ColorizedPast
Corporal
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2016
- Location
- Hangzhou, China (Wisconsin, USA)
Major General Robert Cumming Schenck (USA)
Robert Cumming Schenck was born in Franklin, Ohio on 4 October 1809. In 1824, Schenck entered Miami University as a sophomore and graduated with a bachelor of arts degree with honors in 1827, but remained in Oxford, Ohio, employing his time in reading, and as tutor of French and Latin, until 1830, when he received the degree of Master of Arts.
He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1831. He moved to Dayton, Ohio and rose to a commanding position. In 1838, he ran unsuccessfully for the State Legislature, but won a term in 1841. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1843, 1845, 1847, and 1849. His first conspicuous work was to help repeal the gag rule that had long been used to prevent antislavery petitions being read on the floor of the House. He opposed the Mexican-American War as a war of aggression to further slavery.
In March 1851, President Millard Fillmore appointed Schenck Minister to Brazil and was also accredited to Uruguay, the Argentine Confederation, and Paraguay. He was directed to make treaties with the republics around the Río de la Plata and its tributaries. Several treaties were concluded by which the United States gain advantages never accorded to any European nation, however, the Democratic victory in 1852 caused the treaty of commerce with Uruguay to fail.
In 1854, Schenck returned to Ohio, built up a lucrative law practice, and served as President of the Fort Wayne Western Railroad Company. In September 1859, Schenck delivered a speech in Dayton regarding the growing animosity within the country. In this speech, he recommend the Republican Party nominate Abraham Lincoln for president.
Schenck was commissioned brigadier general as one of Lincoln's political generals. On 17 June 1861, Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell sent the 1st Ohio (90-day) under the command of Schenck and Col. Alexander M. McCook to expand the Union position in Fairfax County, Virginia. Schenck was turned back at the small Battle of Vienna when Confederates ambushed his force's slow-moving train.
At the First Battle of Bull Run on 21 July 1861, Schenck commanded the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division (Daniel Tyler) of the Army of Northeastern Virginia (Irvin McDowell). As the battle turned and many units began to flee, parts of Schenck's brigade, along with U.S. Regulars under Maj. George Sykes, Col. Louis Blenker's brigade, Col. Erasmus D. Keyes' brigade, and the 1st and 2nd Rhode Island regiments left the field in relatively good order.
Schenck was sent to western Virginia under Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans and then under Maj. Gen. John C. Fremont in the Luray Valley. He fought against Stonewall Jackson during Jackson's Valley Campaign on 1862. He commanded I Corps during Maj. Gen. Franz Sigel's absence. He joined Maj. Gen. John Pope's Army of Virginia just before the Second Battle of Bull Run. He was severely wounded on the second day of fighting, his right arm permanently injured. He was promoted to major general to rank from 30 August 1862.
Unfit for field duty for six months, he was assigned to command VIII Corps, repressing all turbulence and acts of disloyalty or complicity with treason by citizens of Maryland. Schenck was not popular with the disloyal residents of Maryland. In December 1863, he resigned his commission to take his seat in Congress.
He was at once made House Chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs. He was firm friend of the volunteer, against what he thought the encroachments and assumptions of the regulars, the remorseless enemy of deserters, a vigorous advocate of the draft, the author of the disenfranchisement of those who ran away from it, and the champion of the private soldiers and subordinate officers. He served in Congress until falling short of re-election by just fifty-three votes in 1870.
President Ulysses S. Grant appointed him Minister to the United Kingdom. He took part in settling the claims arising from the exploits of Raphael Semmes and the Confederate raider Alabama. He was instrumental in passing a bill denominating currency in only gold. In October 1871, Schenck was paid for the use of his name in the sale of stock in England for the Emma Silver Mine, near Alta, Utah, and became director of the mining company. British people invested heavily and were paid large dividends for a brief time while company insiders sold their shares. Share prices crashed when it was learned the mine was exhausted. Schenck was blamed and ordered home for investigation. A congressional investigation in March 1876 cleared him of wrongdoing but concluded he had shown very bad judgment.
He resumed his law practice in Washington, D.C. and published a book on draw poker, Draw. Rules for Playing Poker. Schenck was an accomplished scholar, thoroughly informed on international and constitutional law, well versed in political history, and familiar with the whole range of modern literature, English, French, and Spanish.
