James Lowry Donaldson
Encyclopedia
James Lowry Donaldson was an American
soldier and author. He served as a general in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
and was noted for his proficiency in military logistics
.
to the United States Military Academy
, graduating in 1836. Brevetted
a second lieutenant in the 3rd U.S. Artillery, he was sent to the West on garrison duty, where his profiency in logistics and supply management was first noted.
He later served with distinction as a first lieutenant in the Second Seminole War
in Florida
and then in the 1st U.S. Artillery during the Mexican-American War, where he was distinguished at the Battle of Buena Vista
. Promoted to Major (United States)
for gallantry in action, he then served in a variety of frontier
outposts, including as the quartermaster
at the military camp on Pawneee Fork in Kansas
from 1859–60. He led a wagon train of supplies through hostile Indian country into New Mexico Territory
.
When the Civil War erupted, Donaldson was the Chief Quartermaster for the Department of New Mexico at Fort Union until the fall of 1862, when he was reassigned to the same post for the Middle Military Department in Baltimore. In mid-1863, after the Gettysburg Campaign
, he was reassigned to the Western Theater
. Serving under his former West Point classmate, Montgomery C. Meigs
, Colonel Donaldson was Chief Quartermaster of the Department of the Cumberland. He organized the men of his quartermasters organization into a combat unit and served in the Battle of Nashville
.
He was promoted to brigadier general
and Chief Quartermaster of the Military Division of Tennessee. Donaldson efficiently and effectively managed the huge supply bases that served the armies of Ulysses S. Grant
and William T. Sherman, and received their commendations in official reports.
At the war's close, Donaldson was brevetted a major general
in the regular army
.
Donaldson retired from active service in 1869 and formally resigned from the army on January 1, 1874. He wrote Sergeant Atkins (1871), a tale of the Florida War.
A stained glass window, "The Roman Centurion," in the Grace and St. Peters Church in Baltimore memorializes James Lowry Donaldson.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soldier and author. He served as a general in the Union Army
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...
and was noted for his proficiency in military logistics
Logistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
.
Biography
Donaldson was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to a prominent family. On September 1, 1832, he was appointed from MarylandMaryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
to the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
, graduating in 1836. Brevetted
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
a second lieutenant in the 3rd U.S. Artillery, he was sent to the West on garrison duty, where his profiency in logistics and supply management was first noted.
He later served with distinction as a first lieutenant in the Second Seminole War
Second Seminole War
The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between various groups of Native Americans collectively known as Seminoles and the United States, part of a series of conflicts called the Seminole Wars...
in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and then in the 1st U.S. Artillery during the Mexican-American War, where he was distinguished at the Battle of Buena Vista
Battle of Buena Vista
The Battle of Buena Vista , also known as the Battle of Angostura, saw the United States Army use artillery to repulse the much larger Mexican army in the Mexican-American War...
. Promoted to Major (United States)
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
for gallantry in action, he then served in a variety of frontier
Frontier
A frontier is a political and geographical term referring to areas near or beyond a boundary. 'Frontier' was absorbed into English from French in the 15th century, with the meaning "borderland"--the region of a country that fronts on another country .The use of "frontier" to mean "a region at the...
outposts, including as the quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
at the military camp on Pawneee Fork in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
from 1859–60. He led a wagon train of supplies through hostile Indian country into New Mexico Territory
New Mexico Territory
thumb|right|240px|Proposed boundaries for State of New Mexico, 1850The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of...
.
When the Civil War erupted, Donaldson was the Chief Quartermaster for the Department of New Mexico at Fort Union until the fall of 1862, when he was reassigned to the same post for the Middle Military Department in Baltimore. In mid-1863, after the Gettysburg Campaign
Gettysburg Campaign
The Gettysburg Campaign was a series of battles fought in June and July 1863, during the American Civil War. After his victory in the Battle of Chancellorsville, Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia moved north for offensive operations in Maryland and Pennsylvania. The...
, he was reassigned to the Western Theater
Western Theater of the American Civil War
This article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.-Theater of operations:...
. Serving under his former West Point classmate, Montgomery C. Meigs
Montgomery C. Meigs
Montgomery Cunningham Meigs was a career United States Army officer, civil engineer, construction engineer for a number of facilities in Washington, D.C., and Quartermaster General of the U.S. Army during and after the American Civil War....
, Colonel Donaldson was Chief Quartermaster of the Department of the Cumberland. He organized the men of his quartermasters organization into a combat unit and served in the Battle of Nashville
Battle of Nashville
The Battle of Nashville was a two-day battle in the Franklin-Nashville Campaign that represented the end of large-scale fighting in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was fought at Nashville, Tennessee, on December 15–16, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Tennessee under...
.
He was promoted to brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
and Chief Quartermaster of the Military Division of Tennessee. Donaldson efficiently and effectively managed the huge supply bases that served the armies of Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
and William T. Sherman, and received their commendations in official reports.
At the war's close, Donaldson was brevetted a major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
in the regular army
Regular army
A regular army consists of the permanent force of a country's army that is maintained under arms during peacetime.Countries that use the term include:*Australian Army*British Army*Canadian Forces, specifically "Regular Force"*Egyptian army*Indian Army...
.
Donaldson retired from active service in 1869 and formally resigned from the army on January 1, 1874. He wrote Sergeant Atkins (1871), a tale of the Florida War.
A stained glass window, "The Roman Centurion," in the Grace and St. Peters Church in Baltimore memorializes James Lowry Donaldson.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals