USA Bio: Irwin McDowell

[Battleline]

Note—Spelling of McDowell’s first name differs from source to source. Some state Irvin and some state Irwin. He is listed as Irwin on his tombstone.
Maj. Gen. Irwin McDowell (b. 1818, d. 1885) If Irwin McDowell had a nickname, it should have been “Manassas.” McDowell commanded Federal forces routed there July 21, 1861. And he commanded a corps in the army of John Pope during the second battle there. McDowell wasn’t even in the fighting when the war ended, having been transferred to the Department of the Pacific July 1, 1864. McDowell was born in Columbus, Ohio, Oct. 15, 1818. He received early education in France before receiving an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy. He graduated in the middle of the Class of 1838. From 1841-1845, he taught tactics at West Point. He later would face some of those same students on the battlefield during the Civil War. During the Mexican War, McDowell served as an aide-de-camp to Gen. J.E. Wool. He received a brevet to captain for his conduct during the Battle of Buena Vista. For many years between the wars, McDowell served in the office of the adjutant general of the army. With help from Secretary of the Treasury Salmon Chase, McDowell was promoted from major to brigadier general in the Regular Army, despite never having commanded in the field. Commanding the Department of Northeastern Virginia, McDowell was charged with forming and training an army. By July, political pressure forced McDowell to take his partially-trained army into the field. He met the Confederates at Manassas Junction. Unfortunately for McDowell, the railroad lines from the Shenandoah Valley and Richmond met there and the Confederates were able to reinforce by rail. McDowell’s plan was called “good on paper,” but that wasn’t good enough for him to retain command of the Federal army in front of Washington, D.C. In March of 1862, McDowell received a promotion to major general of volunteers, but by this time, George McClellan was the army commander. McDowell commanded the I Corps in McClellan’s Army of the Potomac. McClellan detached I Corps to defend Washington while he engaged in the Peninsular Campaign. McDowell’s force was designated the Department of the Rappahannock April 4, 1862. When John Pope was summoned to command the new Army of Virginia, McDowell command was redesignated III Corps of that command June 26, 1862. Divisions were commanded by Rufus King, James Ricketts, John Reynolds with George Bayard commanding the cavalry brigade. McDowell’s command went hunting for the Confederates, but were caught Aug. 28, 1862. The 1st Division was hit hard at Groveton. At Second Manassas, all three divisions were heavily engaged and battered as McDowell pursued the “retreating” enemy forces. Pushed back, McDowell’s command rejoined the Washington defenses. Severely criticized for his conduct, McDowell was replaced as corps commander Sept. 5, 1862. McDowell was a witness for the prosecution in the court martial of Fitz John Porter. Political ties protected McDowell, but his active role in the war was over. He was sent west and commanded the Department of the Pacific and Department of California through the end of the war. After the war, he commanded the Department of the West and the Division of the South. He received a promotion to full major general Nov. 25, 1872. In 1876, McDowell returned to command the Division of the Pacific. He served in this role until his retirement in 1882. McDowell died in San Francisco May 4, 1885, and was buried at the Presidio in San Francisco, a post he had done much to improve during his time there.

[Gil R.]

Interesting -- I thought Irvin was definitive, and those using Irwin were in error. In fact, I've changed some of the bios that had Irwin. But I guess tombstones don't lie.

[General Quarters]

I don't see any reason to think that his tombstone was infallible. Who knows who oversaw that piece of work? What do the military records say? That would be more relevant, I think.

[jkBluesman]

All the books I got, call him Irvin. By the way, was he not second-in-command to Pope?
McDowell must have really been hated by his men. Charles Francis Adams, Jr. (from the Adams family), first lieutenant in the 1st Massachusetts cavalry, wrote to his father, embassador in London, shortly after Second Manassas: "Do you know that in the opinion of our leading military men Washington is in more danger than it ever yet has been? Do you know that but for McDowell's jealousy we should have triumphantly marched into Richmond?"

[Battleline]

Heidler's Encyclopedia actually has McDowell as Irvin in the headline of his entry, but Irwin in the first line!
I'm not upset using either one.

