William McEntyre Dye
Encyclopedia
William McEntyre Dye was a soldier from the United States who served in military capacities around the world. He became a general in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
, a colonel in the Egyptian army and military adviser to the King of Korea.
in 1831 and was appointed to West Point in 1849. He graduated in 1853 as a 2nd lieutenant in the 4th U.S. Infantry. By 1859 he was the regimental quartermaster.
When the Civil War began in 1861, Dye was a captain in the U.S. Army. However he accepted a commission as colonel of the 20th Iowa Infantry Regiment
on August 25, 1862. In 1862 Colonel Dye commanded the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division of the Army of the Frontier
. Dye led the brigade at the battle of Prairie Grove
where his division was under the overall command of Brig. Gen. Francis J. Herron
. The following year, Dye returned to command of his regiment and was part of Herron's division of reinforcements sent to aid the Union army besieging Vicksburg.
After the fall of Vicksburg, Dye commanded various brigades in the Department of the Gulf. He was in command of a brigade during the Battle of Brownsville
. In May 1864 he was brevetted colonel in the U.S. Army for his service in the Red River Campaign
. He led his regiment in the attack on Fort Morgan
during the battle of Mobile Bay
. For the next year he served in the Reserve Corps in the Department of the Gulf. Once again he led his regiment into battle around Mobile, this time at the battle of Fort Blakely
. He was brevetted brigadier general of volunteers dated March 13, 1865 and brevetted colonel U.S.A. on April 9, 1865 for services at Mobile, Alabama. His last service in the volunteer army was as the Exchange Agent for POWs in the Military Division of West Mississippi.
, won the confidence of the Khedive of Egypt and encouraged him to use other Civil War veterans to help modernize the Egyptian army. In 1873 Dye travelled to Egypt to become one several other Union and Confederate veterans who offered their service to the Khedive. There Dye received the rank of colonel. General Charles P. Stone was another American veteran in Egypt who now held the rank of major general in the Egyptian army. Stone first suggested Dye to be the American chief-of-staff in the upcoming campaign against Abyssinia
. However, Dye refused the appointment as he had no confidence in the Egyptian commander. The position of chief of staff eventually went to General William W. Loring
and Dye was appointed assistant chief-of-staff under Loring. At the battle of Gura Dye was wounded in the foot and later was court martialed for hitting another Egyptian officer. The matter remained unresolved and he returned to the United States in 1878.
.
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...
, a colonel in the Egyptian army and military adviser to the King of Korea.
Civil War
Dye was born in Washington, PennsylvaniaWashington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
in 1831 and was appointed to West Point in 1849. He graduated in 1853 as a 2nd lieutenant in the 4th U.S. Infantry. By 1859 he was the regimental quartermaster.
When the Civil War began in 1861, Dye was a captain in the U.S. Army. However he accepted a commission as colonel of the 20th Iowa Infantry Regiment
20th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 20th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 20th Iowa Infantry was organized at Clinton, Iowa and mustered in for three years of Federal service on August 25, 1862.The regiment was mustered out on July...
on August 25, 1862. In 1862 Colonel Dye commanded the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division of the Army of the Frontier
Army of the Frontier
The Army of the Frontier was a Union army that served in the Trans-Mississippi Theater during the Civil War. It fought in several minor engagements in Arkansas, Indian Territory, and Kansas...
. Dye led the brigade at the battle of Prairie Grove
Battle of Prairie Grove
The Battle of Prairie Grove was a battle of the American Civil War fought on 7 December 1862, that resulted in a tactical stalemate but essentially secured northwest Arkansas for the Union.-Strategic situation: Union:...
where his division was under the overall command of Brig. Gen. Francis J. Herron
Francis J. Herron
Francis Jay Herron , was a Union general during the American Civil War.-Biography:Francis J. Herron attended the Western University of Pennsylvania, but left at the age of sixteen without completing his degree to become a bank clerk. In 1855, he joined his three brothers in Dubuque, Iowa, where...
