Biographies of Union Generals: Scribner’s

See below for an alphabetical listing of the 193 Union Generals who were included in the Scribner’s set.


Click on an entry below to view biographies of Union Generals from Scribner’s Dictionary of American Biography.

A-C: Alvord through Crook

D-F: Dodge through Fremont

G: Garfield through Grierson

H-J: Halleck through Hurlbut

K-L: Kearney through Lyon

Ma-Me: McCook through Merritt

Mi-Mo: Miles through Mower

N-O: Niell through Osterhaus

P-Q: Paine through Potts

R: Ramsay through Russell

Sa-Sh: Schenck through Shields

Si-Sy: Sibley through Sykes

T-V: Taylor through Vinton

W-Z: Wadsworth through Wright

Union Generals: A - Z

ALVORD, BENJAMIN (Aug. 18, 1813-Oct. 16, 1884), Union soldier.

ANDERSON, ROBERT (June 14, 1805-0ct. 26, 1871), Union soldier.  Commander of Ft. Sumpter, 1861.

AUGUR, CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS (July 16, 1821-Jan.16, 1898), Union soldier.

BAKER, EDWARD DICKINSON (Feb. 24, 1811-Oct. 22, 1861), Union soldier, U.S. senator.

BANKS, NATHANIEL PRENTISS (Jan. 30, 1816-Sept. 1, 1894), congressman, governor of Massachusetts, Union soldier.

BARNARD, JOHN GROSS (May 19, 1815- May 14, 1882), Union soldier.

BARRY, WILLIAM FARQUHAR (Aug. 18, 1818-July 18, 1879), Union soldier.

BIRNEY, WILLIAM (May 28, 1819-Aug. 14, 1907), Union soldier.

BLAIR, FRANCIS PRESTON (Feb. 19, 1821-July 9, 1875), Union soldier, statesman,

BUELL, DON CARLOS (Mar. 23, 1818- Nov. 19, 1898), Union soldier.

BUFORD, JOHN (Mar. 4, 1826-Dec. 16, 1863), Union soldier.

BUFORD, NAPOLEON BONAPARTE (Jan. 13, 1807-Mar. 28, 1883), Union soldier.

BURNSIDE, AMBROSE EVERETT (May 23, 1824-Sept. 13, 1881), Union soldier.

BUTLER, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN (Nov. 5, 1818-Jan.11, 1893), Union soldier, congressman, governor of Massachusetts.

BUTTERFIELD, DANIEL (Oct. 31, 1831- July 17, 1901), Union soldier.

CHAMBERLAIN, JOSHUA LAWRENCE (Sept. 8, 1828-Feb. 24, 1914), Union soldier, governor of Maine, educator.

CLAY, CASSIUS MARCELLUS (Oct. 19, 1810--July 22, 1903), abolitionist, Union soldier.

COX, JACOB DOLSON (Oct. 27, 1828-Aug. 8, 1900), Union general, governor of Ohio, secretary of the interior, author,

CROOK, GEORGE (Sept. 23, 1829-Mar. 21, 1890), soldier.

DODGE, GRENVILLE MELLEN (April 12, 1831-Jan. 3, 1916), civil engineer, politician, Union soldier.

FRANKLIN, WILLIAM BUEL (Feb. 27, 1823-Mar. 8, 1903), Union soldier and business executive.

FREMONT, JOHN CHARLES (Jan. 21, 1813-July 13, 1890), explorer, politician, presidential candidate, soldier.

GARFIELD, JAMES ABRAM (Nov. 19, 1831-Sept. 19, 1881), Union soldier, congressman, president of the United States.

GEARY, JOHN WHITE (Dec. 30, 1819- Feb. 8, 1873), soldier, territorial governor of Kansas, governor of Pennsylvania.

GIBBON, JOHN (April 20, 1827-Feb. 6, 1896), Union soldier.

GILLMORE, QUINCY ADAMS (Feb. 28, 1825-April 7, 1888), Union soldier, military engineer.

