Orlando B. Willcox
Encyclopedia
Orlando Bolivar Willcox (April 16, 1823 – May 11, 1907) was an American
soldier who served as a general in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
. He entered the United States Military Academy
in West Point, New York
, in 1843. Following graduation in 1847, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 4th U.S. Artillery. He would subsequently serve in the United States Army
in various capacities over a period of forty years. Willcox served in the Mexican-American War, fought against the Indians on the frontier
, and again in the Third Seminole War
. Following the latter conflict, he resigned from the Army in 1857.
of the 1st Michigan Volunteer Infantry
. He was wounded and captured in the First Battle of Bull Run
(First Manassas) while in command of a brigade
in Maj. Gen.
Samuel P. Heintzelman
's division. He later received the Medal of Honor
in 1895 for "most distinguished gallantry" during the battle.
After his release and exchange more than a year later, on August 19, 1862, President
Abraham Lincoln
appointed Willcox a brigadier general
of volunteers, to rank from July 1, 1861. The President had to submit the nomination three times, the last on March 7, 1863, before the U.S. Senate finally confirmed the appointment on March 11, 1863. Willcox commanded the 1st Division of Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside
's IX Corps
in 1862. He led the division at the Battle of Antietam
and the corps at the Battle of Fredericksburg
.
During the 1863 draft riots
, Willcox commanded the District of Indiana
and Michigan. He again led a division at Knoxville
and during Lt. Gen.
Ulysses S. Grant
's Overland Campaign
. On December 12, 1864, President
Abraham Lincoln
nominated Willcox for appointment to the brevet
grade of major general
of volunteers to rank from August 1, 1864, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on April 14, 1865. Following the Siege of Petersburg
, he led the first troops to enter Petersburg, Virginia
, before ending the war serving in North Carolina
. He was mustered out of the volunteers on January 15, 1866. Willcox returned to Detroit to resume his career as a lawyer but when the United States (Regular Army) was expanded in July 1866, he accepted appointment as colonel of the 29th U.S. Infantry Regiment.
On March 26, 1867, President Andrew Johnson
nominated Willcox for appointment to the brevet grade of brigadier general, USA (regular army), to rank from March 2, 1867, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on April 5, 1867. Also, on the same dates of nomination, rank and confirmation, President Johnson nominated and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment of Willcox to the brevet grade of major general, USA (regular army).
Willcox transferred to the 12th U.S. Infantry Regiment in 1869 and served in San Francisco, except for brief periods, until 1879 when he became Commander of the Department of Arizona
. In this capacity, he put down the raids of Apache
Indians. For his service in the West, he was awarded a Vote of Thanks by the Arizona Legislature. Willcox was appointed a brigadier general, USA (regular army), October 13, 1886. He retired April 16, 1887 as a brigadier general. After his retirement, Willcox was governor of the Soldiers' Home in Washington, D.C. from February 27, 1889 to July 8, 1892.
Willcox moved to Canada in 1905. He died in Cobourg, Ontario
, at 85 years of age and was buried in Section 1, Grave 18, of Arlington National Cemetery
.
Citation:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soldier who served as a general in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Early life
Willcox was born in Detroit, MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. He entered the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
in West Point, New York
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
, in 1843. Following graduation in 1847, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 4th U.S. Artillery. He would subsequently serve in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in various capacities over a period of forty years. Willcox served in the Mexican-American War, fought against the Indians on the frontier
Frontier
A frontier is a political and geographical term referring to areas near or beyond a boundary. 'Frontier' was absorbed into English from French in the 15th century, with the meaning "borderland"--the region of a country that fronts on another country .The use of "frontier" to mean "a region at the...
, and again in the Third Seminole War
Seminole Wars
The Seminole Wars, also known as the Florida Wars, were three conflicts in Florida between the Seminole — the collective name given to the amalgamation of various groups of native Americans and Black people who settled in Florida in the early 18th century — and the United States Army...
. Following the latter conflict, he resigned from the Army in 1857.
Civil War
When the Civil War began, Willcox was practicing law in Detroit. He was appointed colonelColonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
of the 1st Michigan Volunteer Infantry
1st Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment (3 Months)
The 1st Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 1st Michigan Infantry was organized at Detroit, Michigan and mustered into Federal service for three months on May 1, 1861...
