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Oliver Ottis HowardUnion Army General
Country:
 USA |
Content:
Biography of Oliver Otis Howard
Oliver Otis Howard was born in 1822 in Leeds, Maine. After receiving a civilian education at Bowdoin College, he chose a military career and enrolled at West Point, graduating in 1854 as a lieutenant in the artillery. He served in the active army for two years before returning to West Point as a mathematics instructor.
Civil War
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Howard joined the 3rd Maine Infantry Regiment. He fought in the first battle of Bull Run and the Peninsula Campaign. During the Battle of Fair Oaks, Howard was wounded twice in his right arm, which later had to be amputated. After recovering, he returned to the army and led a division in the II Corps, participating in the Battle of Antietam. His success in this battle earned him the rank of major general and command of the XI Corps.
Chancellorsville and Gettysburg
The Battle of Chancellorsville was Howard's first test as a commander, and he failed. His corps suffered a devastating blow from "Stonewall" Jackson's troops and was forced to retreat. In July 1863, Howard led his battered corps to the field at Gettysburg. On the first day of the battle, his corps was attacked by Richard Ewell's forces and once again fled in disgrace. However, Howard's corps successfully defended Cemetery Hill for the remaining two days of the battle and played a key role in repelling Pickett's Charge.
Later Military Career
After Gettysburg, Howard and his corps were transferred to the Western Theater and became part of the Army of the Cumberland. His soldiers participated in the capture of Missionary Ridge during the Battle of Chattanooga. In July 1864, General Howard took command of the Tennessee Army and served as the right flank of General William Sherman's forces on their march to the sea. After the war, Howard served as Commissioner of the Freedmen's Bureau and commanded US Army forces during the Indian Wars. He retired from the army in 1894.
Legacy
Despite being a military man, Howard did not forget about civilian life. He founded two universities - the General Institute for the preparation of ministers and teachers in Washington (now the Howard University) and the Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. Howard served as president of the General Institute from 1868 to 1874. Oliver Otis Howard passed away in 1907.
