William Farquhar Barry

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William Farquhar Barry

William Farquhar Barry (* 18th August 1818 in New York City , † 18 July 1879 in Fort McHenry ) was an American artillery - an officer of the United States Army , of the American Mexican War and the Civil War served.

Military career

Barry graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1838 and finished his training as 17th of 45 cadets . He then served as a brevet lieutenant in the 4th US Artillery Regiment . A few weeks later he switched to the 2nd Artillery Regiment and was stationed near the Canadian border. He later took part in the Seminole Wars and the Kansas-Missouri Border Wars .

In 1860 he co-wrote the book Instruction for Field Artillery with William H. French and Henry J. Hunt .

Shortly after the outbreak of hostilities between the Northern and Confederate States , he was promoted to major . During the first Battle of Bull Run , he served as the artillery commander under Brigadier General Irvin McDowell , where his position was overrun by a mistake in the Confederate withdrawal of Union forces. On August 20, 1861, he was promoted to brigadier general by President Abraham Lincoln . The president presented the nomination to the United States Senate on December 21, 1861 , and the Senate approved the promotion on March 17, 1862. Barry came up with the idea of introducing a mounted artillery brigade into the Potomac Army .

As commander of the artillery under Major General George B. McClellan , he organized the artillery of the Potomac Army during the Peninsula Campaign . He later took part in the Battles of Yorktown , Beaver Dam Creek , Gaines Mill , White Oak Swamp, and the Battle of Malvern Hill .
After overseeing the forts and artillery in the Washington, DC area , he became chief of artillery under Maj. General William T. Sherman and took part with him in the Battle of Chattanooga , the March to the Sea and the Carolina Campaign . On January 23, 1865, President Lincoln nominated Barry, retroactively to September 1, 1864, for appointment as major general for his service in the Atlanta campaign . The Senate operated on February 14, 1865. On January 15, 1866 he was retired and retired from the army. On July 17, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Barry for re-entry into the Army, retroactive to March 13, 1865, and the Senate upheld it on July 23, 1866.

He became the commander of the 2nd Artillery Regiment, in which he served until 1867. He was then chief of the artillery school at Fort Monroe until 1877. He was appointed commander of Fort McHenry in Baltimore , ( Maryland ).

Barry died at the age of 60 years at Fort McHenry and was at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo ( New York buried).

literature

  • John H. Eicher, David J. Eicher: Civil War High Commands. Stanford University Press, Stanford CA 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3 .
  • Clifford L. Linedecker (Ed.): Civil War A to Z. The Complete Handbook of America's Bloodiest Conflict. Ballantine Books, New York NY 2002, ISBN 0-89141-878-4 .

Web links