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 [decorative delimiter] Class of 1847

Vol. II
p310
1338

(Born Mich.)

Orlando B. Willcox

(Ap'd Mich.)

8

Orlando Bolivar Willcox: Born Apr. 16, 1823.

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, July 1, 1843, to July 1, 1847, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Second Lieut., 4th Artillery, July 1, 1847.

Served: in the War with Mexico, 1847‑48, at the City of Mexico and Cuernavaca; in garrison at Ft. McRee, Fla., 1848‑49, — and Jefferson Barracks, Mo., 1849‑50; on frontier duty at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.,

(First Lieut., 4th Artillery, Apr. 30, 1850)

1850, — on the New Mexican Plains, 1850, — and Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., 1850; in garrison at Ft. Washington, Md., 1850‑52, — Ft. Ontario, N. Y., 1852‑53, — Ft. Mifflin, Pa., 1853, — and Ft. Independence, Mas., 1853; in garrison at Ft. Independence, Mas., 1854‑55; in escorting Recruits to Texas, 1855; in garrison at Ft. Independence, Mas., 1855‑56; and in Florida Hostilities against the Seminole Indians, 1856‑57.

Resigned, Sep. 10, 1857.

Civil History. — Counselor at Law, Detroit, Mich., 1857‑61. Author of "Shoepac Recollections — A Wayside Glimpse of American Life," 1856; and of "Faca — An Army Memoir, by Major March," 1857.

Military History. — Served during the Rebellion of the Seceding States, 1861‑66: in Defense of Washington, D. C., May to July, 1861, being engaged in the Capture of Alexandria, Va., May 24, 1861; in the

(Colonel, 1st Mich. Volunteers, May 24, 1861)

Manassas Campaign of July, 1861, being engaged in the Battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861, where he was wounded and captured; as Prisoner of

(Brig.‑General, U. S. Volunteers, July 21, 1861)

War, July 21, 1861, to Aug. 19, 1862, being kept in close imprisonment at Charleston and Columbia, S. C., Nov., 1861, to Feb., 1862, as a hostage for rebel privateers; in the Maryland Campaign (Army of the Potomac), Sep. to Nov., 1862, being engaged in the Battle of South Mountain, Sep. 14, 1862, — Battle of Antietam, Sep. 17, 1862, — and in Skirmish at Warrenton, Nov. 15, 1862; in the Rappahannock Campaign (Army of the Potomac), Dec., 1862, to Feb., 1863, being engaged in the Battle of Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862; in temporary command of 9th Army Corps, and District of Central Kentucky, Apr. 10 to June 9, 1863; in command of District of Indiana and Michigan, during draft riots in Indiana, June 10 to Sep. 11, 1863; in Operations in East Tennessee, Sep. 17, 1863, to March 16, 1864, being engaged in the Combat of Blue Springs,  p311 Oct. 10, 1863, — Retreat from Bull's to Cumberland Gap, Nov., 1863, — Action of Walker's Ford, Clinch River, Dec. 2, 1863, — Skirmishes at Strawberry Plains, and near Knoxville, on the retreat from Dandridge, Jan. 21‑22, 1864, — and in the subsequent operations against the rebel General Indicates a West Point graduate and gives his Class.Longstreet, Jan. 26 to Mar. 16, 1864; in the Richmond Campaign, commanding Division of 9th Army Corps, May, 1864, to Apr., 1865, being engaged in the Battle of the Wilderness, May 6, 1864, — Battle of Ny River, May 9, 1864, — Battle of Spottsylvania, May 12, 1864, — Skirmishes on the Tolopotomy, May 31 and June 1, 1864, — Battle of Bethesda Church, June 3, 1864, — Actions before Petersburg, June 17 and 18 and July 30, 1864, — Actions on Weldon Railroad, Aug. 19, 21, and 25, 1864, — Action at Pegram House, Sep. 30, 1864, —

(Bvt. Maj.‑General, U. S. Volunteers, Aug. 1, 1864,
for Distinguished and Gallant Services
in the several Actions since crossing the Rapidan)

Skirmish near Pegram House, Oct. 2, and at Hatcher's Run, Oct. 27, 1864, — and Siege of and Operations about Petersburg, Va., to Apr. 26, 1865; in command of District of Washington, N. C., Apr. 26 to July 28, 1865, — and of District of Michigan, Aug. 7, 1865, to Jan. 15, 1866.

Mustered out of Volunteer Service, Jan. 15, 1866.

Civil History. — Counselor at Law, Detroit, Mich., 1866. U. S. Assessor of Internal Revenue, 1866.

Military History. — Re-appointed in the U. S. Army with the rank of

Colonel, 29th Infantry, July 28, 1866.

Served: in command of the District of Lynchburg, Va., Nov. 30, 1866,

(Bvt. Brig.‑General, U. S. Army, Mar. 2, 1867,
for Gallant and Meritorious Services at the Battle of Spottsylvania C. H., Va.)

(Bvt. Maj.‑General, U. S. Army, Mar. 2, 1867,
for Gallant and Meritorious Services at the Capture of Petersburg, Va.)

to Mar. 17, 1869, — and of regiment and Alcatraz Island, Cal., Mar. 24,

(Transferred to 12th Infantry, Mar. 15, 1869)

1869, to Aug. 20, 1873 (leave of absence, Apr. 19 to June 23, 1873); as Superintendent of General Recruiting Service, at New York city, Aug. 28, 1873, to Oct. 1, 1874; and in command of regiment and post of Angel Island, Cal., Nov. 12, 1874, to Feb. 18, 1878, — of Department of Arizona, Mar. 5, 1878, to Sep. 4, 1882, — of Madison Barracks, N. Y., to Oct. 15,

(Brig.‑General, U. S. Army, Oct. 13, 1886)

1886, — and of the Department of the Missouri, Oct. 18, 1866, to Apr. 16,

(Retired from Active Service, Apr. 16, 1887, he being 64 Years of Age)

1887; and Governor of the Soldiers' Home, near Washington, D. C., Feb. 27, 1889, to –––––.

Vol. IV
p70
[Supplement, Vol. IV: 1890‑1900]

Military History. — Retired officer. —

Medal of Honor

for most distinguished gallantry in the Battle of Bull Run, Va., July 21, 1861, where he voluntarily led repeated charges of the 1st Michigan infantry and the 11th New York infantry, until he was wounded and taken prisoner; while colonel 1st Michigan infantry, commanding brigade.

Civil History. — President Michigan Association of Washington, 1896‑97. — President District of Columbia Commandery Sons American Revolution, 1897. — President Willcox Division Society 9th Corps, 1896‑97. — Author Morgan's Raid, Century Magazine; Siege of Detroit by Pontiac, Address S. A. R. Society; Battle of Sackett's Harbor, Address Celebration thereof at Sackett's Harbor. — Post-office address, 2022 R. St., N. W., Washington, D. C.

Vol. V
p65
[Supplement, Vol. V: 1900‑1910]

Military History. — Retired officer.

Died May 10, 1907, at Coburg, Canada: Aged 84.

Buried, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.

See Annual Association of Graduates, U. S. M. A., 1907, for an obituary notice, with a portrait.


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