Maj. Gen. David Hunter
Born: July 21, 1802
Either Troy, New York
or
Princeton, New Jersey
Died: February 2, 1886
Washington, D. C.
West Point: June 1822
2nd Lieutenant: June 1822
Captain: 1833
Resigned from Army: 1836
Rejoined the Army: November 1841
Major: March 1842
Colonel: May 14, 1861
Brig. Gen. Volunteers: May 17, 1861
Maj. Gen. Volunteers: August 1861
Brevet Maj. Gen.: March 13, 1865
Retired: July 1866
Brigadier General David Hunter
Courtesy of Library of Congress
June 1822: West Point Graduate - 25th in class of 40
June 1822: 2nd Lieutenant, 5th US Infantry Regiment
1828-1831: Northwest Frontier at Fort Dearborn near Chicago, Illinois
1833: Captain of the 1st US Dragoons
1836: Resigned from the Army
November 1841: Rejoined the Army as a paymaster
March 1842: Promoted to Major
February 1861: Accompanied President-elect Lincoln to Washington D.C. - Suffered a dislocated collarbone in Buffalo due to the pressing of spectators on the President-elect
May 14, 1861: Promoted to Colonel
May 17, 1861: Promoted to Brig. Gen. of Volunteers
July 21, 1861: Battle of Bull Run - Wounded in the neck and cheek
August 1861: Promoted to Major General of Volunteers
Division Commander under Gen. Fremont
November 2, 1861: Appointed commander of Western Department
Transferred to command of Department of Kansas
March 1862: Transferred to command the Department of the South and the X Corps
April 10-11, 1862: Battle of Fort Pulaski
April 25, 1862: Issues General Order No. 11 ~ freeing of slaves in Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina
President Lincoln rescinds General Order No. 11
May 21, 1864: Assigned command of the Army of the Shenandoah and the Department of West Virginia
June 5, 1864: Battle of Piedmont
June 11, 1864: Burns Virginia Military Institute
June 19, 1864: Battle of Lynchburg
Asked to be relieved when Gen. Sheridan is placed in charge of the troops and Hunter is in command only administratively
March 13, 1865: Promote to Brevet Major General
Served as Honor Guard to President Lincoln and accompanied the body back to Springfield
President of Military Commission trying the conspirators of President Lincoln's assassination
July 1866: Retired from US Army
Boatner, Mark M. III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: David McKay, 1967. p 418-419
Portrait of Maj. Gen. David Hunter, officer of the Federal Army. 1861-1865. Library of Congress. January 16, 2012. web.
Warner, Ezra K. Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State, 1964. p 243-244