Cyrus Bussey (October 5, 1833March 2, 1915) was an American soldier and politician, serving as a

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 t ...

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 state ...

Early life and career

Bussey was born in Hubbard, Ohio, in 1833. His father, Reverend A. Bussey, was a

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related Christian denomination, denominations of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John W ...

minister Minister may refer to: * Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric ** Minister (Catholic Church) * Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department) ** Minister without portfolio, a member of government w ...

. He moved with his father, in 1837, to

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 ...

. At age 14, Bussey began working, as a clerk, in a dry-goods store, and at age 15, he started his own mercantile business. He began studying medicine, at age 18, but realized that he did not want to go into that profession. In 1855, Bussey moved to Davis County, Iowa, and began another business. It was here that his political career would begin.

Political career

He early became interested in politics, entered the

Iowa Senate The Iowa Senate is the upper house of the Iowa General Assembly, United States. There are 50 seats in the Iowa Senate, representing 50 single-member districts across the state of Iowa with populations of approximately 60,927 per constituency, . ...

as a Democrat, representing the 3rd District. In 1860, he was a delegate to the Baltimore convention, which nominated Stephen A. Douglas for

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese f ...

American Civil War

He served throughout the Civil War, beginning his military career as an Aide-de-Camp to Iowa Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood. He was promoted to

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 ...

and given command of the

3rd Iowa Cavalry Regiment The 3rd Iowa Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service The 3rd Iowa Cavalry was organized at Keokuk, Iowa and mustered in for three years of Federal service between August 30, 18 ...

in September 1861, which he led into the

Battle of Pea Ridge The Battle of Pea Ridge (March 7–8, 1862), also known as the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, took place in the American Civil War near Leetown, Arkansas, Leetown, northeast of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas. United States, Federal f ...

. In November 1862 he received the command of a cavalry brigade in the Thirteenth Army Corps and was the Chief of Cavalry for Ulysses S. Grant's army during the

Vicksburg Campaign The Vicksburg campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in the Western Theater of the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi R ...

. Being promoted to Brigadier General of U.S. Volunteers on January 5, 1864, he was assigned a cavalry brigade in the Seventh Army Corps in the Department of Arkansas. Later in the war he changed the branch and received command of an infantry brigade in the same corps; and when the war ended Bussey commanded the corps´ 3rd Division. He received his final promotion to the rank of Brevet Major General of U.S.V. on March 13, 1865, and was mustered out of the Volunteer Service on August 24, 1865.

Postbellum career

For some time after the war, he carried on a commission business in St. Louis and

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

Assistant Secretary of the Interior from 1889 to 1893. Afterwards, he practiced law. He was commander of the

District of Columbia ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...

Commandery,

Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS), or simply the Loyal Legion is a United States patriotic order, organized April 15, 1865, by three veteran officers of the Army. The original membership was composed of members ...

in 1911 and 1912.

Personal life

With his wife, Ellen (Kiser) Bussey, he had two children, Cora and Laura. His oldest daughter, Cora Bussey Hillis, became a notable children's welfare advocate. Cyrus Bussey died at his home in Washington on March 2, 1915.

Notes

References

* Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher. ''Civil War High Commands''. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2001. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Bussey, Cyrus Democratic Party Iowa state senators People of Ohio in the American Civil War Union Army generals People from Hubbard, Ohio 1833 births 1915 deaths Military personnel from Indiana People from Davis County, Iowa People of Iowa in the American Civil War People of Indiana in the American Civil War United States Assistant Secretaries of the Interior Place of death missing 19th-century American legislators 19th-century American lawyers