William M. Dunn
Encyclopedia
William McKee Dunn was a U.S. Representative
from Indiana
and the Judge Advocate General of the United States Army.
, Jefferson County
, Territory of Indiana
, Dunn attended school in the first schoolhouse in Hanover. He was graduated from Indiana College
in 1832 and from Yale College
in 1835. He subsequently studied law and was admitted to the bar
in 1837. He then established a legal practice. Dunn served as member of the Indiana House of Representatives
in 1848. He was delegate to the state constitutional convention in 1850.
Dunn was elected as a Republican
to the Thirty-sixth
and Thirty-seventh
Congresses. He served from March 4, 1859, until March 3, 1863. He served as chairman of the Committee on Patents (Thirty-seventh Congress). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1862 to the Thirty-eighth Congress
.
, in addition to his congressional duties, Dunn served in the Union Army
as a volunteer aide-de-camp
to General George B. McClellan
from June 19, 1861, to August 1861, in the campaign in western Virginia.
Following his unsuccessful bid to remain in Congress, Dunn accepted a military commission from the Governor of Indiana
, fellow Republican Oliver P. Morton. He was a major
and judge advocate general in the Department of the Missouri
from March 13, 1863, until July 6, 1864. He was appointed lieutenant colonel
and Assistant Judge Advocate General of the United States Army on June 22, 1864. At the end of the war, he was brevetted as a brigadier general dating from March 13, 1865.
He died at his summer residence, "Maplewood," in Dunn Loring
, Fairfax County, Virginia
, on July 24, 1887. He was interred in Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, D.C.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 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 the Judge Advocate General of the United States Army.
Early life and career
Born in HanoverHanover, Indiana
Hanover is a town in Hanover Township, Jefferson County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. The population was 3,546 at the 2010 census. Hanover is the home of Hanover College, a small Presbyterian liberal arts college. Hanover is also the home of Southwestern High School...
, Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Indiana
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 32,428. The county seat is Madison.-History:Jefferson County was formed in 1811...
, Territory of Indiana
Indiana Territory
The Territory of Indiana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1800, until November 7, 1816, when the southern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Indiana....
, Dunn attended school in the first schoolhouse in Hanover. He was graduated from Indiana College
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
in 1832 and from Yale College
Yale College
Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...
in 1835. He subsequently studied law and was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
in 1837. He then established a legal practice. Dunn served as member of the Indiana House of Representatives
Indiana House of Representatives
The Indiana House of Representatives is the lower house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The House is composed of 100 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. House members serve two-year terms without term limits...
in 1848. He was delegate to the state constitutional convention in 1850.
Dunn was elected as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to the Thirty-sixth
36th United States Congress
The Thirty-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1859 to March 4, 1861, during the third and fourth...
and Thirty-seventh
37th United States Congress
The Thirty-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1861 to March 4, 1863, during the first two...
Congresses. He served from March 4, 1859, until March 3, 1863. He served as chairman of the Committee on Patents (Thirty-seventh Congress). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1862 to the Thirty-eighth Congress
38th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:Before this Congress, the 1860 United States Census and resulting reapportionment changed the size of the House to 241 members...
.
Civil War
During the early part of the American Civil WarAmerican 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...
, in addition to his congressional duties, Dunn served 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...
as a volunteer aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to General George B. McClellan
George B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
from June 19, 1861, to August 1861, in the campaign in western Virginia.
Following his unsuccessful bid to remain in Congress, Dunn accepted a military commission from the Governor of Indiana
Governor of Indiana
The Governor of Indiana is the chief executive of the state of Indiana. The governor is elected to a four-year term, and responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the functions of many agencies of the Indiana state government. The governor also shares power with other statewide...
, fellow Republican Oliver P. Morton. He was a major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
and judge advocate general in the Department of the Missouri
Department of the Missouri
Department of the Missouri was a division of the United States Army that functioned through the American Civil War and the Indian Wars afterwards.-Civil War:...
from March 13, 1863, until July 6, 1864. He was appointed lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
and Assistant Judge Advocate General of the United States Army on June 22, 1864. At the end of the war, he was brevetted as a brigadier general dating from March 13, 1865.
Postbellum career
Following the Civil War, Dunn stayed in the Regular Army. He was promoted to brigadier general and Judge Advocate General on December 1, 1875. He retired from the army on January 22, 1881.He died at his summer residence, "Maplewood," in Dunn Loring
Dunn Loring, Virginia
Dunn Loring is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population was 8,803 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
, on July 24, 1887. He was interred in Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....