William L. McMillen
Encyclopedia
Dr. William Linn McMillen (October 18, 1829 – February 8, 1902) was an American
surgeon
, army general, farmer and legislator
.
, and educated there, he graduated from Starling Medical College in 1852, and practiced medicine in Ohio until July 1862. McMillen served as a surgeon with the Russian Army
in the Crimean War
. On the outbreak of the American Civil War
, he served as a surgeon with the 1st Ohio Volunteers
in 1861, and as Surgeon General
of the State of Ohio
, 1861-2. He enlisted in the 95th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment
serving as colonel
. He was wounded on August 30, 1862, in the Battle of Richmond. Accused of cowardly conduct during that engagement (in which he and about half the Union forces involved were captured), he was court-martial
ed, tried and acquitted after his release.
He led his brigade
at the Battle of Nashville
. After the Confederate General Thomas Benton Smith
surrendered and had been disarmed during the engagement, McMillen reportedly berated the disarmed prisoner and then attacked General Smith with Smith's own sword (one source says "wantonly and repeatedly"), causing brain injuries
sufficiently severe that Smith spent most of the rest of his life in a nearby state hospital for the insane
. McMillen was brevetted
as a brigadier general
in 1865, retroactive to the date of the battle, and commanded the district after Robert E. Lee
's surrender.
In July 1867, he was brevetted Major General
of U.S. Volunteers, retroactive to March 13, 1865. In Smith's obituary, it was stated that when McMillen's role in Smith's injuries became public knowledge, he was asked to relinquish his office in the New Orleans chapter of the Grand Army of the Republic
.
McMillen moved to Louisiana
in 1866, and began planting
cotton
. A Republican
, he served as a member of the 1868 Constitutional Convention
, and as a state senator from 1870–2. In 1872 and 1873 he was elected as a U. S. senator
by the McEnery "rump" legislature
, but was not admitted to that seat. He served as postmaster
of New Orleans under Rutherford B. Hayes
, and as Surveyor of the Port
of New Orleans under Benjamin Harrison
.
He married Elizabeth I. King, née Neil, of Columbus, Ohio
on April 18, 1861. Upon his retirement, he returned to Ohio; he died and was buried in Columbus's Green Lawn Cemetery.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
surgeon
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
, army general, farmer and legislator
Legislator
A legislator is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are usually politicians and are often elected by the people...
.
Biography
Born in Hillsboro, OhioHillsboro, Ohio
Hillsboro is a city in and the county seat of Highland County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,605 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hillsboro is located at ....
, and educated there, he graduated from Starling Medical College in 1852, and practiced medicine in Ohio until July 1862. McMillen served as a surgeon with the Russian Army
Imperial Russian Army
The Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian army consisted of around 938,731 regular soldiers and 245,850 irregulars . Until the time of military reform of Dmitry Milyutin in...
in the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
. On the outbreak of 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...
, he served as a surgeon with the 1st Ohio Volunteers
1st Ohio Infantry
The 1st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in the Western Theater in a number of campaigns and battles.-Three-months regiment:...
in 1861, and as Surgeon General
State Surgeon General
A State Surgeon General is the operational head and senior spokesperson on public health in a single state of the United States of America, the state equivalent of the Surgeon General of the United States....
of the State of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, 1861-2. He enlisted in the 95th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment
95th Ohio Infantry
The 95th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 95th Ohio Infantry was organized at Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio and mustered in for three years service on August 19, 1862 under the command of Colonel William Linn McMillen.The...
serving as colonel
Colonel (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...
. He was wounded on August 30, 1862, in the Battle of Richmond. Accused of cowardly conduct during that engagement (in which he and about half the Union forces involved were captured), he was court-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
ed, tried and acquitted after his release.
He led his brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
at 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...
. After the Confederate General Thomas Benton Smith
Thomas Benton Smith
Thomas Benton Smith was a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
surrendered and had been disarmed during the engagement, McMillen reportedly berated the disarmed prisoner and then attacked General Smith with Smith's own sword (one source says "wantonly and repeatedly"), causing brain injuries
Traumatic brain injury
Traumatic brain injury , also known as intracranial injury, occurs when an external force traumatically injures the brain. TBI can be classified based on severity, mechanism , or other features...
sufficiently severe that Smith spent most of the rest of his life in a nearby state hospital for the insane
Mental Hospital
Mental hospital may refer to:*Psychiatric hospital*hospital in Nepal named Mental Hospital...
. McMillen was 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...
as a 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...
in 1865, retroactive to the date of the battle, and commanded the district after Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
's surrender.
In July 1867, he was brevetted Major General
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...
of U.S. Volunteers, retroactive to March 13, 1865. In Smith's obituary, it was stated that when McMillen's role in Smith's injuries became public knowledge, he was asked to relinquish his office in the New Orleans chapter of the Grand Army of the Republic
Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...
.
McMillen moved to Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
in 1866, and began planting
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
. A Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, he served as a member of the 1868 Constitutional Convention
Constitutional convention (political meeting)
A constitutional convention is now a gathering for the purpose of writing a new constitution or revising an existing constitution. A general constitutional convention is called to create the first constitution of a political unit or to entirely replace an existing constitution...
, and as a state senator from 1870–2. In 1872 and 1873 he was elected as a U. S. senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
by the McEnery "rump" legislature
John McEnery (politician)
John McEnery was a Louisiana Democratic politician and lawyer who was considered by Democrats to be the winner of the highly contested 1872 election for Governor of Louisiana. After extended controversy over election results, the Republican candidate William Pitt Kellogg was certified...
, but was not admitted to that seat. He served as postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
of New Orleans under Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States . As president, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution...
, and as Surveyor of the Port
Marine surveyor
A Marine Surveyor is a person who conducts inspections, surveys or examinations of marine vessels to assess, monitor and report on their condition and the products on them. Marine Surveyors also inspect equipment intended for new or existing vessels to ensure compliance with various standards or...
of New Orleans under Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there...
.
He married Elizabeth I. King, née Neil, of Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
on April 18, 1861. Upon his retirement, he returned to Ohio; he died and was buried in Columbus's Green Lawn Cemetery.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals