Nathaniel Collins McLean (February 2, 1815 – January 4, 1905), was a lawyer, farmer, and Union general during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. He was appointed

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

of the

75th Ohio Infantry Regiment The 75th Ohio Infantry Regiment, sometimes 75th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment from southwestern Ohio in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in the Eastern Theater, most notably in the battles of Chancellor ...

in 1861 and led the regiment in several battles before commanding a brigade. During the

Second Battle of Bull Run The Second Battle of Bull Run or Battle of Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, in Prince William County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of the Northern Virginia Campaign waged by Confederate ...

, his brigade's determined defense of Chinn Ridge probably saved the Union Army from a disaster. He led a brigade at the

Battle of Chancellorsville The Battle of Chancellorsville, April 30 – May 6, 1863, was a major battle of the American Civil War (1861–1865), and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville campaign. Confederate General Robert E. Lee's risky decision to divide h ...

in 1863, for a month in the Atlanta campaign in 1864, and in the Carolina campaign in 1865. After the war, he returned to his law practice in

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

, moved to Minnesota, and moved again to New York where he died.

Early life and career

Born in

Warren County, Ohio Warren County is a County (United States), county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 242,337. Its county seat is Lebanon, Ohio, Lebanon and largest c ...

, Nathaniel McLean was a son of

John McLean John McLean (March 11, 1785 – April 4, 1861) was an American jurist and politician who served in the United States Congress, as U.S. Postmaster General, and as a justice of the Ohio and United States Supreme Courts. He was often discu ...

, an 1856 and 1860 Republican

presidential candidate A candidate, or nominee, is a prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position. For example, one can be a candidate for membership in a group or election to an office, in which case a ...

and

Associate Justice An associate justice or associate judge (or simply associate) is a judicial panel member who is not the chief justice in some jurisdictions. The title "Associate Justice" is used for members of the Supreme Court of the United States and some ...

of the

Supreme Court of the United States The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all Federal tribunals in the United States, U.S. federal court cases, and over Stat ...

known as "the politician of the Supreme Court". McLean was well educated, and graduated from Augusta College in Kentucky at the age of sixteen. He then attended

Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate education, undergraduate college of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Part of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Scienc ...

and received his J.D. He was married in 1838 to Caroline Thew Burnett, the daughter of a

judge. While practicing law, he fell ill, and he was advised to travel to Europe and attempt to regain his health. Shortly after his trip, his wife died. He remarried in 1858 to Mary Louise Thompson from

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville is the List of cities in Kentucky, most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeastern United States, Southeast, and the list of United States cities by population, 27th-most-populous city ...

Civil War service

At the beginning of the Civil War, McLean organized the

under authority from Maj. Gen.

John C. Frémont Major general (United States), Major-General John Charles Frémont (January 21, 1813July 13, 1890) was a United States Army officer, explorer, and politician. He was a United States senator from California and was the first History of the Repub ...

and became its

September 18, 1861. McLean, with Lieutenant-Colonel R.A. Constable and Major Robert Reily, organized and trained the 75th in

Wyoming, Ohio Wyoming is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio. It is a suburb of the neighboring city of Cincinnati. The population was 8,756 at the 2020 census. History Among the earliest European-American settlers in what is now Wyoming was the Pendery family, ...

, (north of

) at Camp John McLean, which he of course named after his father. The

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

was organized into a

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...

commanded by Brig. Gen. Robert Milroy and assigned to duty in

western Virginia Western Virginia is a geographic region in Virginia comprising the Shenandoah Valley and Southwest Virginia. Generally, areas in Virginia located west of, or (in many cases) within, the piedmont region are considered part of western Virginia. T ...

under Frémont and the Mountain Department.

Western Virginia

In January 1862, McLean's troops were shipped from Cincinnati to

Grafton, Virginia Grafton is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community in York County, Virginia, York County, Virginia, United States, on the Virginia Peninsula. As of the 2010 Census, the Grafton postal area (ZIP Code 23692) had a population of 18,846. ...

, where they remained until February 17, when they marched 43 miles to Huttonsville, Virginia, to join with the rest of the Mountain Department. From Huttonsville, Milroy moved his brigade out towards

Staunton, Virginia Staunton ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 25,750. In Virginia, independent cities a ...

, in order to distract

Stonewall Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general and military officer who served during the American Civil War. He played a prominent role in nearly all military engagements in the eastern the ...

from attacking other Union troops in the Shenandoah Valley as part of his 1862 Valley Campaign; McLean's troops were at the head of this march. Bogged down by muddy roads, McLean and his men were forced to stop in

Monterey, Virginia Monterey is a town and the county seat of Highland County, Virginia, United States. The population was 165 at the 2020 census. History The selection of Monterey as the county seat of Highland County in 1847 was associated with the blazing of t ...

, so the rest of the column could catch up. Here, McLean saw his first action of the war, repulsing two hours of attacks from a small force of Confederates. Jackson soon turned his attention to Milroy's march. When the 75th Ohio was within 10 miles of Staunton, Milroy ordered the march to turn back at Buffalo Gap, so he could engage Jackson. Milroy made his headquarters at McDowell, Virginia, and Jackson positioned his men east of the town on top of a hill known as Bull Pasture Mountain. Trying to catch the Confederates by surprise, the Union attacked late on May 8, 1862, in the

Battle of McDowell The Battle of McDowell, also known as the Battle of Sitlington's Hill, was fought on May 8, 1862, near McDowell, Virginia, as part of Confederate States Army, Confederate Major General (CSA), Major General Stonewall Jackson's 1862 Jackson's Val ...

, with McLean leading several regiments up the hill on their right flank. McLean was able to push the Georgians at the top of the hill to their second line of defense, but that was all. After the fighting, Generals Milroy and Schenck both praised McLean's attack as being "gallant." The following day, Milroy withdrew his troops west. At the

Battle of Cross Keys The Battle of Cross Keys was fought on June 8, 1862, in Rockingham County, Virginia, as part of Confederate Army Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's campaign through the Shenandoah Valley during the American Civil War. Together, the batt ...

, McLean was promoted to the command of a brigade, consisting of four Ohio regiments, though he was held in reserve along the Keezletown Road on "Frémont's Final Line."

Second Bull Run

On June 26, 1862, President

Lincoln Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the 16th president of the United States * Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England * Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S. * Lincoln (na ...

combined the forces under Frémont, Maj. Gen.

Nathaniel P. Banks Nathaniel Prentice (or Prentiss) Banks (January 30, 1816 – September 1, 1894) was an American politician from Massachusetts and a Union Army, Union general during the American Civil War, Civil War. A millworker, Banks became prominent in local ...

, and Brig. Gen.

Irvin McDowell Irvin McDowell (October 15, 1818 – May 4, 1885) was an American army officer. He is best known for his defeat in the First Battle of Bull Run, the first large-scale battle of the American Civil War. In 1862, he was given command of the ...

into the

Army of Virginia The Army of Virginia was organized as a major unit of the Union Army and operated briefly and unsuccessfully in 1862 in the American Civil War. It should not be confused with its principal opponent, the Confederate Army of ''Northern'' Virginia ...

commanded by Maj. Gen. John Pope. McLean was given control the "Ohio Brigade" in the I Corps of this army, which included his 75th Ohio. At the

, McLean's brigade was placed at the extreme left of the Union line on Chinn Ridge. McDowell and Pope had placed him there to slow down a Confederate flank attack, which could have potentially overrun the rest of the Army of Virginia. McLean's troops took many casualties, but they were able to hold off the Confederates for a half-hour, which allowed Pope to establish a second line of defense further north of Chinn Ridge. This line of defense allowed the Army of Virginia to withdraw from the field without being destroyed. For his actions here, McLean would be rewarded with a brigadier generalship on September 29, 1862.

Chancellorsville

After Second Bull Run, McLean and his regiments were posted in defense of Washington. Here, the Army of Virginia was discontinued (Pope would be sent to

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

for his failures), and the I Corps became Maj. Gen. Franz Sigel's

XI Corps 11 Corps, 11th Corps, Eleventh Corps, or XI Corps may refer to: * 11th Army Corps (France) * XI Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * XI Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army * ...

of the

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the primary field army of the Union army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the Battle of ...

under Maj. Gen.

George B. McClellan George Brinton McClellan (December 3, 1826 – October 29, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 24th governor of New Jersey and as Commanding General of the United States Army from November 1861 to March 186 ...

. As part of the XI Corps, the brigade stayed posted in Washington during the

Battle of Antietam The Battle of Antietam ( ), also called the Battle of Sharpsburg, particularly in the Southern United States, took place during the American Civil War on September 17, 1862, between Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virgi ...

in September, and they were not called on to move again until December. At this point, McClellan had been replaced by Maj. Gen.

