Robert H. Milroy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Huston Milroy
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Robert H. Milroy during the war
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| Nickname(s) | "the Gray Eagle" |
| Born | June 11, 1816 near Salem, Indiana |
| Died | March 29, 1890 (aged 73) Olympia, Washington |
| Place of burial |
Masonic Memorial Park, Tumwater, Washington
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| Allegiance |  United States of AmericaUnion |
| Service/ |
United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1846–1847; 1861–1865 |
| Rank |  Major General |
| Commands held | 9th Indiana Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
| Signature |  |
Robert Huston Milroy (born June 11, 1816 – died March 29, 1890) was an American lawyer and judge. He also became a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He is most known for his defeat at the Second Battle of Winchester in 1863.
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Early Life and Career
Robert Milroy was born on a farm near Canton, Indiana. His family moved to Carroll County when he was ten years old. He went to Norwich Academy in Vermont and finished his studies there in 1843.
After college, he moved to Texas in 1845. He returned to Indiana in 1847. During the Mexican–American War, he was a captain in the 1st Indiana Volunteers. However, he did not fight in any battles. In 1850, he graduated from Indiana University Law School. He then worked as a lawyer and judge in Rensselaer, Indiana.
Serving in the Civil War
Before Abraham Lincoln became president, Milroy started a group of soldiers for the 9th Indiana Militia. He was made a captain after the Battle of Fort Sumter in April 1861. Soon after, he became a colonel of the 9th Indiana Infantry.
He fought in the western Virginia campaign. He was promoted to brigadier general in September 1861. Milroy led a brigade during Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign in 1862. He also commanded a brigade in John Pope's Army of Virginia at the Second Battle of Bull Run. He was promoted to major general in March 1863.
Battles and Challenges
In May 1862, Milroy led Union forces in the Battle of McDowell. He surprised Confederate General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. Milroy's attack caused more damage to the Confederates. However, he could not make them leave their position.
Milroy also led a brigade at the Battle of Cross Keys in June 1862. His brigade included soldiers from Virginia (who stayed loyal to the Union), Ohio, and Ohio artillery units.
At the Second Battle of Bull Run, Milroy faced Jackson again. He led his brigade into a gap in the Confederate line. He surprised a Confederate brigade but was pushed back by more soldiers. His brigade lost 300 men in this fight.
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The Second Battle of Winchester
A difficult time for Milroy was during the start of the Gettysburg Campaign. He was in charge of the 2nd Division of the VIII Corps. In June 1863, he was outsmarted by Confederate forces led by Richard S. Ewell at the Second Battle of Winchester. Ewell's army was on its way to invade Pennsylvania.
Milroy was told to move his 6,900 soldiers out of Winchester. But he decided to stay. He thought the forts in Winchester could hold against any attack. However, the telegraph wire to Winchester was cut by Confederate raiders. This meant Milroy could not get new orders.
Milroy did not know that a large Confederate army was coming. His guards were not spread out enough because his men were often attacked. Milroy was a strong believer in ending slavery. He thought those who wanted to leave the Union should be punished. His harsh treatment of Winchester citizens made many people turn against him. This made it harder for him to get information about the enemy.
On June 15, 1863, Milroy escaped with his officers. But over 3,000 of his soldiers were captured. All his cannons and 300 supply wagons were also taken. He had to explain his actions to a special court. After ten months, he was found not responsible for the defeat.
During the attack on Winchester, an exploding shell hit Milroy's horse. He fell and hurt his left hip. He did not get medical help and just got on another horse.
Later War Service
After the Winchester battle, Milroy was sent to the Western Theater. In 1864, he helped recruit soldiers for George Henry Thomas's Army of the Cumberland in Nashville. Like in western Virginia, Milroy was known for being tough on civilians. He often banished or publicly executed people who supported the Confederates.
He also commanded the defenses of the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad. This was not expected to be a combat role. However, he fought briefly in the Third Battle of Murfreesboro in 1864. This battle was part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign. He wanted to make up for the Winchester defeat. He ordered a cavalry charge against what he thought was a small enemy group. But it was a larger infantry division, and his soldiers suffered many losses.
The next day, General Lovell H. Rousseau sent more soldiers to help Milroy. Milroy then attacked and defeated the Confederate forces. General Rousseau said Milroy handled the battle "well." Milroy left the army on July 26, 1865.
After the War
After the war, Milroy worked for the Wabash and Erie Canal Company. From 1872 to 1875, he was in charge of Indian Affairs in the Washington Territory. For the next ten years, he worked as an Indian agent. During this time, he helped make sure that the elderly Yakama chief, Kamiakin, would not be forced off his land.
As he got older, Milroy suffered a lot of pain from his hip injury from Winchester. It made it hard for him to move, and he needed a cane. Doctors said he had ongoing swelling around his hip joint. Robert Milroy died from heart failure in Olympia, Washington, on May 29, 1890. He is buried in the Masonic Memorial Park in Tumwater, Washington.
His writings were published after his death in a book called Papers of General Robert Huston Milroy.
Legacy
The city of Milroy, Minnesota is named after Robert Milroy.
See also
In Spanish: Robert H. Milroy para niños
- List of American Civil War generals (Union)
- White Top, where Fort Milroy, named for the General, was built.