Schenck died in Washington, D.C., on 23 March 1890.
Robert Cumming Schenck was born in Franklin, Ohio on 4 October 1809. In 1824, Schenck entered Miami University as a sophomore and graduated with a bachelor of arts degree with honors in 1827, but remained in Oxford, Ohio, employing his time in reading, and as tutor of French and Latin, until 1830, when he received the degree of Master of Arts.
He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1831. He moved to Dayton, Ohio and rose to a commanding position. In 1838, he ran unsuccessfully for the State Legislature, but won a term in 1841. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1843, 1845, 1847, and 1849. His first conspicuous work was to help repeal the gag rule that had long been used to prevent antislavery petitions being read on the floor of the House. He opposed the Mexican-American War as a war of aggression to further slavery.
In March 1851, President Millard Fillmore appointed Schenck Minister to Brazil and was also accredited to Uruguay, the Argentine Confederation, and Paraguay. He was directed to make treaties with the republics around the Río de la Plata and its tributaries. Several treaties were concluded by which the United States gain advantages never accorded to any European nation, however, the Democratic victory in 1852 caused the treaty of commerce with Uruguay to fail.
In 1854, Schenck returned to Ohio, built up a lucrative law practice, and served as President of the Fort Wayne Western Railroad Company. In September 1859, Schenck delivered a speech in Dayton regarding the growing animosity within the country. In this speech, he recommend the Republican Party nominate Abraham Lincoln for president.
Schenck was commissioned brigadier general as one of Lincoln's political generals. On 17 June 1861, Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell sent the 1st Ohio (90-day) under the command of Schenck and Col. Alexander M. McCook to expand the Union position in Fairfax County, Virginia. Schenck was turned back at the small Battle of Vienna when Confederates ambushed his force's slow-moving train.
At the First Battle of Bull Run on 21 July 1861, Schenck commanded the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division (Daniel Tyler) of the Army of Northeastern Virginia (Irvin McDowell). As the battle turned and many units began to flee, parts of Schenck's brigade, along with U.S. Regulars under Maj. George Sykes, Col. Louis Blenker's brigade, Col. Erasmus D. Keyes' brigade, and the 1st and 2nd Rhode Island regiments left the field in relatively good order.
Schenck was sent to western Virginia under Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans and then under Maj. Gen. John C. Fremont in the Luray Valley. He fought against Stonewall Jackson during Jackson's Valley Campaign on 1862. He commanded I Corps during Maj. Gen. Franz Sigel's absence. He joined Maj. Gen. John Pope's Army of Virginia just before the Second Battle of Bull Run. He was severely wounded on the second day of fighting, his right arm permanently injured. He was promoted to major general to rank from 30 August 1862.
Unfit for field duty for six months, he was assigned to command VIII Corps, repressing all turbulence and acts of disloyalty or complicity with treason by citizens of Maryland. Schenck was not popular with the disloyal residents of Maryland. In December 1863, he resigned his commission to take his seat in Congress.
He was at once made House Chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs. He was firm friend of the volunteer, against what he thought the encroachments and assumptions of the regulars, the remorseless enemy of deserters, a vigorous advocate of the draft, the author of the disenfranchisement of those who ran away from it, and the champion of the private soldiers and subordinate officers. He served in Congress until falling short of re-election by just fifty-three votes in 1870.
President Ulysses S. Grant appointed him Minister to the United Kingdom. He took part in settling the claims arising from the exploits of Raphael Semmes and the Confederate raider Alabama. He was instrumental in passing a bill denominating currency in only gold. In October 1871, Schenck was paid for the use of his name in the sale of stock in England for the Emma Silver Mine, near Alta, Utah, and became director of the mining company. British people invested heavily and were paid large dividends for a brief time while company insiders sold their shares. Share prices crashed when it was learned the mine was exhausted. Schenck was blamed and ordered home for investigation. A congressional investigation in March 1876 cleared him of wrongdoing but concluded he had shown very bad judgment.
He resumed his law practice in Washington, D.C. and published a book on draw poker, Draw. Rules for Playing Poker. Schenck was an accomplished scholar, thoroughly informed on international and constitutional law, well versed in political history, and familiar with the whole range of modern literature, English, French, and Spanish.
Schenck died in Washington, D.C., on 23 March 1890.
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