GRANGER, GORDON (Nov. 6, 1822-Jan. 10, 1876), Union soldier.

GRANT, ULYSSES SIMPSON (April 27, 1822-July 23, 1885), general of the armies, president of the United States.

GRANT, FREDERICK DENT (May 30, 1850-April I11, 1912), soldier, son of Ulysses S. Grant [q.v.] and Julia (Dent) Grant.

GREENE, GEORGE SEARS (May 6, 1801-Jan. 28, 1899), soldier and civil engineer.

GREGG, DAVID McMURTRIE (April 10, 1833-Aug. 7, 1916), Union soldier.

GREGG, DAVID McMURTRIE (April 10, 1833-Aug. 7, 1916), Union soldier.

HALLECK, HENRY WAGER (Jan. 16, 1815-Jan. 9, 1872), soldier, author, lawyer, capitalist.

HANCOCK, WINFIELD SCOTT (Feb. 14, 1824-Feb. 9, 1886), soldier, presidential candidate.

HAUPT, HERMAN (Mar. 26, 1817-Dec. 14, 1905), civil engineer, author, and inventor.

HEINTZELMAN, SAMUEL PETER (Sept. 30, 1805-May 1, 1880), soldier.

HITCHCOCK, ETHAN ALLEN (May 18, 1798-Aug. 5, 1870), Union soldier, author.

HOOKER, JOSEPH (Nov. 13, 1814-Oct. 31, 1879), Union soldier.

HOWARD, OLIVER OTIS (Nov. 8, 1830-Oct. 26, 1909), Union soldier, abolitionist, head of the Freedman’s Bureau.

HOWE, ALBION PARRIS (Mar. 25, 1818- Jan. 25, 1897), Union soldier.

HUMPHREYS, ANDREW ATKINSON (Nov. 2, 1810-Dec. 27, 1883), engineer, scientist, Union soldier.

HUNT, HENRY JACKSON (Sept. 14, 1819- Feb. 11, 1889), soldier, artillery officer.

HUNTER, DAVID (July 21, 1802-Feb. 2, 1886),  Union soldier, abolitionist.

HURLBUT, STEPHEN AUGUSTUS (Nov. 29, 1815-Mar. 27, 1882), Union soldier.

KEARNY, PHILIP (June 1, 1814-Sept. 1, 1862), soldier.

KEYES, ERASMUS DARWIN (May 29, 1810-Oct. 14, 1895), soldier, business man.

KILPATRICK, HUGH JUDSON (Jan. 14, 1836-Dec. 2, 1881), soldier, diplomat.

LOGAN, JOHN ALEXANDER (Feb. 9, 1826--Dec. 26, 1886), Union soldier, United States senator.

LYON, NATHANIEL (July 14, 1818-Aug. 10, 1861), soldier.

McCOOK, ALEXANDER McDOWELL (April. 22, 1831-June 12, 1903), soldier.

McCOOK, ANSON GEORGE (Oct. 10, 1835-Dec. 30, 1917), Union soldier, congressman, publisher.

McCOOK, EDWARD MOODY (June 15, 1833-Sept. 9, 1909), Union soldier, minister to Hawaii, governor of Colorado Territory.

McCOOK, EDWARD MOODY (June 15, 1833-Sept. 9, 1909), Union soldier, minister to Hawaii, governor of Colorado Territory.

MACKENZIE, RANALD SLIDELL (July 27, 1840-Jan. 19, 1889), soldier.

MANSFIELD, JOSEPH KING FENNO (Dec. 22, 1803-Sept. 18, 1862), military engineer.

MARCY, RANDOLPH BARNES (April 9, 1812-Nov. 22, 1887), soldier.

McCLELLAN, GEORGE BRINTON (Dec. 3, 1826--Oct. 29, 1885), Union soldier, presidential candidate 1864, Governor of New Jersey.

McDOWELL, IRVIN (Oct. 15, 1818-May 4, 1885), soldier.

McPHERSON, JAMES BIRDSEYE (Nov. 14, 1828-July 22, 1864), Union soldier.

MEADE, GEORGE GORDON (Dec. 31, 1815-Nov. 6, 1872), soldier, the victor of Gettysburg.

MEAGHER, THOMAS FRANCIS (Aug. 23, 1823-July 1, 1867), politician, lawyer, soldier. 

MEIGS, MONTGOMERY CUNNINGHAM (May 3, 1816-Jan. 2, 1892), soldier, quartermaster general Union army.

MERRITT, WESLEY (June 16, 1834-Dec. 3, 1910), soldier.

MILES, NELSON APPLETON (Aug. 8, 1839-May 15, 1925), soldier.

MILROY, ROBERT HUSTON (June n, 1816-Mar. 29, 1890), soldier and Indian agent,

MORGAN, EDWIN DENISON (Feb. 8, 1811-Feb. 14; 1883), governor of New York, United States senator, Union general.

MORGAN, GEORGE WASHINGTON (Sept. 20, 1820-July 26, 1893), soldier, lawyer, congressman.

MORGAN, JAMES DADA (Aug. 1, 1810-Sept. 12, 1896), Union soldier, merchant, and banker.

MORGAN, THOMAS JEFFERSON (Aug. 17, 1839-July 13, 1902), soldier, Baptist clergyman, educator, and denominational leader.

MORRIS, THOMAS ARMSTRONG (Dec. 26, 1811-Mar. 22, 1904), Union General, civil and military engineer.

MORRIS, WILLIAM HOPKINS (April 22; 1827-Aug. 26, 1900), soldier, author.

MORTON, JAMES ST. CLAIR (Sept. 24, 1829-June 17, 1864), soldier, engineer, and author of works on engineering and fortification.

MOTT, GERSHOM (April 7, 1822-Nov. 29, 1884), Union soldier.

MOWER, JOSEPH ANTHONY (Aug. 22, 1827-Jan. 6, 1870), soldier.

NEILL, THOMAS HEWSON (April 9, 1826- Mar. 12, 1885), soldier.

NELSON, WILLIAM (Sept. 27, 1824-Sept. 29, 1862), naval officer, Union soldier.

NEWTON, JOHN (Aug. 24, 1823-May 1, 1895), soldier, engineer.

OGLESBY, RICHARD JAMES (July 25, 1824-April 24, 1899), governor of Illinois and senator.

OLIVER, PAUL AMBROSE (July 18, 1830-May 17, 1912), soldier, inventor, manufacturer.

ORD, EDWARD OTHO CRESAP (Oct. 18, 1818-July 22, 1883), soldier.

OSBORN, THOMAS OGDEN (Aug. 11, 1832-Mar. 27, 1904), lawyer, soldier, diplomat.

OSTERHAUS, PETER JOSEPH (Jan. 4, 1823-Jan. 2, 1917), Union soldier, consul.

PAINE, HALBERT ELEAZER (Feb. 4, 182~April 14, 1905), lawyer, Union soldier, congressman, and commissioner of U.S. patents.

PALMER, INNIS NEWTON (Mar. 30, 1824-Sept. 9, 1900), soldier.

PALMER, JOHN MCAULEY (Sept. 13, 1817-Sept. 25, 1900), governor of Illinois, senator, soldier.

PARKE, JOHN GRUBB (Sept. 22, 1827- Dec. 16, 1900), soldier.

PARSONS, LEWIS BALDWIN (April 5, 1818-Mar. 16, 1907), lawyer, railroad president, Union soldier.

PATRICK, MARSENA RUDOLPH (Mar. 11, 1811-July 27, 1888), soldier and agriculturist.

PECK, JOHN JAMES (Jan. 4, 1821-April 21, 1878), soldier and man of affairs.

PENNYPACKER, GALUSHA (June 1, 1844-Oct. 1, 1916), soldier.

PHELPS, JOHN SMITH (Dec. 22, 1814- Nov. 20, 1886), congressman, governor of Missouri.

