First Bull Run Whatever happened to McDowell?

StraboSE

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In the earliest months of the war, one hears much about Beauregard up through 1st Bull Run, but even when men like Lee come into the picture as the star of the CSA in the the eastern theatre, Beauregard seems to often still show up. However, his Northern opponent at the battle, Irwin McDowell, seems to largely disappear from most general histories of the war. What happened to him for the rest of the war? Was he dismissed like McClellan after Antietam or merely subordinated to a lower post as happened to men like Burnside after Fredericksburg and the Mud March? It seems until the Overland Campaign, the Union armies in the East burnt through commanders after nearly ever campaign, what then happened to that first disappointing and defeated general?
 
In the earliest months of the war, one hears much about Beauregard up through 1st Bull Run, but even when men like Lee come into the picture as the star of the CSA in the the eastern theatre, Beauregard seems to often still show up. However, his Northern opponent at the battle, Irwin McDowell, seems to largely disappear from most general histories of the war. What happened to him for the rest of the war? Was he dismissed like McClellan after Antietam or merely subordinated to a lower post as happened to men like Burnside after Fredericksburg and the Mud March? It seems until the Overland Campaign, the Union armies in the East burnt through commanders after nearly ever campaign, what then happened to that first disappointing and defeated general?
After the debacle at Second Bull Run and the Porter court martial, he was sent west and put in command of the Department of the Pacific, HQ'd at San Francisco. Well after the war, when he retired he ended up running the San Francisco park system and laid out much of the Presidio as it exists today.
 
After the debacle at Second Bull Run and the Porter court martial, he was sent west and put in command of the Department of the Pacific, HQ'd at San Francisco. Well after the war, when he retired he ended up running the San Francisco park system and laid out much of the Presidio as it exists today.
And is buried in the National Cemetery at the Presidio beneath a common VA headstone that I believe like the OP above spells his first name wrong: it's Irvin McDowell.
 
Whatever happened to McDowell? The answer is in our book, Searching for Irvin McDowell, Forgotten Civil War General. Frank Simione and I will be publishing it in August. Here is the cover.
1626120295740.jpeg
 
Whatever happened to McDowell? The answer is in our book, Searching for Irvin McDowell, Forgotten Civil War General. Frank Simione and I will be publishing it in August. Here is the cover.
View attachment 407799
I've always been interested in your cover photo, and another full-length standing one taken at the same sitting, not for McDowell himself, but the AUSTRIAN CAVALRY SABER he's cradling. Any ideas about WHY a U.S. Major General is wearing THAT instead of the Regulation U.S. Sword For General Officers or the M.1850 or M.1860 Sword For Officers Of The Staff & Field like everyone else???
 
I've always been interested in your cover photo, and another full-length standing one taken at the same sitting, not for McDowell himself, but the AUSTRIAN CAVALRY SABER he's cradling. Any ideas about WHY a U.S. Major General is wearing THAT instead of the Regulation U.S. Sword For General Officers or the M.1850 or M.1860 Sword For Officers Of The Staff & Field like everyone else???
I believe I read in Foote that he was an attaché to either France or Austria in Europe before the war.
 
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