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Abner Doubleday

Abner Doubleday , was a career U.S. Army United States Army

The United States Army is the largest branch of the United States armed forces [i] ... 

 officer and Union Union Army

The Union Army refers to the United States Army [i] during the American Civil War [i]. ... 

 general in the American Civil War American Civil War

The American Civil War was a sectional conflict in the United States of America [i] between the federal ... 

. He fired the first shot in defense of Fort Sumter Battle of Fort Sumter

The Battle of Fort Sumter, a relatively minor military engagement at Fort Sumter [i] in Charleston Harbor [i] ... 

, the opening battle of the war, and had a pivotal role in the early fighting at the Battle of Gettysburg Battle of Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg , fought in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania [i], as part of the ... 

. Gettysburg was his finest hour, but his relief by Maj. Gen. Major General

Major General or Major-General is a military rank [i] used in many countries. ... 

 George G. Meade George Meade

George Gordon Meade was a career U.S. Army [i] officer and civil engineer involved in coastal constructi ... 

 caused lasting enmity between the two men. In San Francisco, California San Francisco, California

The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth-largest city in California [i] and the fourteenth-lar ... 

, after the war, he obtained a patent on the cable car railway that still runs there. In his final years in New Jersey New Jersey

New Jersey is a state [i] in the Mid-Atlantic [i] and Northeastern [i] ... 

, he was a prominent member and later president of the Theosophical Society Theosophical Society

The Theosophical Society was the organization formed to advance the spiritual doctrines and altruistic l... 

.

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Encyclopedia


Abner Doubleday , was a career U.S. Army United States Army

The United States Army is the largest branch of the United States armed forces [i] ... 

 officer and Union Union Army

The Union Army refers to the United States Army [i] during the American Civil War [i].... 

 general in the American Civil War American Civil War

The American Civil War was a sectional conflict in the United States of America [i] between the federal ... 

. He fired the first shot in defense of Fort Sumter Battle of Fort Sumter

The Battle of Fort Sumter, a relatively minor military engagement at Fort Sumter [i] in Charleston Harbor [i] ... 

, the opening battle of the war, and had a pivotal role in the early fighting at the Battle of Gettysburg Battle of Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg , fought in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania [i], as part of the ... 

. Gettysburg was his finest hour, but his relief by Maj. Gen. Major General

Major General or Major-General is a military rank [i] used in many countries. ... 

 George G. Meade George Meade

George Gordon Meade was a career U.S. Army [i] officer and civil engineer involved in coastal constructi ... 

 caused lasting enmity between the two men.

In San Francisco, California San Francisco, California

The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth-largest city in California [i] and the fourteenth-lar ... 

, after the war, he obtained a patent on the cable car railway that still runs there. In his final years in New Jersey New Jersey

New Jersey is a state [i] in the Mid-Atlantic [i] and Northeastern [i]... 

, he was a prominent member and later president of the Theosophical Society Theosophical Society

The Theosophical Society was the organization formed to advance the spiritual doctrines and altruistic l... 

. His most lasting claim to fame is that some believe he should be credited with the invention of baseball Baseball

Baseball is a team sport [i] popular in North America [i], parts of Latin America [i], the Caribbean [i] ... 

, although he himself made no such claim.

Early years

Doubleday was born in Ballston Spa, New York. His grandfather had fought in the American Revolutionary War American Revolutionary War

The American Revolutionary War , also known as the American War of Independence, was a war between... 

 and his father represented Connecticut for four years in the United States Congress United States Congress

The United States Congress is the legislature [i] of the United States federal government [i]. ... 

. Abner practiced as a surveyor and civil engineer for two years before entering the United States Military Academy United States Military Academy

The United States Military Academy, also known as West Point, or simply USMA , is a United States Army [i] ... 

 in 1838, from which he graduated in 1842, 24th in a class of 56 cadets, and was commissioned a brevet second lieutenant Second Lieutenant

Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned rank [i] in many armed forces. ... 

 in the 3rd U.S. Artillery.