PLEASONTON, ALFRED (June 7, 1824- Feb. 17, 1897), soldier.

POE, ORLANDO METCALFE (Mar. 7, 1832-Oct. 2, 1895), soldier and engineer.

POPE, JOHN (Mar. 16, 1822-Sept. 23, 1892), soldier.

PORTER, FITZ-JOHN (Aug. 31, 1822-May 21, 1901), soldier.

POTTER, ROBERT BROWN (July 16, 1829-Feruary 19, 1887), Union soldier.

POTTS, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN (Jan. 29, 1836-June 17, 1887), Union soldier, territorial governor of Montana.

RAMSAY, GEORGE DOUGLAS (Feb. 21, 1802-May 23, 1882); soldier.

RANSOM, THOMAS EDWARD GREENFIELD (Nov. 29, 1834-Oct. 29, 1864), soldier.

RAUM, GREEN BERRY (Dec. 3, 1829-Dec. 18, 1909), soldier, politician.

RAWLINS, JOHN AARON (Feb. 13, 1831- Sept. 6, 1869), soldier.

RENO, JESSE LEE (June 20, 1823-Sept. 14, 1862), soldier.

REVERE, JOSEPH WARREN (May 17, 1812-April 20, 1880), naval officer, writer, adventurer, and general in the Civil War.

REYNOLDS, JOHN FULTON (Sept. 20, 1820-July 1, 1863), Union soldier.

REYNOLDS, JOSEPH JONES (Jan. 4, 1822-Feb. 25, 1899), Union soldier.

RICHARDSON, ISRAEL BUSH (Dec. 26, 1815-Nov. 3, 1862), Union soldier.

RICKETTS, JAMES BREWERTON (June 21, 1817-Sept. 22, 1887), Union soldier.

RIPLEY, JAMES WOLFE (Dec. 10, 1794- Mar. 15, 1870), soldier.

ROBERTS, BENJAMIN STONE (Nov. 18, 1810- Jan. 29, 1875), soldier, engineer, inventor.

ROBINSON, JOHN CLEVELAND (April 10, 1817-Feb. 18, 1897), soldier.

RODMAN, ISAAC PEACE (Aug. 18, 1822- Sept. 30, 1862), legislator, Union soldier.

RODMAN, THOMAS JACKSON (July 30, 1815-June 7, 1871), soldier, inventor.

ROSECRANS, WILLIAM STARKE (Sept. 6, 1819-Mar. 11, 1898), soldier.

ROUSSEAU, LOVELL HARRISON (Aug. 4, 1818- Jan. 7, 1869), soldier, congressman from Kentucky.

RUGER, THOMAS HOWARD (April 2, 1833-June 3, 1907), soldier.

RUSSELL, DAVID ALLEN (Dec. 10, 1820- Sept. 19, 1864), soldier.

SCHENCK, ROBERT CUMMING (Oct. 4, 1809-Mar. 23, 1890), congressman, soldier, diplomat.

SCHOFIELD, JOHN McALLISTER (Sept. 29, 1831-Mar. 4, 1906), soldier.

SCHURZ, CARL (Mar. 2, 1829-May 14, 1906), U. S. minister to Spain, Union soldier, senator from Missouri, and secretary of the interior.

SCOTT, ROBERT KINGSTON (July 8, 1826-Aug. 12, 1900), Union soldier and governor of South Carolina.

SEDGWICK, JOHN (Sept. 13, 1813-May 9, 1864), soldier.

SEYMOUR, TRUMAN (Sept. 24, 1824-Oct. 30, 1891), soldier.

SHAFTER, WILLIAM RUFUS (Oct. 16, 1835-Nov. 12, 1906), soldier.

SHEPLEY, GEORGE FOSTER (Jan. 1, 1819-July 20, 1878), Union soldier, military governor of Louisiana, federal judge.

SHERIDAN, PHILIP HENRY (Mar. 6, 1831-Aug. 5, 1888), Union soldier.

SHERMAN, THOMAS WEST (Mar. 26, 1813-Mar. 16, 1879), soldier.

