Important Military Figures
of the Civil War
Mr. Lewis
January, 2009
Gen. George McClellan USA
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Graduated West Point 2nd in class
of 1846
Engineer, served in Mexican War
Invented the “McClellan Saddle”,
used by US Army from 1850’s until
1920’s
Railroad executive, politician
Commander of Army of the
Potomac after 1st Bull Run
Highly effective at organizing and
training men
Overly cautious in battle
Fired after Antietam
Ran as Democratic Presidential
Candidate in 1864
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Adm.David Farragut USN
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Followed family naval tradition
A Southerner all his life, he
remained loyal to the Union
Given command of the fleet
blockading the Gulf of Mexico
Captured New Orleans (end of
Mississippi River) for Union in April,
1862
1864, Battle of Mobile Bay “Damn
The Torpedoes, Full Speed Ahead!”
After the war, became the first ever
“Admiral of the Navy”, highest
ranking Naval Officer
Died in 1870. 10,000 sailors
marched in his funeral parade
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General Ambrose Burnside
USA
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Indiana native. West Point 1847
Fought in Mexico and fought Indians
Raised a regiment of Rhode Island
soldiers, became their commander
Twice turned down the offer to
command the Union Army.
After McClellan was fired, finally
took over, reluctantly
Relieved of his command for
indecision
Later Governor and Senator from
Rhode Island
Term “sideburns” is a play on his
name, because of his famous
whiskers
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General Joseph Hooker USA
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Massachusetts native. West Point
1837
“Fighting Joe” fought in Mexico but
was a personal enemy of General
Winfield Scott, which hurt his career
Became Union commander after
Burnside was fired
A big drinker, his command was
considered ‘a cross between a bar
and a brothel’
Nickname for prostitutes wrongly
affiliated with him, though “Hooker’s
Division” was well known in
Washington
Always a touchy personality, he
resigned a week before Gettysburg
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Gen. George Meade USA
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Graduated West Point in 1835
Engineer, served in Mexican War
Rose quickly through ranks in Civil
War
Given command of the Union Army
in last week of June, 1863
Led Union Forces to victory at
Gettysburg July 2-4, 1863
Lost command for failing to crush
the rebellion after Gettysburg
Lived in Philadelphia as
commissioner of Fairmount Park
Died in 1872 from wounds
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General William Tecumseh
Sherman USA
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Ohio native. West Point 1840
Fought in Mexico
Failed businessman, became
teacher at Louisiana State
University
Rejoined Army at start of war
Not highly successful at first, but
had great devotion to duty
Captured Chattanooga, Savannah
and Atlanta, Georgia, and Columbia
and Charleston, South Carolina
Famous for widespread looting and
destruction during “March To The
Sea”
Younger brother was a famous
Senator from Ohio
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General Ulysses S. Grant
USA
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Ohio native. West Point 1843
Fought in Mexico
Failed businessman. Rejoined Army
at start of war
Noted for refusing to consider
conditional surrender
Famous for extremely high casualty
counts among his men
Famous drinker
Won major battle at Vicksburg “the
Gibraltar of the Mississippi”
Given overall command of Union
forces in 1864
First Lt. General since Washington
18th President of the United States
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General Robert E. Lee CSA
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Great Family heritage. Grandfather
signed Declaration of
Independence. West Point 1829
Fought in Mexico (Grant’s
commander)
Superintendent of West Point
Captured John Brown at Harpers’
Ferry
Loyalty to Va. outweighed loyalty to
USA
Strategy based on survival, hoping
to win a long war
Lack of supplies and reinforcements
doomed this effort
Surrendered in 1865. His estate at
Arlington became National
Cemetery.
Considered America’s greatest
General
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General George Pickett CSA
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Virginian. Graduated West
Point class of 1846 (last in
class)
Fought in Mexico. Stayed in
Army until Virginia seceded,
when he joined the Confederate
cause
Famous for doomed charge at
Gettysburg
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General James Longstreet
CSA
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South Carolinian. Graduated West
Point class of 1842
Fought in Mexico. Stayed in Army
until 1861, when he joined the
Confederate cause
Good assistant general, not
successful on his own
Urged Lee not to fight at Gettysburg
After war, became friends with
Grant. Became Republican!
Criticized by many southern
veterans, he outlived most, and
wrote a book
Died in 1904
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General P.G.T. Beauregard
CSA
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Louisianan. Graduated West Point
class of 1838
Fought in Mexico. Stayed in Army
until the month before Lincoln’s
Inauguration
Superintendent of West Point for 5
days
“Hero of Ft. Sumter”
Good, successful general
Post war moved to Louisiana, wrote
history books, bankrupted the
Louisiana Lottery.
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General Thomas “Stonewall”
Jackson CSA
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Virginian. Graduated West Point
class of 1846
Fought in Mexico. Became teacher
and head of Virginia Military Institute
Mystical, strange man. Extremely
religious
Nicknamed “Stonewall”, for how
tough his brigade was at 1st Bull
Run
Distinguished leadership at Antietam
Accidentally killed by one of his own
men while riding through camp at
night after Chancellorsville
“He has lost his left arm, I have lost
my right”--Robt. E. Lee
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General J.E.B. Stuart CSA
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Virginian. Graduated West
Point class of 1854
Fought Indians and in Kansas.
Helped capture John Brown at
Harpers Ferry. Resigned army
when Va. seceded
Most famous cavalry officer in
CSA. Probably most successful
cavalry officer in American
history
Killed in action at Richmond, Va.
in 1864
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General Nathan Bedford
Forrest CSA
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Tennessean. No formal military
training
One of the richest men in the south,
from slave trading and plantations
When war started joined as a
private. Quickly he raised his own
brigade (and paid for it himself) and
was made a general
Famous cavalry man. Intuitive
military genius
Responsible for massacre of 200+
black prisoners at Fort Pillow
Bankrupted by war, became a
founder of the Ku Klux Klan during
Reconstruction
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