John McArthur
Encyclopedia
John McArthur was a Union
general during the American Civil War
. McArthur became one of the ablest Federal commanders in the Western Theater
.
, Scotland
. He learned to be a blacksmith and emigrated to the United States
at age 23 and settled in Chicago. He was the proprietor of the Excelsior Iron Works. He also served in the Chicago Highland Guards militia
unit.
of an Illinois
volunteer regiment. Shortly after, he was elevated to command the 1st Brigade in Brig. Gen.
Charles F. Smith's division and saw action at the Battle of Fort Donelson
. Even though Smith's division was deployed on the left flank of the Union line, McArthur's brigade was detached to John A. McClernand's division to extend the right flank toward the Cumberland River
. McArthur's brigade was never positioned correctly and when the Confederates made their breakout attempt, McArthur and Richard J. Oglesby's neighboring brigade suffered heavily. Despite this both brigades withdrew in relative good order. Following Fort Donelson McArthur was promoted to brigadier general
on March 21, 1862, and led the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division of the Army of the Tennessee
at the Battle of Shiloh
. Members of his brigade wore Scottish caps
and were thus nicknamed the "Highland Brigade". McArthur was wounded leading his brigade in a breakout of the Confederate
encirclement on the first day of Shiloh. He led his brigade during the following Siege of Corinth
.
Following the capture of Corinth, McArthur took command of the 6th Division and was ordered to reinforce Maj. Gen.
William S. Rosecrans's Army of Mississippi
, stationed at Corinth. On the eve of the battle of Corinth
, Brig. Gen. Thomas J. McKean
arrived from Saint Louis and due to his rank superseded McArthur in command of the division. Orders were given placing McKean in command of the division but no orders were given to reassign McArthur. Therefore, McArthur was without a command for a brief period but remained close at hand, even helping Colonel John M. Oliver position the pickets for his neighboring brigade. A staff officer at Rosecrans's headquarters remembered McArthur's predicament and a special order was immediately sent out returning McArthur to command of the 1st Brigade, 6th Division, which had recently been commanded by Colonel Benjamin Allen while McArthur was in divisional command.
After Corinth, McArthur returned to command the 6th Division, now part of the XVII Corps. He led it during the siege of Vicksburg and commanded the post at Vicksburg after the Confederate surrender. He was in command of the 1st Division, XVI Corps and was involved in the pursuit of Sterling Price
's Missouri Raid
. His division was transferred with the rest of the corps to Tennessee
, where his troops played a significant role in breaking the Confederate lines the second day of the Battle of Nashville
. He received a brevet
promotion to major general of volunteers for his actions in that battle. He also led his division into action at the Battle of Fort Blakely
.
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...
general 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...
. McArthur became one of the ablest Federal commanders in 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:...
.
Early life
McArthur was born in ErskineErskine
Erskine is a town in the council area of Renfrewshire, and historic county of the same name, in the west central Lowlands of Scotland.It lies on the southern bank of the River Clyde, providing the lowest crossing to the north bank of the river at Erskine Bridge connecting the town to Old Kilpatrick...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He learned to be a blacksmith and emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at age 23 and settled in Chicago. He was the proprietor of the Excelsior Iron Works. He also served in the Chicago Highland Guards militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
unit.
Civil War
At the outbreak of the Civil War, McArthur was appointed colonelColonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
of an Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
volunteer regiment. Shortly after, he was elevated to command the 1st Brigade in Brig. Gen.
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...
Charles F. Smith's division and saw action at the Battle of Fort Donelson
Battle of Fort Donelson
The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from February 11 to February 16, 1862, in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The capture of the fort by Union forces opened the Cumberland River as an avenue for the invasion of the South. The success elevated Brig. Gen. Ulysses S...
. Even though Smith's division was deployed on the left flank of the Union line, McArthur's brigade was detached to John A. McClernand's division to extend the right flank toward the Cumberland River
Cumberland River
The Cumberland River is a waterway in the Southern United States. It is long. It starts in Harlan County in far southeastern Kentucky between Pine and Cumberland mountains, flows through southern Kentucky, crosses into northern Tennessee, and then curves back up into western Kentucky before...