SHERMAN, WILLIAM TECUMSEH (Feb. 8, 1820-Feb. 14, 1891), Union soldier.

SHIELDS, JAMES (May 12, 1806-June 1, 1879), soldier, senator from Illinois, Minnesota, and Missouri.

SIBLEY, HENRY HASTINGS (Feb. 20, 1811 Feb. 18, 1891), fur trader, territorial delegate, governor of Minnesota.

SICKLES, DANIEL EDGAR (Oct. 20, 1825-May 3, 1914), congressman, Union soldier, diplomat.

SIDELL, WILLIAM HENRY (Aug. 21, 1810-July 1, 1873), engineer and soldier.

SIGEL, FRANZ (Nov. 18, 1824-Aug. 21, 1902), soldier and editor.

SIMPSON, JAMES HERVEY (Mar. 9, 1813-Mar. 2, 1883), soldier, engineer, author.

SLOCUM, HENRY WARNER (Sept. 24, 1827-April 14, 1894), Union general, abolitionist, lawyer, capitalist.

SMITH, ANDREW JACKSON (April 28, 1815- Jan. 30, 1897), soldier.

SMITH, CHARLES FERGUSON (April 24, 1807-April 25, 1862), soldier.

SMITH, CHARLES HENRY (Nov. 1, 1827- July 17, 1902), soldier.

SMITH, GILES ALEXANDER (Sept. 29, 1829-Nov. 5, 1876), Union soldier.

SMITH, JOHN EUGENE (Aug. 3, 1816-Jan. 29, 1897), soldier.

SMITH, MORGAN LEWIS (Mar. 8, 1821- Dec. 28, 1874), Union soldier.

SMITH, WILLIAM FARRAR (Feb. 17, 1824-Feb. 28, 1903), Union soldier, engineer.

SMITH, WILLIAM SOOY (July 22, 1830-Mar. 4, 1916), civil engineer, Union soldier.

STAHEL, JULIUS (Nov. 5, 1825-Dec. 4, 1912), soldier and consular officer.

STANLEY, DAVID SLOANE (June 1, 1828-Mar. 13, 1902), soldier.

STEEDMAN, JAMES BLAIR (July 29; 1817-0ct. 18, 1883), soldier and politician.

STEELE, FREDERICK (Jan. 14, 1819-Jan. 12, 1868), soldier.

STEVENS, ISAAC INGALLS (Mar. 25, 1818-Sept. 1, 1862), soldier, governor of Washington Territory.

STONE, CHARLES POMEROY (Sept. 30, 1824- Jan. 24, 1887), soldier.

STONEMAN, GEORGE (Aug. 8, 1822-Sept. 5, 1894), soldier, governor of California.

STROTHER, DAVID HUNTER (Sept. 26, 1816-Mar. 8, 1888), soldier, writer, illustrator.

STURGIS, SAMUEL DAVIS (June 11, 1822-Sept. 28, 1889), soldier.

SUMNER, EDWIN VOSE (Jan. 30, 1797- Mar. 21, 1863), soldier.

SWAYNE, WAGER (Nov. 10, 1834-Dec. 18, 1902), soldier and lawyer.

SWEENY, THOMAS WILLIAM (Dec. 25, 1820-April 10, 1892), soldier, Fenian leader.

SYKES, GEORGE (Oct. 9, 1822-Feb. 8, 1880), soldier.

TERRY, ALFRED HOWE (Nov. 10, 1827- Dec. 16, 1890), soldier.

THAYER, JOHN MILTON (Jan. 24, 1820- Mar. 19, 1906), lawyer, soldier, politician,

THOMAS, GEORGE HENRY (July 31,1816-Mar. 28, 1870), soldier.

THOMAS, LORENZO (Oct. 1804-Mar. 2, 1875), soldier. Commander U.S. Colored troops.

TORBERT, ALFRED THOMAS ARCHIMEDES (July 1, 1833-Aug. 29, 1880), soldier, diplomat.

