Thomas Casimer Devin (December 10, 1822 – April 4, 1878) was a

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

officer and general. He commanded Union

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...

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 ...

and during the

Indian Wars The American Indian Wars, also known as the American Frontier Wars, and the Indian Wars, was a conflict initially fought by European colonial empires, the United States, and briefly the Confederate States of America and Republic of Texas agains ...

Early life

Born in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

to Irish immigrant parents, Devin was a house painter and partner in a paint and varnish company with his brother John for much of his early life, while also serving as a lieutenant colonel in the New York State Militia.

Civil War

After the start of the Civil War, Devin formed his militia cavalry company into "Captain Devin's Independent Company" and served as its captain. Late that year, he became

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 6th New York Volunteer Cavalry, nicknamed the "2nd Ira Harris Guards", which he would lead for the next year. The regiment's first important service was in the

Maryland Campaign The Maryland campaign (or Antietam campaign) occurred September 4–20, 1862, during the American Civil War. The campaign was Confederate States Army, Confederate General (CSA), General Robert E. Lee's first invasion of the Northern United Stat ...

of 1862. At 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 ...

, one of its squadrons was involved in the first attacks of the day. At 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 ( ...

, Devin inherited command of David McMurtrie Gregg's cavalry brigade, when the latter took charge of the brigade of George Dashiell Bayard, who had been killed by Confederate artillery fire. 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, his small brigade was the only cavalry not detached for Brig. Gen. George Stoneman's raid and he successfully led three Union Corps on the stealthy flanking march that preceded the battle. The men of the brigade repeatedly distinguished themselves in the heavy fighting of the battle. They suffered almost 200 casualties in the battle, higher losses than Union cavalry units had seen prior to that time. Devin also led his brigade in the

Battle of Brandy Station The Battle of Brandy Station, also called the Battle of Fleetwood Hill, was the largest predominantly cavalry engagement of the American Civil War, as well as the largest ever to take place on American soil. It was fought on June 9, 1863, around ...

(June 9, 1863), and took command of Brig. Gen.

John Buford John Buford Jr. (March 4, 1826 – December 16, 1863) was a United States Army cavalry officer. He fought for the Union Army, Union during the American Civil War, rising to the rank of brigadier general. Buford is best known for his actions in th ...

's division while Buford commanded the entire right wing of the two-pronged attack on Confederate cavalry. While observing the skirmish line early in the fighting, Devin had his horse shot out from under him. At the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was a three-day battle in the American Civil War, which was fought between the Union and Confederate armies between July 1 and July 3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle, won by the Union, ...

, Devin's brigade served in Brig. Gen. Buford's cavalry division that began the battle on July 1, 1863. Devin had become a favorite of Buford's and his rugged leadership style lent him the nickname "Buford's Hard Hitter," while his own men like to refer to him as "Uncle Tommy". As the Confederate attacks began, Devin's brigade was screening the northwest and northern road approaches to Gettysburg, and successfully delayed the arrival of

Jubal A. Early Jubal Anderson Early (November 3, 1816 – March 2, 1894) was an American lawyer, politician and military officer who served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, Civil War. Trained at the United States Military Academy, ...

's division.

Friendly fire In military terminology, friendly fire or fratricide is an attack by belligerent or neutral forces on friendly troops while attempting to attack enemy or hostile targets. Examples include misidentifying the target as hostile, cross-fire while ...

from Union artillery on

Cemetery Hill Cemetery Hill is a landform on the Gettysburg Battlefield that was the scene of fighting each day of the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863). The northernmost part of the Army of the Potomac defensive " fish-hook" line, the hill is gent ...

caused most of his brigade to withdraw into the town of Gettysburg and they later skirmished with the Confederates as they entered the town. The two brigades of Buford's cavalry division present on the field on July 1 and 2 were withdrawn from the battlefield by Cavalry Corps commander Alfred Pleasonton on the afternoon of July 2. After Gettysburg, Devin continued to command a brigade and sometimes a division in the Cavalry Corps 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 ...

. In the spring of 1864, he participated in the raid on

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...