. He was wounded and captured in the First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
(First Manassas) while in command of a brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
in Maj. Gen.
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
Samuel P. Heintzelman
Samuel P. Heintzelman
Samuel Peter Heintzelman was a United States Army General. He served in the Seminole War, the Mexican-American War, the Yuma War, the Cortina Troubles, and the American Civil War, rising to the command of a corps....
's division. He later received the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
in 1895 for "most distinguished gallantry" during the battle.
After his release and exchange more than a year later, on August 19, 1862, President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
appointed Willcox a brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
of volunteers, to rank from July 1, 1861. The President had to submit the nomination three times, the last on March 7, 1863, before the U.S. Senate finally confirmed the appointment on March 11, 1863. Willcox commanded the 1st Division of Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Everett Burnside was an American soldier, railroad executive, inventor, industrialist, and politician from Rhode Island, serving as governor and a U.S. Senator...
's IX Corps
IX Corps (ACW)
IX Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War that distinguished itself in combat in multiple theaters: the Carolinas, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi.-Formation, Second Bull Run, and Antietam:...
in 1862. He led the division at the Battle of Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
and the corps at the Battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
.
During the 1863 draft riots
New York Draft Riots
The New York City draft riots were violent disturbances in New York City that were the culmination of discontent with new laws passed by Congress to draft men to fight in the ongoing American Civil War. The riots were the largest civil insurrection in American history apart from the Civil War itself...
, Willcox commanded the District of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
and Michigan. He again led a division at Knoxville
Battle of Fort Sanders
The Battle of Fort Sanders was the decisive engagement of the Knoxville Campaign of the American Civil War, fought in Knoxville, Tennessee, on November 29, 1863. Assaults by Confederate Lt. Gen. James Longstreet failed to break through the defensive lines of Union Maj. Gen...
and during Lt. Gen.
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
's Overland Campaign
Overland Campaign
The Overland Campaign, also known as Grant's Overland Campaign and the Wilderness Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and June 1864, in the American Civil War. Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all Union armies, directed the actions of the Army of the...
. On December 12, 1864, President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
nominated Willcox for appointment to the brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
grade of major general
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
of volunteers to rank from August 1, 1864, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on April 14, 1865. Following the Siege of Petersburg
Siege of Petersburg
The Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War...
, he led the first troops to enter Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
, before ending the war serving in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. He was mustered out of the volunteers on January 15, 1866. Willcox returned to Detroit to resume his career as a lawyer but when the United States (Regular Army) was expanded in July 1866, he accepted appointment as colonel of the 29th U.S. Infantry Regiment.
On March 26, 1867, President Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
nominated Willcox for appointment to the brevet grade of brigadier general, USA (regular army), to rank from March 2, 1867, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on April 5, 1867. Also, on the same dates of nomination, rank and confirmation, President Johnson nominated and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment of Willcox to the brevet grade of major general, USA (regular army).
Willcox transferred to the 12th U.S. Infantry Regiment in 1869 and served in San Francisco, except for brief periods, until 1879 when he became Commander of the Department of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. In this capacity, he put down the raids of Apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
Indians. For his service in the West, he was awarded a Vote of Thanks by the Arizona Legislature. Willcox was appointed a brigadier general, USA (regular army), October 13, 1886. He retired April 16, 1887 as a brigadier general. After his retirement, Willcox was governor of the Soldiers' Home in Washington, D.C. from February 27, 1889 to July 8, 1892.
Willcox moved to Canada in 1905. He died in Cobourg, Ontario
Cobourg, Ontario
Cobourg is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in Southern Ontario 95 km east of Toronto. It is the largest town in Northumberland County. Its nearest neighbour is Port Hope, to the west. It is located along Highway 401 and the former Highway 2...
, at 85 years of age and was buried in Section 1, Grave 18, of Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: Colonel, 1st Michigan Infantry. Place and date: At Bull Run, Va., July 21, 1861. Entered service at: Detroit, Mich. Birth: Detroit, Mich. Date of issue: March 2, 1895.Citation:
Led repeated charges until wounded and taken prisoner.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients
- List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients: T–Z
- List of American Civil War generals (Union)