Lovell Harrison Rousseau (August 4, 1818 – January 7, 1869) was a
general
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...
in the
Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...
during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...
, as well as a lawyer and politician in
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
and
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
.
Early life and career
Born near
Stanford, Kentucky
Stanford is a List of cities in Kentucky, home rule-class city in Lincoln County, Kentucky, Lincoln County, Kentucky, United States. It is one of the oldest settlements in Kentucky, having been founded in 1775. Its population was 3,487 at the 2010 ...
, on August 4, 1818, Rousseau attended the common schools as a child. His father, David Rousseau, brought his family across the Appalachians from Virginia, but he had a difficult time regaining economic equilibrium (despite extensive holdings in undeveloped land and
slaves). Lovell's elder brother had already left home, so when their father died of
cholera attempting to move the family to a new home in 1833, it fell to Lovell and his younger brothers to dig their father's roadside grave. At age fifteen, he had become his family's primary breadwinner. Soon afterwards, he was forced to sell his family's slaves in an effort to cover the family's debts.
Eager to earn a wage, he began working on a road-building crew, traveling around the
Midwest. Determined to rise, he studied grammar, mathematics, and French, and returned to Kentucky where he
read law in
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
, for several months. In 1841, he
passed the Indiana bar examination and began
practicing law with his brother, Richard Hillaire Rousseau, as junior
partners in a firm led by James I. Dozier, in
Bloomfield, Indiana. Both brothers married Dozier's daughters. Richard married Mary E. Dozier in 1839, while Lovell married Maria A. Dozier in 1843. (Mary Dozier Rousseau died young, and Richard remarried.)
Lovell successfully ran for the
Indiana House of Representatives as a Whig candidate in 1844, and in 1846 he was commissioned as a
captain in the
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...
and charged with raising a
company of volunteers. He led them at the
Battle of Buena Vista
The Battle of Buena Vista (February 22–23, 1847), known as the Battle of La Angostura in Mexico, and sometimes as Battle of Buena Vista/La Angostura, was a battle of the Mexican–American War. It was fought between the US invading forces, l ...
, where he helped rally the Indiana troops at a key point in the battle.
When he returned from the war, he gained a seat in the
Indiana Senate
The Indiana Senate is the upper house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The Senate is composed of 50 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. Senators serve four-year term ...
and continued to run a successful law practice.
After relocating to Louisville, Kentucky, he served in the
Kentucky Senate from 1860 to 1861.
Civil War
As the
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
was becoming more and more likely, Rousseau decided in favor of maintaining state government in
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
and helped keep it from seceding from the
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
. He resigned from his seat in the senate in June 1861 and applied for a commission to raise volunteers. Against the opposition of many prominent figures in Kentucky, he succeeded in raising two regiments composed entirely of Kentuckians at
Camp Joe Holt, across the
Ohio River from Louisville in
Jeffersonville, Indiana. They were known as the
Louisville Legion. With the help of a battalion of the
Louisville Home Guard, the regiments saved Louisville from being captured by
Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
troops. He was appointed
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...
of the
5th Kentucky Volunteer Regiment in September 1861 and was later promoted to
brigadier general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
of
Volunteers
Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...
attached to the army of
General
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...
Ormsby M. Mitchel.
Later, Rousseau was once again promoted to
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
of Volunteers. He served valiantly at the Battles of
Shiloh,
Stones River
The Stones River (properly spelled Stone's River) is a major stream of the eastern portion of Tennessee's Nashville Basin region. It is named after explorer and longhunter Uriah Stone, who navigated the river in 1767.
Geography and hydrography
T ...
, during the Battle of Hoover's Gap
Tullahoma Campaign and movements around
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020 ...
. Although from November 1863 until his resignation in November 1865, Rousseau had command of
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and ...
, he had also, on Sherman's orders, carried out a very successful raid on the
Montgomery and West Point Railroad in July 1864.
House of Representatives and assault on Josiah B. Grinnell
Rousseau was elected an
Unconditional Unionist
The Unconditional Union Party was a loosely organized political entity during the American Civil War and the early days of Reconstruction. First established in 1861 in Missouri, where secession talk was strong, the party fully supported the preserv ...
to the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
in 1864, serving from 1865 to 1866. As a former military officer, he served on the
Committee on Military Affairs. In June 1866, relations between Rousseau and
Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to th ...
congressman
Josiah Bushnell Grinnell became tense. The two had a series of debates over a bill intended to give more power to the
Freedman's Bureau. Rousseau opposed it having seen and heard about rebellious and illegal actions by agents working for the bureau, whereas Grinnell strongly supported the bill as a former active abolitionist and aide to runaway slaves. The debates eventually turned into
mudslinging, Grinnell questioning Rousseau's military record and insulting his performance in battle as well as a few comments on the state of
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
.
On June 14, 1866, Rousseau approached Grinnell in the east
portico of the
capitol building after a session of congress. He told Grinnell that he had been waiting for an apology from him for the insults he made about him before the
House. Grinnell pretended not to know what Rousseau was talking about, enraging Rousseau who struck him repeatedly with the iron handle of his
rattan
Rattan, also spelled ratan, is the name for roughly 600 species of Old World climbing palms belonging to subfamily Calamoideae. The greatest diversity of rattan palm species and genera are in the closed- canopy old-growth tropical fores ...
cane until it broke. He struck him chiefly in the face but a few blows hit Grinnell's hand and shoulder. Grinnell walked away with only bruises and did not have to absent himself from congress. However, a committee was organized to investigate the incident which was composed of
Nathaniel P. Banks
Nathaniel Prentice (or Prentiss) Banks (January 30, 1816 – September 1, 1894) was an American politician from Massachusetts and a Union general during the Civil War. A millworker by background, Banks was prominent in local debating societies, ...
,
Henry J. Raymond,
Rufus P. Spalding,
M. Russell Thayer and
John Hogan. Rousseau was
reprimanded
A reprimand is a severe, formal or official reproof. Reprimanding takes in different forms in different legal systems. A reprimand in custody may be a formal legal action issued by a government agency or professional governing board (e.g. medical ...
for his actions and soon later resigned. He was elected back the same year to fill the vacancy caused by himself and continued to serve until 1867.
Personal life
Rousseau's daughter, Mary E. Rousseau, married
Louis Douglas Watkins, USV, in
Jefferson County, Kentucky, on August 4, 1864.
Later life and death
After leaving the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
, Rousseau was appointed
brigadier general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
in the
U.S. Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
with the
brevet rank of
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
, and was assigned to duty in
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S. ...
on March 27, 1867. General Rousseau played a key role in the
transfer of Alaska from the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
on October 18, 1867, today celebrated as
Alaska Day
Alaska Day (russian: День Аляски) is a legal holiday in the U.S. state of Alaska, observed on October 18. It is the anniversary of the formal transfer of territories in present-day Alaska from the Russian Empire to the United States, ...
. On July 28, 1868, he was placed in command of the Department of
Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
. He died in this capacity in
, Louisiana, on January 7, 1869. He was interred in
Cave Hill National Cemetery
Cave Hill Cemetery is a Victorian era National Cemetery and arboretum located at Louisville, Kentucky. Its main entrance is on Baxter Avenue and there is a secondary one on Grinstead Drive. It is the largest cemetery by area and number of buria ...
in
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
; in 1892, his wife had his body removed from Cave Hill and re-interred at
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...
in
Arlington, Virginia
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the District of Columbia, of which it was once a part. The county ...
. His monument at Cave Hill remains.
See also
*
List of American Civil War generals (Union)
*
Louisville in the American Civil War
Louisville in the American Civil War was a major stronghold of Union forces, which kept Kentucky firmly in the Union. It was the center of planning, supplies, recruiting and transportation for numerous campaigns, especially in the Western Theat ...
*
List of federal political scandals in the United States
This article provides a list of political scandals that involve officials from the government of the United States, sorted from oldest to most recent.
Scope and organization of political scandals
This article is organized by presidential terms ...
*
List of United States representatives expelled, censured, or reprimanded
Notes
References
Retrieved on 2008-08-16
Sons of the South: Battle of Leesburg (Ball's Bluff)at
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...
Iowa Journal of History by the State Historical Society of Iowa* Black, Col. Robert W. ''Cavalry Raids of the Civil War''. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2004. .
*
External links
*
*
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rousseau, Lovell
1818 births
1869 deaths
19th-century American lawyers
19th-century American politicians
American lawyers admitted to the practice of law by reading law
American military personnel of the Mexican–American War
Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
Censured or reprimanded members of the United States House of Representatives
Indiana lawyers
Indiana state senators
Indiana Whigs
Kentucky lawyers
Kentucky state senators
Kentucky Unionists
Louisville, Kentucky, in the American Civil War
Members of the Indiana House of Representatives
Members of the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky
People from Bloomfield, Indiana
People from Indiana in the Mexican–American War
People from Lincoln County, Kentucky
People of Kentucky in the American Civil War
Politicians from Louisville, Kentucky
Unconditional Union Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky
Union Army generals