. McArthur's brigade was never positioned correctly and when the Confederates made their breakout attempt, McArthur and Richard J. Oglesby's neighboring brigade suffered heavily. Despite this both brigades withdrew in relative good order. Following Fort Donelson McArthur 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...
on March 21, 1862, and led the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division of the Army of the Tennessee
Army of the Tennessee
The Army of the Tennessee was a Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. It should not be confused with the similarly named Army of Tennessee, a Confederate army named after the State of Tennessee....
at the Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...
. Members of his brigade wore Scottish caps
Balmoral bonnet
The Balmoral is a traditional Scottish hat that can be worn as part of formal or informal Highland dress. Dating back to at least the 16th century, it takes the form of a knitted, soft wool cap with a flat crown...
and were thus nicknamed the "Highland Brigade". McArthur was wounded leading his brigade in a breakout of the Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
encirclement on the first day of Shiloh. He led his brigade during the following Siege of Corinth
Siege of Corinth
The Siege of Corinth was an American Civil War battle fought from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi.-Background:...
.
Following the capture of Corinth, McArthur took command of the 6th Division and was ordered to reinforce Maj. Gen.
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
William S. Rosecrans's Army of Mississippi
Army of Mississippi
There were three organizations known as the Army of Mississippi in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. -Army of Mississippi :This army, at times known by the names Army of the West or Army of the...
, stationed at Corinth. On the eve of the battle of Corinth
Second Battle of Corinth
The Second Battle of Corinth was fought October 3–4, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. For the second time in the Iuka-Corinth Campaign, Union Maj. Gen. William S...
, Brig. Gen. Thomas J. McKean
Thomas J. McKean
Thomas Jefferson McKean was an American engineer, soldier, politician, and farmer. A West Point graduate, he fought in the U.S. Army during the Seminole Wars, in the Mexican–American War, and he served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:Thomas J...
arrived from Saint Louis and due to his rank superseded McArthur in command of the division. Orders were given placing McKean in command of the division but no orders were given to reassign McArthur. Therefore, McArthur was without a command for a brief period but remained close at hand, even helping Colonel John M. Oliver position the pickets for his neighboring brigade. A staff officer at Rosecrans's headquarters remembered McArthur's predicament and a special order was immediately sent out returning McArthur to command of the 1st Brigade, 6th Division, which had recently been commanded by Colonel Benjamin Allen while McArthur was in divisional command.
After Corinth, McArthur returned to command the 6th Division, now part of the XVII Corps. He led it during the siege of Vicksburg and commanded the post at Vicksburg after the Confederate surrender. He was in command of the 1st Division, XVI Corps and was involved in the pursuit of Sterling Price
Sterling Price
Sterling Price was a lawyer, planter, and politician from the U.S. state of Missouri, who served as the 11th Governor of the state from 1853 to 1857. He also served as a United States Army brigadier general during the Mexican-American War, and a Confederate Army major general in the American Civil...
's Missouri Raid
Price's Raid
Price's Missouri Expedition, also known as Price's Raid, was an 1864 Confederate cavalry raid through the states of Missouri and Kansas during the American Civil War. While Confederate Major General Sterling Price enjoyed some successes during this campaign, he was decisively beaten at the Battle...
. His division was transferred with the rest of the corps to Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, where his troops played a significant role in breaking the Confederate lines the second day of 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 received a brevet
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...
promotion to major general of volunteers for his actions in that battle. He also led his division into action at the Battle of Fort Blakely
Battle of Fort Blakely
-Sources:**-External links:*...
.
Postbellum life
After the war, he was involved in a number of occupations, including Commissioner of Chicago Public Works during the Chicago Fire, Postmaster General of Chicago, and general manager of the Chicago and Vert Island Stone Company. McArthur died in Chicago, Illinois.See also
- List of American Civil War generals