David Hillhouse Buel (September 19, 1839 – July 22, 1870) was a United States Army officer who rose to the rank of

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

and

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Born in Michigan, he attended the United States Military Academy, and eventually became Chief of Ordnance of the Army of the Tennessee and fought in the First Battle of Bull Run. He was killed by a soldier at Fort Leavenworth, whom he had imprisoned for

desertion Desertion is the abandonment of a military duty or post without permission (a pass, liberty or leave) and is done with the intention of not returning. This contrasts with unauthorized absence (UA) or absence without leave (AWOL ), which ar ...

Early life

David Hillhouse Buel was born on September 19, 1839, in

Marshall, Michigan Marshall is a U.S. city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Calhoun County. The population was 7,088 at the 2010 census. Marshall is best known for its cross-section of 19th- and early 20th-century architecture. It has been referred to by t ...

, to Samuel Buel and Jane Buel ''née'' Wilmer. He enrolled as a

cadet A cadet is an officer trainee or candidate. The term is frequently used to refer to those training to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. Its meaning may vary between countries which can include youths in ...

at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, on September 1, 1857, graduating on June 24, 1861. He married Josephine Maria McDougal on September 28, 1861, in Poughkeepsie, New York. His father presided over the marriage ceremony. McDougal was born on June 16, 1839, in Indianapolis, Indiana, and was the daughter of Brigadier General Charles McDougall, a surgeon in the Army. Buel had two children. His daughter, Josephine Maria Buel, was born on February 13, 1866; she later changed her name to Violet McDougal. His son, David Hillhouse Buel, was born on June 19, 1862, and became a

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

priest and the president of Georgetown University, before converting and becoming an

Episcopal Episcopal may refer to: *Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church *Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese *Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name ** Episcopal Church (United State ...

minister.

Military career

Buel served in the Union Army during the Civil War. He was appointed the

commanding officer The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitu ...

of the

Kennebec Arsenal Kennebec Arsenal is a historic arsenal on Arsenal Street in Augusta, Maine, Augusta, Maine. Largely developed between 1828 and 1838 in part because of border disputes with neighboring New Brunswick, it was designated a National Historic Landmark ...

Augusta, Maine Augusta is the capital of the U.S. state of Maine and the county seat of Kennebec County. The city's population was 18,899 at the 2020 census, making it the tenth-most populous city in Maine, and third-least populous state capital in the Un ...

, before becoming the commanding officer of the Leavenworth Arsenal at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas. He became Chief of Ordnance of the Army of the Tennessee. He was a brevetted

and later

in the Ordnance Corps. On July 22, 1870, Buel attended a party at the house of Brigadier General

Samuel D. Sturgis Samuel Davis Sturgis (June 11, 1822 – September 28, 1889) was a senior Officer (armed forces), officer of the United States Army. A veteran of the Mexican–American War, Mexican War, American Civil War, Civil War, and American Indian Wars, I ...

. While exiting his carriage in which he was returned from the party, he was shot and killed by a soldier, whom he had imprisoned in the guardhouse for

. His widow married Buel's uncle, Oliver Prince Buel, on December 1, 1875, at Jefferson Barracks in Missouri.

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