. The following year, Dye returned to command of his regiment and was part of Herron's division of reinforcements sent to aid the Union army besieging Vicksburg.
After the fall of Vicksburg, Dye commanded various brigades in the Department of the Gulf. He was in command of a brigade during the Battle of Brownsville
Battle of Brownsville
The Battle of Brownsville took place on November 2-6, 1863 during the American Civil War. It was a successful effort on behalf of the Union Army to disrupt Confederate blockade runners along the Gulf Coast in Texas...
. In May 1864 he was brevetted colonel in the U.S. Army for his service in the Red River Campaign
Red River Campaign
The Red River Campaign or Red River Expedition consisted of a series of battles fought along the Red River in Louisiana during the American Civil War from March 10 to May 22, 1864. The campaign was a Union initiative, fought between approximately 30,000 Union troops under the command of Maj. Gen....
. He led his regiment in the attack on Fort Morgan
Siege of Fort Morgan
The Siege of Fort Morgan occurred during the American Civil War as part of the battle for Mobile Bay in 1864. Union ground forces led by General Gordon Granger conducted a short siege of the Confederate garrison at the mouth of Mobile Bay under the command of General Richard L. Page...
during the battle of Mobile Bay
Battle of Mobile Bay
The Battle of Mobile Bay of August 5, 1864, was an engagement of the American Civil War in which a Federal fleet commanded by Rear Adm. David G. Farragut, assisted by a contingent of soldiers, attacked a smaller Confederate fleet led by Adm...
. For the next year he served in the Reserve Corps in the Department of the Gulf. Once again he led his regiment into battle around Mobile, this time at the battle of Fort Blakely
Battle of Fort Blakely
-Sources:**-External links:*...
. He was brevetted brigadier general of volunteers dated March 13, 1865 and brevetted colonel U.S.A. on April 9, 1865 for services at Mobile, Alabama. His last service in the volunteer army was as the Exchange Agent for POWs in the Military Division of West Mississippi.
Egyptian Army
General Dye was mustered out of the volunteer service on July 8, 1865. On 14 Jan 1866 he was promoted to major of the 4th U.S. Infantry but in 1870 he was unassigned and discharged from the U.S. Army. In 1868 Civil War veteran, Thaddeus P. MottThaddeus P. Mott
Thaddeus Phelps Mott was a 19th-century American adventurer, world sailor and soldier of fortune. A former Union Army officer during American Civil War, he also took part in wars in Mexico, Italy, and Turkey...
, won the confidence of the Khedive of Egypt and encouraged him to use other Civil War veterans to help modernize the Egyptian army. In 1873 Dye travelled to Egypt to become one several other Union and Confederate veterans who offered their service to the Khedive. There Dye received the rank of colonel. General Charles P. Stone was another American veteran in Egypt who now held the rank of major general in the Egyptian army. Stone first suggested Dye to be the American chief-of-staff in the upcoming campaign against Abyssinia
Ethiopian Empire
The Ethiopian Empire also known as Abyssinia, covered a geographical area that the present-day northern half of Ethiopia and Eritrea covers, and included in its peripheries Zeila, Djibouti, Yemen and Western Saudi Arabia...
. However, Dye refused the appointment as he had no confidence in the Egyptian commander. The position of chief of staff eventually went to General William W. Loring
William W. Loring
William Wing Loring was a soldier from North Carolina who served in the armies of the United States, the Confederacy, and Egypt.-Early life:...
and Dye was appointed assistant chief-of-staff under Loring. At the battle of Gura Dye was wounded in the foot and later was court martialed for hitting another Egyptian officer. The matter remained unresolved and he returned to the United States in 1878.
Korean government
Upon his return to the U.S. Dye served as the Chief of Police in Washington, DC. In 1888 General Philip H. Sheridan recommended Dye for the position as Chief Military Adviser to the Korean Government under King Gojong. He served the king for the next 11 years, even writing a military treatise in Korean. He returned to the United States in 1899 but died the same year in Muskegon, MichiganMuskegon, Michigan
Muskegon is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,401. The city is the county seat of Muskegon County...
.