Maxwell Van Zandt Woodhull (September 17, 1843 – July 15, 1921) was a Union Army officer 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 ...

Biography

Woodhull was born in Washington, D.C., on September 17, 1843.Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . p. 580. He was the son of

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

officer Maxwell Woodhull who commanded the and died from an accidental gun discharge during the Civil War. He was a graduate of

Miami University Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public university, public research university in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the second-oldest List of colleges and universities in Ohio, university in Ohi ...

and Columbian Law School. He was a lawyer before and after the Civil War. Woodhull enlisted as a private on December 22, 1862. He was appointed

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

and aide-de-camp to Major General Robert C. Schenck on March 11, 1863. He was appointed aide-de-camp to Major General

Lew Wallace Lewis Wallace (April 10, 1827February 15, 1905) was an American lawyer, Union general in the American Civil War, governor of New Mexico Territory, politician, diplomat, artist, and author from Indiana. Among his novels and biographies, Walla ...

on March 12, 1864. He was appointed

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

and Assistant Adjutant General on June 30, 1864. He was appointed lieutenant colonel and Assistant Adjutant General of the XV Corps (Union Army),

Army of the Tennessee The Army of the Tennessee was a Union Army, Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. A 2005 study of the army states that it "was present at most of the great battles that became turning points ...

, from February 17, 1865, to August 1, 1865. He later was appointed brevet

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 volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865. On February 22, 1866,

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. The 16th vice president, he assumed the presidency following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a South ...

nominated Woodhull for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the

United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...

confirmed the appointment on April 10, 1866. Woodhulll was mustered out of the volunteers on May 31, 1866. Woodhull wrote ''West Point in Our Next War: The Only Way to Create and Maintain an Army'' (1915). Woodull was largely responsible for bringing

George Washington University The George Washington University (GW or GWU) is a Private university, private University charter#Federal, federally-chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Originally named Columbian College, it was chartered in 1821 by ...

to its present location. Maxwell Van Zandt Woodhull died July 26, 1921, at

Watkins Glen, New York Watkins Glen is a village and census-designated place in and the county seat of Schuyler County, New York, Schuyler County, New York (state), New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,829. Watkins Glen lies between the ...

. He is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery (Washington, D.C.).

References

External links

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List of American Civil War brevet generals (Union) __NOTOC__ This is a list of American Civil brevet generals that served the Union Army. This list of brevet major generals or brevet brigadier generals currently contains a section which gives the names of officers who held lower actual or sub ...

Union army generals 1843 births 1921 deaths Woodhull family Burials at Oak Hill Cemetery (Washington, D.C.) {{AmericanCivilWar-bio-stub