Military career


Early commands and Fort Sumter


Doubleday initially served in coastal garrisons and then in the Mexican-American War Mexican–American War

The MexicanAmerican War was a military conflict fought between the United States [i] and ... 

 from 1846 to 1848 and the Seminole Wars Seminole Wars

The Seminole Wars, also known as the Florida Wars, were three wars or conflicts in Florida [i] bet ... 

 from 1856 to 1858. In 1852 he married Mary Hewitt of Baltimore. In 1858 he was transferred to Fort Moultrie Fort Moultrie National Monument

Fort Moultrie is the name of a series of forts on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina [i], built to protec ... 

 in Charleston Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston is a city in the counties of Berkeley [i] and Charleston [i] ... 

 harbor, but by the start of the Civil War, he was a captain and second in command in the garrison at Fort Sumter Fort Sumter

Fort Sumter, located in Charleston, South Carolina [i], harbor, was named after General Thomas Sumter [i] ... 

, under Major Robert Anderson Major Robert Anderson

Robert Anderson was a Union [i] Army officer in the American Civil War [i], known for his command ... 

.rigade and division command in Virginia


Doubleday was promoted to major on May 14, 1861, and commanded the Artillery Department in the Shenandoah Valley Shenandoah Valley

The Shenandoah Valley region of western Virginia [i], from Winchester [i] to Staunton [i] ... 

 from June to August, and then the artillery for Maj. Gen. Major General

Major General or Major-General is a military rank [i] used in many countries. ... 

 Nathaniel Banks Nathaniel Prentice Banks

Nathaniel Prentice Banks, American [i] politician [i] and soldier [i], served as Governor of Massachusetts [i] ... 

's division of the Army of the Potomac Army of the Potomac

The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army [i] in the Eastern Theater [i] ... 

. He was appointed brigadier general Brigadier General

Brigadier General is the lowest rank of general [i] officer in some countries, usually ranking just abov ... 

 of volunteers on February 3, 1862, and was assigned to duty in northern Virginia while the Army of the Potomac conducted the Peninsula Campaign Peninsula Campaign

The Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War [i] was a major Union [i] operation launched ... 

. His first combat assignment was to lead the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, III Corps of the Army of Virginia during the Northern Virginia Campaign Northern Virginia Campaign

The Northern Virginia Campaign, also known as the Second Bull Run Campaign or Second Manassas C... 

. In the actions at Brawner's farm, just before the Second Battle of Bull Run Second Battle of Bull Run

The Second Battle of Bull Run, or the Second Battle of Manassas, was waged between August 28 [i] a ... 

, he took the initiative to send two of his regiments to reinforce Brig. Gen. Brigadier General

Brigadier General is the lowest rank of general [i] officer in some countries, usually ranking just abov ... 

 John Gibbon John Gibbon

John Gibbon was a career U.S. Army [i] officer who fought in the American Civil War [i] and the Indian Wars [i] ... 

's brigade against a larger Confederate force, fighting it to a standstill. His men were routed when they encountered Maj. Gen. James Longstreet James Longstreet

James Longstreet was one of the foremost Confederate [i] general [i]s of the American Civil War [i] ... 

's corps, but by the following day, August 30, he took command of the division when Hatch was wounded, and he led his men to cover the retreat of the Union Army.leday again led the division, now assigned to the I Corps of the Army of the Potomac, after South Mountain Battle of South Mountain

The Battle of South Mountain was fought September 14 [i], 1862 [i], as part of the Maryland Campaign [i] ... 

, where Hatch was wounded again. At Antietam Battle of Antietam

The Battle of Antietam, fought on September 17 [i], 1862 [i], near Sharpsburg, Maryland [i] and Antietam Creek [i] ... 

, he led his men into the deadly fighting in the Cornfield and the West Woods, and one colonel described him as a "gallant officer ... remarkably cool and at the very front of battle."ettysburg

At the start of the Battle of Gettysburg Battle of Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg , fought in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania [i], as part of the ... 

, July 1, 1863, Doubleday's division was first infantry on the field to reinforce the cavalry division of Brig. Gen. John Buford John Buford

John Buford, Jr. was an Union [i] cavalry [i] officer during the American Civil War [i], with ... 

. When his corps commander, Maj. Gen. John F. Reynolds John F. Reynolds

John Fulton Reynolds was a career U.S. Army [i] officer and a general [i] in the American Civil War [i] ... 

