Civil War Union Major General, US Congressman. In 1831, he graduated from the US Military Academy and was commissioned a Lieutenant in the Engineer Corps. He was sent to Fort Gibson in Indian Territory and served for one year before resigning from the Army. Moving to Ohio, he became a civil engineer and with the outbreak of the Mexican-American War, he was appointed Colonel of the 2nd Ohio Volunteers. After the war, he moved to Keokuk, Iowa and was elected as a Republican to the Thirty-fifth Congress on March 4, 1857 and served until the Civil War broke out when he resigned. Appointed Colonel of the 2nd Regiment, Iowa Volunteer Infantry, he was promoted Brigadier General in command of the Army of the Southwest on June 1, 1861. In March 1862, he defeated Confederate General Earl Dorn at the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas and was promoted Major General on March 21, 1862, in command of the Department of Missouri. He briefly commanded the Department of Kansas until 1864, when he was given command of the Department of the Northwest, and held the position until the end of the war. After the war, he was commissioned to help negotiate treaties with many of the Plains Indians and later served commissioner for the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad.

Civil War Union Major General, US Congressman. In 1831, he graduated from the US Military Academy and was commissioned a Lieutenant in the Engineer Corps. He was sent to Fort Gibson in Indian Territory and served for one year before resigning from the Army. Moving to Ohio, he became a civil engineer and with the outbreak of the Mexican-American War, he was appointed Colonel of the 2nd Ohio Volunteers. After the war, he moved to Keokuk, Iowa and was elected as a Republican to the Thirty-fifth Congress on March 4, 1857 and served until the Civil War broke out when he resigned. Appointed Colonel of the 2nd Regiment, Iowa Volunteer Infantry, he was promoted Brigadier General in command of the Army of the Southwest on June 1, 1861. In March 1862, he defeated Confederate General Earl Dorn at the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas and was promoted Major General on March 21, 1862, in command of the Department of Missouri. He briefly commanded the Department of Kansas until 1864, when he was given command of the Department of the Northwest, and held the position until the end of the war. After the war, he was commissioned to help negotiate treaties with many of the Plains Indians and later served commissioner for the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad.

Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith