William W. Mackall
Encyclopedia
William W. Mackall was a Seminole Wars
veteran, Mexican-American War veteran and Confederate States Army
brigadier general during the American Civil War
. He was a United States Army officer for 24 years before he resigned his commission in order to join the Confederate Army. After the Civil War, he was a farmer in Fairfax County, Virginia
.
. He graduated 8th of 50 cadets in the United States Military Academy
class of 1837. Mackall married the sister of later Confederate Brigadier General Gilbert Moxley Sorrel
.
After his graduation from West Point
, Mackall was commissioned a second lieutenant
of the U.S. Army's 1st Regiment of Artillery. He was promoted to first lieutenant
on July 9, 1838. Mackall was ambushed and severely wounded at River Inlet, Florida on February 11, 1839 during the Second Seminole War
. He was regimental adjutant between January 20, 1840 and August 31, 1841.
Mackall was appointed brevet
captain and brevet major for gallantry during the Mexican-American War where he fought in the battles of Monterey
, Contreraras
, Churubusco
and Chaputltepec
. He served as an assistant adjutant general during the war. Mackall was wounded in the arm at the Battle of Chapultepec on September 13, 1847. After the war, Mackall continued to serve as an assistant adjutant general on the frontier, in the U.S. Army's Eastern Division and Department of the Pacific. He held the position of assistant adjutant general in the Department of the Pacific
on May 11, 1861 when he declined promotion to lieutenant colonel
and assistant adjutant general. Mackall resigned from the U.S. Army on July 3, 1861.
and assistant adjutant general on September 9, 1861 and was assigned to the Confederate Department Number Two
on September 15, 1861. He became assistant adjutant general on the staff of General Albert Sidney Johnston
. Mackall was promoted to brigadier general on March 6, 1862, to rank from February 27, 1862, through the influence of General P.G.T. Beauregard. Mackall had become disillusioned with Johnston's performance and became a supporter of Beauregard.
Mackall replaced Brigadier General John P. McCown
as commander of Confederate defenses on Island Number Ten
in the Mississippi River
on March 15, 1862. Soon thereafter, on April 7, 1862, Mackall was taken prisoner when the Union Army
under Major General John Pope
captured the island at the Battle of Island Number Ten
. Mackall was exchanged on August 15, 1862. He then held a staff position as commissary of subsistence in the Department of East Tennessee between November 5, 1862 and December 8, 1862. Mackall was in command of the Confederate Department of the Gulf for six days in December 1862. Until mid-April, he served in command of the western part of the district after Major General Simon Bolivar Buckner
was assigned to command the district and to fortify the defenses of Mobile, Alabama
.
Between April 17, 1863 and October 12, 1863, Mackall served in the Army of Tennessee
as chief of staff to General Braxton Bragg
, his classmate at West Point. Mackall was relieved at his own request after the Battle of Chickamauga
. Then, he commanded a brigade in Major General John H. Forney's
division in the Confederate Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana between October 16, 1863 and January 26, 1864.
Between January 26, 1864 and August 24, 1864, Mackall served as chief of staff in the Army of Tennessee under General Joseph E. Johnston
. Mackall declined to serve with the Army of Tennessee when General John Bell Hood
replaced General Johnston. After the end of his service with the Army of Tennessee on August 24, 1864, Mackall was inactive at Macon, Georgia. He was in command of Confederate forces in south Georgia between March 23, 1865 and April 20, 1865, when he was captured by Union troops at Macon, but he saw no active service during this time. No record of his parole has been found.
Seminole Wars
The Seminole Wars, also known as the Florida Wars, were three conflicts in Florida between the Seminole — the collective name given to the amalgamation of various groups of native Americans and Black people who settled in Florida in the early 18th century — and the United States Army...
veteran, Mexican-American War veteran and Confederate States Army
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...
brigadier 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...
. He was a United States Army officer for 24 years before he resigned his commission in order to join the Confederate Army. After the Civil War, he was a farmer in Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
.
Early life
William Whann Mackall was born on January 18, 1817 in Cecil County, MarylandCecil County, Maryland
Cecil County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is part of the Delaware Valley. It was named for Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore , who was the first Proprietary Governor of the colony of Maryland from 1632 until his death in 1675. The county seat is Elkton. The newspaper...
. He graduated 8th of 50 cadets in 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...
class of 1837. Mackall married the sister of later Confederate Brigadier General Gilbert Moxley Sorrel
Moxley Sorrel
Gilbert Moxley Sorrel was a Confederate States Army officer and historian of the Confederacy.-Early life:Sorrel was born in Savannah, Georgia, the son of one of the wealthiest men in the city, Francis Sorrel. He was the brother-in-law of William W...
.
After his graduation from West Point
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...
, Mackall was commissioned a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
of the U.S. Army's 1st Regiment of Artillery. He was promoted to first lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
on July 9, 1838. Mackall was ambushed and severely wounded at River Inlet, Florida on February 11, 1839 during 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...
. He was regimental adjutant between January 20, 1840 and August 31, 1841.
Mackall was appointed 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...
captain and brevet major for gallantry during the Mexican-American War where he fought in the battles of Monterey
Battle of Monterey
-Preliminaries:Prior to the Mexican-American War the Californio forces had already driven the Mexican appointed Governor Manuel Micheltorena and most of his soldiers from Alta California...