, was killed very early in the fighting, Doubleday found himself in command of the corps. His men fought well in the morning, putting up a stout resistance, but as overwhelming Confederate forces massed against them, their line eventually broke and they retreated back through the town of Gettysburg Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Gettysburg is a borough [i] 38 miles south by southwest of Harrisburg [i] in Adams County [i] ... 

 to the relative safety of Cemetery Hill Cemetery Hill

Cemetery Hill is a key terrain feature in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania [i], the northernmost extent of Cemetery Ridge [i]... 

 south of town. It was Doubleday's finest performance during the war, five hours leading 9,500 men against ten Confederate brigades that numbered more than 16,000. Seven of those brigades incurred casualties that ranged from 35 to 50 percent, indicating the ferocity of the Union defense. But on Cemetery Hill, the I Corps could muster only a third of its men as effective for duty and the corps was essentially destroyed as a combat force for the rest of the battle; it would be decommissioned in March 1864, its surviving units combined into other corps.[July 2]], Army of the Potomac commander Maj. Gen. George G. Meade George Meade

George Gordon Meade was a career U.S. Army [i] officer and civil engineer involved in coastal constructi ... 

 replaced Doubleday with Maj. Gen. John Newton, a more junior officer from another corps. The ostensible reason was a report by XI Corps commander Maj. Gen. Oliver O. Howard Oliver O. Howard

Oliver Otis Howard was a career U.S. Army [i] officer and a Union [i] general [i] in the American Civil War [i] ... 

 that Doubleday's corps broke first, causing the entire Union line to collapse, but Meade also had a long history of disdain for Doubleday's combat effectiveness, dating back to South Mountain. Doubleday was humiliated by this snub and held a lasting grudge against Meade, but he returned to division command and fought well for the remainder of the battle.ashington


Doubleday assumed mostly administrative duties in the defenses of Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. is the capital [i] city [i] of the United States of America [i]. ... 

, where his only return to combat was directing a portion of the defenses against the attack by Confederate Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early Jubal Anderson Early

Jubal Anderson Early was a lawyer [i] and Confederate [i] general in the American Civil War [i] ... 

 in the Valley Campaigns of 1864 Valley Campaigns of 1864

The Valley Campaigns of 1864 were American Civil War [i] operations and battles that took place in the Shenandoah Valley [i] ... 

. Also while in Washington, Doubleday testified against George Meade at the United States Congress Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War, criticizing him harshly over his conduct of the battle of Gettysburg.stbellum career


After the Civil War, Doubleday mustered out of the volunteer service on August 24, 1865, reverted to the rank of lieutenant colonel, and became the colonel of the 35th U.S. Infantry in September 1867. He was stationed in San Francisco San Francisco, California

The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth-largest city in California [i] and the fourteenth-lar ... 

 from 1869 through 1871 and he took out a patent for the cable car railway that still runs there, receiving a charter for its operation, but signing away his rights when he was reassigned. In 1871 he commanded the 24th U.S. Infantry, an all African-American regiment, in Texas.

Doubleday died of heart disease

Doubleday published two important works on the Civil War: Reminiscences of Forts Sumter and Moultrie , and Chancellorsville and Gettysburg , the latter being a volume of the series Campaigns of the Civil War.leday's indecision as a commander earned him the uncomplimentary nickname "Forty-Eight Hours."bship honor|name=Abner Doubleday|type=his}}

See also



... 



References


  • Beckenbaugh, Terry L., "Abner Doubleday", Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History, Heidler, David S., and Heidler, Jeanne T., eds., W. W. Norton & Company, 2000, ISBN 0-393-04758-X.
  • Coddington, Edwin B., The Gettysburg Campaign; a study in command, Scribner's, 1968, ISBN 0-684-84569-5.
  • Eicher, John H., & Eicher, David J., Civil War High Commands, Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
  • Gomes, Michael, , Sunrise magazine, April/May 1991.
  • Kirsch, George B., Baseball in Blue and Gray : The National Pastime during the Civil War, Princeton University Press, 2003, ISBN 0-691-05733-8.
  • Langellier, John, Second Manassas 1862: Robert E. Lee's Greatest Victory, Osprey Publishing, 2002, ISBN 1-84176-230-X.
  • Tagg, Larry, , Savas Publishing, 1998, ISBN 1-882810-30-9.



Notes



External links