TOTTEN, JOSEPH GILBERT (Aug. 23, 1788-April 22, 1864), soldier, scientist, and engineer,

TOWER, ZEALOUS BATES (Jan. 12, 1819- Mar. 20, 1900), soldier and engineer.

TOWNSEND, EDWARD DAVIS (Aug. 22, 1817-May 10, 1893), soldier.

TRACY, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN (April 26, 1830-Aug. 6, 1915), lawyer, soldier, secretary of the navy.

TRACY, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN (April 26, 1830-Aug. 6, 1915), lawyer, soldier, secretary of the navy,

TURNER, JOHN WESLEY (July 19, 1833-April 8, 1899), soldier.

TYLER, DANIEL (Jan. 7, 1799-Nov. 30, 1882), soldier, industrialist.

TYLER, ROBERT OGDEN (Dec. 22, 1831- Dec. 1, 1874), soldier.

UPTON, EMORY (Aug. 27, 1839-Mar. 15, 1881), soldier, tactician, author.

VANWYCK, CHARLES HENRY (May 10, 1824-Oct. 24, 1895), lawyer, soldier, legislator.

VIELE, EGBERT LUDOVICUS (June 17, 1825-April 22, 1902), engineer.

VINTON, FRANCIS LAURENS (June 1, 1835-Oct. 6, 1879), Union soldier, mining engineer.

WADSWORTH, JAMES SAMUEL (Oct. 30, 1807-May 8, 1864), Union soldier.

WALLACE, LEWIS (April 10, 1827-Feb. 15, 1905), lawyer, soldier, diplomat, author, commonly known as "Lew" Wallace.

WARREN, GOUVERNEUR KEMBLE (Jan. 8, 1830-Aug. 8, 1882), soldier, engineer.

WASHBURN, CADWALLADER COLDEN (April 22, 1818-May 14, 1882), soldier, congressman, governor of Wisconsin, pioneer industrialist.

WEBB, ALEXANDER STEWART (Feb. 15, 1835-Feb. 12, 1911), soldier, college president.

WEBSTER, JOSEPH DANA (Aug. 25, 1811-Mar. 12, 1876), soldier and engineer.

WEITZEL, GODFREY (Nov. 1, 1835-Mar. 19, 1884), soldier, engineer, commander U.S. colored troops.

WHEATON, FRANK (May 8, 1833-June 18, 1903), soldier.

WHIPPLE, AMIEL WEEKS (1816-May 7, 1863), soldier and topographical engineer.

WILLCOX, ORLANDO BOLIVAR (April 16, 1823-May 10, 1907), soldier.

WILLIAMS, ALPHEUS STARKEY (Sept. 20, 1810-Dec. 21, 1878), soldier, congressman.

WILSON, JAMES GRANT (April 28, 1832-Feb. 1, 1914), editor, author, and soldier.

WILSON, JAMES HARRISON (Sept. 2, 1837-Feb. 23, 1925), engineer, cavalryman, author.

WINSLOW, EDWARD FRANCIS (Sept. 28, 1837-Oct. 22, 1914), soldier, railroad builder.

WOOD, THOMAS JOHN (Sept. 25, 1823- Feb. 25, 1906), soldier.

WOODBURY, DANIEL PHINEAS (Dec. 16, 1812-Aug. 15, 1864), soldier and engineer.

WOODS, CHARLES ROBERT (Feb. 19, 1827-Feb. 26, 1885), soldier.

WOODS, WILLIAM BURNHAM (Aug. 3, 1824-May 14, 1887), jurist, soldier.

WOODWARD, JOSEPH JANVIER (Oct. 30, 1833-Aug. 17, 1884), army medical officer.

WOOL, JOHN ELLIS (Feb. 29, 1784-Nov. 10, 1869), soldier.

WRIGHT, HORATIO GOUVERNEUR (Mar. 6, 1820-July 2, 1899), soldier and engineer.

Source: Dictionary of American Biography, Volumes I-X, Edited by Dumas Malone, New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1930.