Judson Kilpatrick Hugh Judson Kilpatrick (January 14, 1836 – December 4, 1881) was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War, achieving the rank of major general. He was later the United States Minister to Chile and an unsuccessful candidate ...

's cavalry. In August he accompanied the Cavalry Corps to the

Shenandoah Valley The Shenandoah Valley () is a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia in the United States. The Valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the east ...

, where they fought under Maj. Gen.

Philip Sheridan Philip Henry Sheridan (March 6, 1831 – August 5, 1888) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close association with General-i ...

during the Valley Campaigns of 1864. Devin was wounded once during the war, a wound in the foot on August 16, 1864, at the fighting at the Battle of Guard Hill, Virginia.

Wesley Merritt Wesley Merritt (June 16, 1836December 3, 1910) was an American major general who served in the cavalry of the United States Army during the American Civil War, American Indian Wars, and Spanish–American War. Following the latter war, he becam ...

became the Cavalry Corps commander, Devin inherited command of his division. On November 19, 1864, President

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

appointed Devin brigadier general of volunteers for his part in the

Battle of Cedar Creek The Battle of Cedar Creek, or Battle of Belle Grove, was fought on October 19, 1864, during the American Civil War. The fighting took place in the Shenandoah Valley of Northern Virginia, near Cedar Creek, Middletown, and the Valley Pike. D ...

, to rank from October 19, 1864. The President submitted the nomination on December 12, 1864, and the U.S. Senate confirmed it on February 14, 1865.Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . p. 720 Devin was mustered out of the volunteer service on January 15, 1866. On January 13, 1866, President

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 Devin for appointment to the brevet grade of major general of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on March 12, 1866. President Johnson also appointed Devin brevet colonel in the

regular army A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the following: * a ...

for Fisher's Hill, to rank from March 2, 1867. On March 26, 1867, President Johnson nominated Devin for appointment to the brevet grade of brigadier general in the regular army for Sayler's Creek, to rank from March 2, 1867, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on April 5, 1867.

Postbellum career

Devin obtained a commission in the Regular Army after the Civil War under the provisions of the Army Act of 1866. This Act required that the officer ranks of the new infantry and cavalry regiments be filled by a certain percentage of officers from the Volunteer regiments raised during the Civil War. Ending the war as a Brigadier General and Brevet Major General, Devin became a Lieutenant Colonel and was assigned to the 8th U.S. Cavalry. Initially serving with part of the regiment in New Mexico, Devin assumed command of the Subdistrict of Prescott in Arizona in late 1867. In October 1877, he was one of the eight pallbearers at the funeral of

George Armstrong Custer George Armstrong Custer (December 5, 1839 – June 25, 1876) was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars. Custer graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point ...

, along with Joseph B. Kiddoo and Randolph B. Marcy. Devin died of stomach cancer and exposure at his home in New York City, on sick leave from active duty, as Colonel of the 3rd U.S. Cavalry. Devin was initially interred in Calvary Cemetery on Long Island, but upon his wife's death in 1897, both were interred in

West Point Cemetery West Point Cemetery is a historic cemetery on the grounds of the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, West Point, New York (state), New York. It overlooks the Hudson River, and served as a burial ground for Continental Army s ...

(West Point, New York), near his old friend and commander John Buford.

Memorialization

On June 30, 1878, the United States Army established a temporary camp in southeastern Montana Territory during the building of the Fort Keogh-Deadwood Telegraph Line. The post was named "

Camp Devin Camp Devin was a temporary United States Army camp established on June 30, 1878 during the building of the Fort Keogh-Deadwood Telegraph Line. It was named for Brevet Major General Thomas C. Devin, and abandoned in late 1878. History On June 1, 1 ...

." It served as a base for part of the 9th U.S. Infantry until being abandoned later that year.

In popular media

Devin was portrayed by David Carpenter in the 1993 film '' Gettysburg'', based on Michael Shaara's novel, '' The Killer Angels''.

Early life

Civil War

Postbellum career

Memorialization

In popular media

See also

Notes

Further reading