, Contreraras
Battle of Contreras
The Battle of Contreras, also known as the Battle of Padierna, took place during August 19–20, 1847, in the final encounters of the Mexican-American War. In the Battle of Churubusco, fighting continued the following day.-Background:...
, Churubusco
Battle of Churubusco
The Battle of Churubusco took place on August 20, 1847, in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Contreras during the Mexican-American War. After defeating the Mexican army at Churubusco, the U.S. Army was only 5 miles away from Mexico City, the capital of the nation...
and Chaputltepec
Battle of Chapultepec
The Battle of Chapultepec, in September 1847, was a United States victory over Mexican forces holding Chapultepec Castle west of Mexico City during the Mexican-American War.-Background:On September 13, 1847, in the costly Battle of Molino del Rey, U.S...
. He served as an assistant adjutant general during the war. Mackall was wounded in the arm at the Battle of Chapultepec on September 13, 1847. After the war, Mackall continued to serve as an assistant adjutant general on the frontier, in the U.S. Army's Eastern Division and Department of the Pacific. He held the position of assistant adjutant general in the Department of the Pacific
Department of the Pacific
The Department of the Pacific was a major command of the United States Army during the 19th century.-Formation:The Department of the Pacific was first organized on October 31, 1853, at San Francisco, California, taking over from the previous Pacific Division. The department reported directly to...
on May 11, 1861 when he declined promotion to lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
and assistant adjutant general. Mackall resigned from the U.S. Army on July 3, 1861.
American Civil War
William W. Mackall began his Confederate States Army service as a lieutenant colonelLieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
and assistant adjutant general on September 9, 1861 and was assigned to the Confederate Department Number Two
Trans-Mississippi Department
The Trans-Mississippi Department was an administrative subdivision of the Confederate States of America west of the Mississippi, consisting of Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Indian Territories recognized by the CSA, and parts of Western Louisiana...
on September 15, 1861. He became assistant adjutant general on the staff of General Albert Sidney Johnston
Albert Sidney Johnston
Albert Sidney Johnston served as a general in three different armies: the Texas Army, the United States Army, and the Confederate States Army...
. Mackall was promoted to brigadier general on March 6, 1862, to rank from February 27, 1862, through the influence of General P.G.T. Beauregard. Mackall had become disillusioned with Johnston's performance and became a supporter of Beauregard.
Mackall replaced Brigadier General John P. McCown
John P. McCown
John Porter McCown was a career officer in the United States Army, fighting in the Mexican–American War and in the Seminole Wars. He also served as a general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War....
as commander of Confederate defenses on Island Number Ten
Island Number Ten
Island Number Ten was a former island in the Mississippi River near Tiptonville, Tennessee and the site of a major eponymous battle in the American Civil War....
in the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
on March 15, 1862. Soon thereafter, on April 7, 1862, Mackall was taken prisoner when 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...
under Major General John Pope
John Pope (military officer)
John Pope was a career United States Army officer and Union general in the American Civil War. He had a brief but successful career in the Western Theater, but he is best known for his defeat at the Second Battle of Bull Run in the East.Pope was a graduate of the United States Military Academy in...
captured the island at the Battle of Island Number Ten
Battle of Island Number Ten
The Battle of Island Number Ten was an engagement at the New Madrid or Kentucky Bend on the Mississippi River during the American Civil War, lasting from February 28 to April 8, 1862. The position, an island at the base of a tight double turn in the course of the river, was held by the Confederates...
. Mackall was exchanged on August 15, 1862. He then held a staff position as commissary of subsistence in the Department of East Tennessee between November 5, 1862 and December 8, 1862. Mackall was in command of the Confederate Department of the Gulf for six days in December 1862. Until mid-April, he served in command of the western part of the district after Major General Simon Bolivar Buckner
Simon Bolivar Buckner
Simon Bolivar Buckner fought in the United States Army in the Mexican–American War and in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He later served as the 30th Governor of Kentucky....
was assigned to command the district and to fortify the defenses of Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
.
Between April 17, 1863 and October 12, 1863, Mackall served in the Army of Tennessee
Army of Tennessee
The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating in most of the significant battles in the Western Theater...
as chief of staff to General Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg was a career United States Army officer, and then a general in the Confederate States Army—a principal commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and later the military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.Bragg, a native of North Carolina, was...
, his classmate at West Point. Mackall was relieved at his own request after the Battle of Chickamauga
Battle of Chickamauga
The Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863, marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign...
. Then, he commanded a brigade in Major General John H. Forney's
John Horace Forney
John Horace Forney was a major general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
division in the Confederate Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana between October 16, 1863 and January 26, 1864.
Between January 26, 1864 and August 24, 1864, Mackall served as chief of staff in the Army of Tennessee under General Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph Eggleston Johnston was a career U.S. Army officer, serving with distinction in the Mexican-American War and Seminole Wars, and was also one of the most senior general officers in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
. Mackall declined to serve with the Army of Tennessee when General John Bell Hood
John Bell Hood
John Bell Hood was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Hood had a reputation for bravery and aggressiveness that sometimes bordered on recklessness...
replaced General Johnston. After the end of his service with the Army of Tennessee on August 24, 1864, Mackall was inactive at Macon, Georgia. He was in command of Confederate forces in south Georgia between March 23, 1865 and April 20, 1865, when he was captured by Union troops at Macon, but he saw no active service during this time. No record of his parole has been found.