[Gil R.]

If he was Russian that would explain it, since V is pronounced like W.

[General Quarters]

Oh, yeah, I remember that from Chekhov -- not Anton, but the one on Star Trek.

And McDowell certainly sounds like a Russian name. Case closed.

[ColinWright]

ORIGINAL: General Quarters

I don't see any reason to think that his tombstone was infallible. Who knows who oversaw that piece of work? What do the military records say? That would be more relevant, I think.

You could say they have the last word, though. When last seen, he seems to have been 'Irwin.'

[Gil R.]

Here, at last, is McDowell. I changed a few things around, but the only piece of information removed for space reasons was the bit about the Dept. of the Rappahannock.


Maj. Gen. Irwin McDowell (b. 1818, d. 1885). McDowell’s reputation in the Civil War was made at one place: Manassas. He commanded the Union forces routed there on July 21, 1861. And he commanded a corps in the army of Gen. John Pope during the second battle there. And because of his performance at both, McDowell was not even in the fighting when the war ended. McDowell was born in Columbus, Ohio, on October 15, 1818. He received early education in France before receiving an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy. He graduated in the middle of the Class of 1838, and from 1841-1845 taught tactics at West Point. He later would face some of those same students on the battlefield during the Civil War. During the Mexican War, McDowell served as an aide-de-camp to Gen. J.E. Wool, and received a brevet to captain for his conduct during the Battle of Buena Vista. For many years between the wars, McDowell served in the office of the adjutant general of the army. With help from Secretary of the Treasury Salmon Chase, McDowell was promoted from major to brigadier general in the Regular Army, despite never having commanded in the field. When the Civil War began, McDowell commanded the Department of Northeastern Virginia, and was charged with forming and training an army. By July, political pressure forced McDowell to take his partially-trained army into the field, despite his objections. McDowell met the Confederates near Manassas Junction, the strategically vital point where the railroad lines from the Shenandoah Valley and Richmond met. Unfortunately for him, Gen. Robert Patterson of the Department of Pennsylvania had failed to prevent Gen. Joseph E. Johnston’s Army of the Shenandoah from reinforcing the main Confederate force, Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard’s Army of the Potomac, by rail. But defeat in the First Battle of Bull Run was all but assured when McDowell’s battle plan – called “good on paper” – was not properly executed, and he himself inexplicably gave the routing enemy two hours to reform atop Henry Hill. Following the battle, McDowell was replaced by Gen. George B. McClellan. In March 1862, McDowell received a promotion to major general of volunteers, commanding the I Corps in McClellan’s Army of the Potomac, but was left behind to defend the capital when McClellan embarked on his ill-fated Peninsular Campaign. When Pope was summoned to command the new Army of Virginia, McDowell’s corps was attached to it as the III Corps on June 26. McDowell’s divisions were commanded by Gens. Rufus King, James Ricketts, and John Reynolds, with Gen. George Bayard commanding the cavalry brigade. McDowell’s command went hunting for the Confederates, but were themselves caught on August 28, when King’s Division was hit hard near Groveton. In the ensuing Second Battle of Bull Run, all three divisions were heavily engaged and battered as McDowell pursued what Pope wrongly deemed to be the “retreating” enemy forces. After Pope’s own retreat, McDowell’s command rejoined the Washington defenses. Severely criticized for his conduct in the battle, McDowell was replaced as corps commander on September 5. However, unlike his fellow officer Gen. Fitz John Porter – against whom McDowell served as a witness – McDowell was spared a court-martial by his political ties. Nonetheless, his active role in the war was over, and he was sent west on July 1, 1864 to command the Department of the Pacific and Department of California. After the war, he commanded the Department of the West and the Division of the South, and received a promotion to full major general November 25, 1872. In 1876, McDowell returned to command the Division of the Pacific, serving in this role until his retirement in 1882. McDowell died in San Francisco on May 4, 1885, and was buried at the Presidio, a post he had done much to improve during his time there. (Bio by Bill Battle)

Also, I replaced his "Random" special ability with "Cautious," one of our new ones.