★ ★  Hunter, David

David Hunter

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Hunter.jpg


Born: July 21, 1802

Birthplace: Troy, New York

Father: Rev. Andrew Hunter 1750 – 1823
(Buried: Congressional Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)​

Mother: Mary Stockton 1761 – 1846
(Buried: Princeton Cemetery, Princeton, New Jersey)​

Wife: Maria Indiana Kinzie 1807 – 1887
(Buried: Princeton Cemetery, Princeton, New Jersey)​

Education:
1822: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (25th in class)​

Occupation before War:
1822 – 1828: 2nd Lt. United States Army, 5th Infantry Regiment​
1828 – 1833: 1st Lt. United States Army, 5th Infantry Regiment​
1833 – 1836: Captain United States Army, 1st Dragoons Regiment​
1836: Resigned from United States Army on July 4th
1836 – 1842: Speculator of Chicago, Illinois real estate​
1842 – 1861: Major and Paymaster United States Army​
1846: Chief Paymaster of General Wool’s Column of March​
1847 – 1848: Chief Paymaster for the Army of Occupation​
1848 – 1849: Chief Paymaster at New Orleans, Louisiana​
1849 – 1850: Chief Paymaster at Washington, D.C.​
1850 – 1851: Chief Paymaster at Detroit, Michigan​
1852 – 1856: Chief Paymaster at New York​
1856 – 1858: Chief Paymaster a Fort Leavenworth, Kansas​
1858 – 1859: Chief Paymaster at St. Louis, Missouri​
1859 – 1861: Chief Paymaster a Fort Leavenworth, Kansas​

Civil War Career:
1861 – 1866: Colonel of United States Army, 6th Cavalry Regiment​
1861: Brigadier General, Union Army Volunteers​
1861: Wounded in the neck at the First Battle of Bull Run, Virginia​
1861 – 1866: Major General of Union Army Volunteers​
1861: Served in the Defenses of Washington, D.C.​
1861: Union Army, Commander of the Western Department​
1861 – 1862: Union Army, Commander of Department of Kansas​
1862: Union Army Commander, Department of the South​
1862: Army Commander at the Siege of Fort Pulaski, Georgia​
1862 – 1863: Member of the Union Army Military Commission​
1863: Union Army Commander of Department of the South​
1863 – 1864: Served on the Military Courts of Inquiry​
1864: Union Army Commander of Department of West Virginia​
1864: Union Army Commander at Battle of Piedmont, Virginia​
1864: Occupied the town of Lexington, Virginia​
1864: Ordered the burning of Virginia Military Institute​
1864: Union Army Commander at Battle of Lynchburg, Virginia​
1865: Brevetted Brig. General for Gallantry at Battle of Piedmont​
1865: Brevetted Major General for his service in the war​
1865: Served on Court Martial Duty​
1865: Honor Guard at the funeral of President Abraham Lincoln​
1865: President of Military Commission trying Lincoln Conspirators​
1866: Mustered out of the Union Army on January 15th

Occupation after War:

1861 – 1866: Colonel of United States Army, 6th Cavalry Regiment​
1866: Retired from United States Army on July 31st
1866 – 1867: President of Special Claims Commission​
1866 – 1868: Member of Board for Examination of officer promotions​
1869: Member of Board of Visitors at West Point Military Academy​
1869 – 1886: Retired Military Officer living in Washington, D.C.​

Died: February 2, 1886

Place of Death:
Washington, D.C.

Cause of Death: Angina Pectoris

Age at time of Death: 84 years old

Burial Place: Princeton Cemetery, Princeton, New Jersey
 
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Hunter has a rather mixed reputation. He was responsible for the first orders to recruit black troops, and was responsible for the first substantial Union Victory in the Valley since Kernstown.
 
If captured by the Confederates, Hunter faced the death penalty for his destruction and the burnings in the valley. He ordered the burning of former Govenor Letcher's residence and Virginia Military Institute.
 
He was no prize winner, and not a winner at much of anything. He was great at burning down things, and mostly remembered for that alone. He retired from the U.S. Army when he got back his prewar command the 6th U.S. Cavalry. Hunter was a desk fighter, and he proved just that during the war. He was way over his talents in war, he was not a warrior.
 
During Lincoln's first inaugural tour, Hunter accompanied the President on part of the trip. He suffered a dislocated collarbone in Buffalo, New York. Anyone know how it happened?
 
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