Ambrose Burnside Ambrose Everts Burnside (May 23, 1824 – September 13, 1881) was an American army officer and politician who became a senior Union general in the American Civil War and a three-time Governor of Rhode Island, as well as being a successfu ...

, who called the XI Corps to Fredericksburg, but kept them in reserve during the

Battle of Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. The combat between the Union Army, Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Major general ( ...

in mid-December. Afterwards, McLean was put in charge of protecting a small town on the

Northern Neck The Northern Neck is the northernmost of three peninsulas (traditionally called "necks" in Virginia) on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay in the Commonwealth of Virginia (along with the Middle Peninsula and the Virginia Peninsula). The P ...

. By the next May, there had been some rearrangements in the Army of the Potomac, which was now under the control of Maj. Gen.

Joseph Hooker Joseph Hooker (November 13, 1814 – October 31, 1879) was an American Civil War general for the Union, chiefly remembered for his decisive defeat by Confederate General Robert E. Lee at the Battle of Chancellorsville in 1863. Hooker had serv ...

. Hooker placed in command of the XI Corps Maj. Gen.

Oliver O. Howard Oliver Otis Howard (November 8, 1830 – October 26, 1909) was a career United States Army officer and a Union Army, Union General officer, general in the American Civil War, Civil War. As a brigade commander in the Army of the Potomac, Howard ...

, because the latter had been angry he was passed over for command of the III Corps. Since March 10, McLean had grown popular with the men as commander of the First Division of the XI Corps, but Howard opted to replace him with Brig. Gen.

Charles Devens Charles Devens Jr. (April 4, 1820 – January 7, 1891) was an American lawyer, jurist and statesman. He also served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Early life and career Born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, Devens g ...

, a New England man very much like Howard; McLean was relegated to brigade commander. As such, he found himself on the right flank of the Union battle line for the

. This would be the part of the line that Stonewall Jackson attacked with his famous Flank March. McLean was at corps headquarters with Devens when the attack happened (Howard had left the area, inexplicably escorting reinforcements to another part of the battlefield). As Confederates were approaching the Ohio Brigade's position, McLean implored Devens for orders to turn their front. Devens refused, possibly because he had been using brandy to dull the pain of a leg injury that occurred the previous day, when his horse ran him into a tree. As a result, the Ohio Brigade managed an impromptu defense, and even attempted a counterattack, before being driven back towards Chancellorsville. Devens was shot in the foot during the retreat, giving McLean command of the division again. They reformed on Mineral Springs Road, northeast of Chancellorsville and away from any fighting, with the rest of the XI Corps. Howard accepted no personal blame for the fiasco at Chancellorsville, and in his autobiography suggests that he thought it was entirely his corps's fault for running, not his. McLean, coincidentally, would be ordered west May 18. He was given a desk job, provost marshal general. under Burnside in the

Department of the Ohio The Department of the Ohio was an administrative military district created by the United States War Department early in the American Civil War to administer the troops in the Northern states near the Ohio River. 1st Department 1861–1862 Gene ...

. McLean was relocated back to his home of Cincinnati. As provost marshal, he dealt with prisoners-of-war and "citizen-prisoners" who applied to take oaths of allegiance to the United States.

Western Theater

McLean did not hold another field command for a year, although he was transferred to command of the first division of the

District of Kentucky Kentucky County (aka Kentucke County), later the District of Kentucky, was formed by the Commonwealth of Virginia from the western portion (beyond the Big Sandy River and Cumberland Mountains) of Fincastle County effective 1777. The name of ...

under Major General

Stephen Gano Burbridge Stephen Gano Burbridge (August 19, 1831 – December 2, 1894), also known as "Butcher" Burbridge or the "Butcher of Kentucky", was a controversial Union general during the American Civil War. In June 1864 he was given command over the Commonweal ...

, consisting of four brigades. McLean commanded a brigade in the XXIII Corps during the Atlanta Campaign and again came into conflict with Howard for alleged failures at the

Battle of Pickett's Mill The Battle of Pickett's Mill (May 27, 1864) was fought in Paulding County, Georgia, between Union (American Civil War), Union forces under Major general (United States), Major General William Tecumseh Sherman and Confederate States of America, ...

