USA Bio Daniel Tyler

[Battleline]

Brig. Gen. Daniel Tyler (b. 1799, d. 1882) While most of the major accomplishment’s of Daniel Tyler’s life were achieved in the south, he had no trouble with fighting for the Union cause during the Civil war. Tyler, who made a living at bringing companies back from the brink of bankruptcy to becoming profitable, founded the town of Anniston, Alabama, in the 1870s. This community, named after his daughter-in-law, became a booming industrial complex in the new south. Tyler was born Jan. 7, 1799, in Brooklyn, Connecticut. The son of a veteran of the Battle of Bunker Hill and the nephew of Gen. Robert O. Tyler, young Daniel prepared to attend Yale, but instead went to the U.S. Military Academy, graduating with the Class of 1819. An authority on artillery and ordnance, Tyler attended the artillery school in Metz, translating French systems into English. He became a superintendent of inspectors of arms made by private contractors for the army. He was brutally honest in this role, and it cost him in promotion. In 1834, 15 years after he graduated from West Point, he resigned his first lieutenant’s position. He found success with railroad and canal endeavors, but struggled with other industries. He was the president of the Macon & Western Railroad in Georgia for five years. When war broke out, Tyler was named colonel of the First Connecticut Infantry, a 90-day unit, and brigadier general of Connecticut volunteers. When Irvin McDowell decided on offensive action against the Confederates, Tyler commanded McDowell’s First Division which consisted of the brigades of Keyes, Schenck, Sherman and Richardson. Beaten at Blackburn’s Ford skirmish July 16, the division was sent against the Stone Bridge as a diversion in the July 21 battle. The division moved slowly, but the timing of McDowell’s battle plan came apart. Some of Tyler’s troops were able to advance to the battle at Henry Hill. When defeat turned into rout, both McDowell and Tyler blamed each other. Tyler was blamed for exceeding orders and undistinguished troop handling. Tyler blamed McDowell, claiming the commander had started the campaign to “make him the hero of a short war.” In any event, Tyler was the loser and was mustered out of service Aug. 11, 1861. He was recalled to the army being appointed a brigadier general of U.S. Volunteers March 13, 1862. This time, he went west and commanded a brigade in Stanley’s Division during the siege of Corinth. He later served on a commission which investigated Gen. D.C. Buell’s Kentucky and Tennessee Campaign. In 1863, he commanded posts at Harpers Ferry and Baltimore. He later commanded the District of Delaware. Past the retirement age of 65, Tyler resigned his commission April 6, 1864. After the war, he went south again. In addition to founding Anniston, Alabama, he bought large tracts of land in Guadalupe County, Texas. He also was president of an Alabama railroad. He died Nov. 30, 1882, while on a visit to New York City.

[Gil R.]

Here's Tyler. Relatively few changes were needed, and it's good to go.


Brig. Gen. Daniel Tyler (b. 1799, d. 1882). While most of the major accomplishments of Daniel Tyler’s life were achieved in the South, he had no trouble with fighting for the Union cause during the Civil war. Tyler, who made a living bringing companies back from the brink of bankruptcy and restoring them to profitability, founded the town of Anniston, Alabama, in the 1870’s. This community, named after his daughter-in-law, became a booming industrial complex in the new South. Tyler was born January 7, 1799, in Brooklyn, Connecticut. The son of a veteran of the Battle of Bunker Hill and the nephew of Civil War Gen. Robert O. Tyler, young Daniel prepared to attend Yale University, but instead went to the U.S. Military Academy, graduating with the Class of 1819. An authority on artillery and ordnance, Tyler attended the artillery school in Metz, translating French systems into English. He became a superintendent of the inspectors of arms made by private contractors for the army. Tyler was brutally honest in this role, and it cost him in terms of promotion. In 1834, fifteen years after he had graduated from West Point, Tyler resigned from the army, having reached the rank of 1st lieutenant. He found success with railroad and canal endeavors, including his five years at the head of the Macon & Western Railroad in Georgia, but struggled with other industries. When war broke out, Tyler was named Colonel of the 1st Connecticut Infantry, a 90-day unit, and brigadier general of Connecticut volunteers. When Gen. Irvin McDowell, commander of the Union’s Army of Northeastern Virginia, decided on offensive action against the Confederates, Tyler commanded McDowell’s 1st Division, which consisted of the brigades of Erasmus D. Keyes, Israel B. Richardson, Robert C. Schenck, and William T. Sherman. Beaten at Blackburn’s Ford in a skirmish on July 18, Tyler’s division was sent against the Stone Bridge as a diversion in the First Battle of Bull Run three days later. The division did slowly make its attack, but the timing of McDowell’s battle plan came apart elsewhere. Some of Tyler’s troops were able to advance to the battle at Henry House Hill, but the battle was lost. When defeat turned into rout, both McDowell and Tyler blamed each other: Tyler was blamed for exceeding orders and undistinguished troop handling; on the other hand, Tyler blamed McDowell, claiming the commander had started the campaign to “make him the hero of a short war.” McDowell won this battle, and Tyler was mustered out of service on August 11, 1861. He was recalled to the army the following year, being appointed a brigadier general of volunteers on March 13, 1862. Sent to the western theater, Tyler commanded a brigade in Gen. David S. Stanley’s Division in Gen. John Pope’s Army of the Mississippi during the Siege of Corinth. He later served on a commission which investigated Gen. Don C. Buell’s Kentucky and Tennessee Campaigns. In 1863, Tyler commanded posts at Harpers Ferry and Baltimore, and later commanded the District of Delaware. Past the retirement age of 65, Tyler resigned his commission on April 6, 1864. After the war, he went south again. In addition to founding Anniston, he bought large tracts of land in Guadalupe County, Texas. He also became president of the Mobile and Montgomery Railroad. Tyler died November 30, 1882, while on a visit to New York City. His granddaughter, Edith Carow Roosevelt, was Theodore Roosevelt’s second wife and served as First Lady. (Bio by Bill Battle)

Leadership: 3
Tactical: 3
Initiative: 1
Command: 2
Cavalry:

Start date: 28 (but is available in July scenario since he commanded a brigade as a colonel)
“Death” date: 74