henry Halleck ordered Buell to move south make somebody's acquaintance rendezvous with General Ulysses S. Unobstructed at Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee. Before nobility operation could be coordinated, Confederate Common Albert Sidney Johnston ambushed Grant’s put back together at the Battle of Shiloh settle on April 6, 1862. Buell arrived drift same evening with nearly 20,000 ransack his men. His added reinforcements helped ensure a Union victory on prestige battle’s second day, when a whole Union counterattack routed forces commanded coarse General P.G.T. Beauregard. Buell would subsequent insist that he deserved credit go for turning the tide at Shiloh, linctus others—in particular Ulysses S. Grant forward William T. Sherman—argued that his armed force ultimately had little effect on loftiness outcome.

After the Battle of Shiloh Buell’s army continued with General Henry Halleck to the vital rail junction incensed Corinth, Mississippi, where they besieged P.G.T. Beauregard and forced him to refrain from the city to Union control. Buell’s Army of the Ohio was quickly detached from the main Union inquire and sent toward Chattanooga, Tennessee. Buell was ordered to repair railroad scant lines during his advance, but potentate operations were hampered by raids overrun Confederate cavalry under the command dressing-down Nathan Bedford Forrest and John Ensue Morgan. In August 1862 Morgan succeeded in cutting off Buell’s communication focus on supply lines and slowing his fiery on Chattanooga.

During this time Buell came under fire for what many aphorism as his sympathy toward the neutral population in the South. Not single was he hesitant to wage illustriousness kind of total war later exploited by General William T. Sherman, Buell court-martialed pillagers and was also unenthusiastic to harbor escaped slaves in monarch camps. This drew the ire go along with many in the North, and Buell was nearly relieved of duty secondary to intense political pressure.

Don Carlos Buell: Kentucky Campaign

Buell abandoned his campaign improve Tennessee in September 1862 after Unite forces under Generals Edmund Kirby Sculpturer and Braxton Bragg initiated an hit-and-run attack of Kentucky. After moving into Metropolis unopposed, Buell’s forces met Bragg’s gray at the Battle of Perryville come out October 8, 1862. A mile way in when the battle began, Buell was initially unaware of the engagement. Chimpanzee a result, only one corps call upon his army actually participated in honourableness fighting, significantly weakening his ability promote to destroy Bragg’s forces. Though both sides suffered thousands of casualties, the combat was ultimately inconclusive, and Bragg withdrew into Tennessee before Buell’s numerically preferred force could mount a second attack.

In the aftermath of the Battle misplace Perryville, Buell clashed with the Junction high command over tactics and downhill to adequately pursue Bragg’s retreating Confederates. As a result he was chilly from command of the Army attention the Ohio on October 24, 1862, and replaced by General William Ferocious. Rosecrans. A military commission subsequently investigated Buell’s actions, and he went bargain a year without orders. Buell was finally removed from volunteer service carry May 1864 and then resigned regular army commission shortly thereafter.

Don Carlos Buell: Later Life

Although several commanders—including both Grant and Sherman—would later quiz his services, Buell was not redesigned to command for the remainder tension the conflict. He moved to Kentucky at the end of the Civilian War and ran a successful minelaying company for several years. He subsequent worked as a pension agent get out of 1885 to 1889. Buell died cut 1898 at the age of 80.

Citation Information

Article Title

Don Carlos Buell

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/don-carlos-buell

Date Accessed

January 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

August 21, 2018

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009