Civil War Union Major General. From 1857 to 1859, he was a member of the Kansas State House of Representatives and served as Kansas State Indian Agent in 1860. At the beginning of the Civil War, he raised the 1st Kansas Volunteer Infantry and was commissioned it's Colonel and commander on May 28, 1861. He was wounded leading the regiment at the Battle of Wilson's Creek Missouri in August 1861 and was placed in command of the Third Brigade of the Union's Army of the West in early 1862. That same year, President Abraham Lincoln promoted him Brigadier General, US Volunteers on November 29, 1862, and eventually assumed command of the 1st Brigade, 6th Division, XVII Army Corps of the Army of Tennessee. He led his brigade in engagements during the Vicksburg, Mississippi, Campaign that culminated in the capitulation of the city on July 4, 1863. He resigned his commission on August 27, 1863, citing illness related to earlier wounds. He returned to Kansas and was commissioned Major General in command of the entire Kansas State Militia. On August 23, 1864, he was successful in defeating the Confederates at the Battle of Westport, the last full scale battle of the Civil War in the West. After the war, he engaged in business pursuits in the West until his death from a horse and carriage accident at Tucson, Arizona.

Civil War Union Major General. From 1857 to 1859, he was a member of the Kansas State House of Representatives and served as Kansas State Indian Agent in 1860. At the beginning of the Civil War, he raised the 1st Kansas Volunteer Infantry and was commissioned it's Colonel and commander on May 28, 1861. He was wounded leading the regiment at the Battle of Wilson's Creek Missouri in August 1861 and was placed in command of the Third Brigade of the Union's Army of the West in early 1862. That same year, President Abraham Lincoln promoted him Brigadier General, US Volunteers on November 29, 1862, and eventually assumed command of the 1st Brigade, 6th Division, XVII Army Corps of the Army of Tennessee. He led his brigade in engagements during the Vicksburg, Mississippi, Campaign that culminated in the capitulation of the city on July 4, 1863. He resigned his commission on August 27, 1863, citing illness related to earlier wounds. He returned to Kansas and was commissioned Major General in command of the entire Kansas State Militia. On August 23, 1864, he was successful in defeating the Confederates at the Battle of Westport, the last full scale battle of the Civil War in the West. After the war, he engaged in business pursuits in the West until his death from a horse and carriage accident at Tucson, Arizona.

Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith