Robert Cowdin (September 18, 1805 – July 9, 1874) was a businessman, a field officer 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 (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

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 th ...

and a local politician in Massachusetts. Cowdin was colonel of the 1st Massachusetts Infantry and served in several major battles early in the war. He was appointed brigadier general of volunteers September 26, 1862 and he then commanded a brigade in the defenses of Washington until March 1863. He did not become a full brigadier general because his appointment expired by law March 4, 1862 when the U.S. Senate adjourned without confirming it. His grade reverted to colonel but after being relieved of command of the brigade, he returned home and saw no further service.

Biography

Cowdin (occasionally misspelled as Cowden or Coudin)Eicher, John H., and

David J. Eicher David John Eicher (born August 7, 1961) is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of ''Astronomy'' magazine since 2002. He is author, coauthor, or editor of 23 books on science and American ...

, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . p. 593Warner, Ezra J. ''Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders.'' Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1964. . p. 96 was born in

Jamaica, Vermont Jamaica is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,005 at the 2020 census. The town includes the villages of Jamaica, East Jamaica and Rawsonville. Its ZIP code is 05343. The town is home to Jamaica State Park, ...

, the son of Angier and Abiah (Carter) Cowdin. He moved to

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

at age 20 to engage in the lumber business. He served in various organizations in the state militia from 1838 until the start of the Civil War. He also served on the Common Council of

for eight years, and various elected positions in the city's correctional system.

Civil War

Cowdin was colonel of the 2nd Massachusetts Militia Regiment at the start of the war, and was appointed colonel of the 1st Massachusetts Infantry on May 25, 1861. He led his regiment at the battle of Blackburn's Ford on July 18, 1861, was part of

Israel B. Richardson Israel Bush Richardson (December 26, 1815 – November 3, 1862) was a United States Army officer during the Mexican–American War and American Civil War, where he was a major general in the Union Army. Nicknamed "Fighting Dick" for his prowess on ...

's brigade of Daniel Tyler's Division at the

First Battle of Bull Run The First Battle of Bull Run (the name used by Union forces), also known as the Battle of First Manassas

, where his horse was killed. He also saw action at Williamsburg, Fair Oaks,

Glendale Glendale is the anglicised version of the Gaelic Gleann Dail, which means ''valley of fertile, low-lying arable land''. It may refer to: Places Australia * Glendale, New South Wales ** Stockland Glendale, a shopping centre *Glendale, Queensland, ...

Malvern Hill Malvern Hill stands on the north bank of the James River in Henrico County, Virginia, USA, about eighteen miles southeast of Richmond. On 1 July 1862, it was the scene of the Battle of Malvern Hill, one of the Seven Days Battles of the American ...

and

Chantilly Chantilly may refer to: Places France *Chantilly, Oise, a city located in the Oise department **US Chantilly, a football club *Château de Chantilly, a historic château located in the town of Chantilly United States * Chantilly, Missou ...

. On September 26, 1862, based on a recommendation by General

Joseph Hooker Joseph Hooker (November 13, 1814 – October 31, 1879) was an American Civil War general for the Union, chiefly remembered for his decisive defeat by Confederate General Robert E. Lee at the Battle of Chancellorsville in 1863. Hooker had serv ...

, he 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 ...

of Volunteers, and commanded the 1st Brigade, Abercrombie's Division, Defenses of Washington (later called the XXII Corps), from October 1862 to February 1863, then the 2nd Brigade until the end of March. On March 4, Congress adjourned without approving his commission, and he was relieved of duty on March 30, and returned to

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

Postwar life

During the next 11 years, Cowdin served 10 terms on the Common Council and Board of

Aldermen An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members them ...

in Boston, and served as Captain of the

Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts The Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts is the oldest chartered military organization in North America and the third oldest chartered military organization in the world. Its charter was granted in March 1638 by the Great and Gen ...

. He died in Boston, Massachusetts, and is buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery,

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most populous city in the state, behind Boston, ...

Notes

References

* Boatner, Mark M., ''The Civil War Dictionary,'' New York: Vintage Books, 1991, p. 205. * Dean, Dudley, editor, Officers of our Union army and navy : their lives, their portraits ...,'' Boston: L. Prang & Co., 1862; modern reprint from UMI microfilm. * Eicher, John H., and

, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . * Warner, Ezra J., ''Generals In Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders,'' Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1964, 1992, pp. 96–97.

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cowdin, Robert 1805 births 1874 deaths People from Jamaica, Vermont Union Army generals People of Massachusetts in the American Civil War People of Vermont in the American Civil War Boston City Council members Boston Board of Aldermen members Burials at Mount Auburn Cemetery 19th-century American politicians