. This time, while assaulting Confederate positions on May 27, 1864, McLean's brigade was to be used as a distraction. But, they separated from the brigade on his left, whom they were supposed to stay linked with, and were not able to provide a distraction. Ultimately, Howard's corps took many casualties. He would later write, "General McLean…disregarded the request and moved off at once…leaving eneral Thomas Wood's and General Richard Johnson'sdivisions isolated. He (McLean) alleged in excuse that his men were entirely without rations.". McLean was again relegated to a staff position and later transferred to

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

, where he served again in the XXIII Corps during Sherman's Carolina Campaign. The corps took

Fort Fisher Fort Fisher was a Confederate fort during the American Civil War. It protected the vital trading routes of the port at Wilmington, North Carolina, from 1861 until its capture by the Union in 1865. The fort was located on one of Cape Fear Riv ...

, and intended to meet the rest of Sherman's army in central North Carolina, but they got as far as Goldsboro before the

Battle of Bentonville The Battle of Bentonville (March 19–21, 1865) was fought in Johnston County, North Carolina, near the village of Bentonville, as part of the Western Theater of the American Civil War, Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was the last ...

in March. Seeing the end of the war coming, McLean resigned his commission April 20, 1865, six days before the surrender of General Joseph Johnston at

Bennett Place Bennett Place is a former farm and homestead in Durham, North Carolina, which was the site of the last surrender of a major Confederate army in the American Civil War, when Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to William T. Sherman. The first meetin ...

Durham, North Carolina Durham ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Durham County, North Carolina, Durham County. Small portions of the city limits extend into Orange County, North Carolina, Orange County and Wake County, North Carol ...

. Throughout the war, McLean was off duty for the space of thirty days, having had leave of absence once for twenty, and one more again for ten days.

Postbellum career

After the war, McLean returned to Cincinnati and his life as a lawyer. Within a few years, he relocated to

, where he retired to the quiet occupation of a farmer and built a church. In 1885, he moved, this time to

Bellport, New York Bellport is a village in the Town of Brookhaven in Suffolk County, on the South Shore of Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 2,084 at the 2010 census. The Incorporated Village of Bellport is named after the Bell family ...

, where within a year he set up another

Episcopal Episcopal may refer to: *Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church *Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese *Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name ** Episcopal Church (United States ...

congregation. He would die in Bellport in 1905.

References

* Hennessy, John J. ''Return to Bull Run: The Campaign and Battle of Second Manassas''. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1993. * Hennessy, John J. "Second Manassas, Virginia (VA026), Prince William County, August 28–30, 1862." In ''The Civil War Battlefield Guide'', ed. Frances H. Kennedy. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998. * Howard, Oliver Otis. ''Autobiography of Oliver Otis Howard, Major General, United States Army''. New York: The Baker and Taylor Company, 1907. * Luvaas Jay. "New Hope Church, Georgia (GA010), Paulding County, May 25–26, 1864; Pickett's Mill, Georgia (GA012), Paulding County, May 27, 1864; and Dallas, Georgia (GA011), Paulding County, May 28, 1864." In ''The Civil War Battlefield Guide'', ed. Frances H. Kennedy. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998. * Pfanz, Donald C. "Cross Keys, Virginia (VA105), Rockingham County, June 8, 1862." In ''The Civil War Battlefield Guide'', ed. Frances H. Kennedy. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998. * Reid, Whitelaw. ''Ohio in the War: Her Statesmen, Generals, and Soldiers''. Cincinnati: Moore, Wilstach, and Baldin, 1868. * Sears, Stephen W. ''Chancellorsville''. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1996. * Tanner, Robert G. "Front Royal, Virginia (VA103), Warren County, May 23, 1862." In ''The Civil War Battlefield Guide, Second Edition'', ed. Frances H. Kennedy. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998. * Tanner, Robert G. "McDowell, Virginia (VA102), Highland County, May 8, 1862." In ''The Civil War Battlefield Guide, Second Edition'', ed. Frances H. Kennedy. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998. {{DEFAULTSORT:McLean, Nathaniel 1815 births 1905 deaths United States Army officers Union army generals People of Ohio in the American Civil War Lawyers from Cincinnati Harvard Law School alumni People from Bellport, New York People from Warren County, Ohio

Early life and career

Civil War service

Western Virginia

Second Bull Run

Chancellorsville

Western Theater

Postbellum career

See also

References