Date

To Rank

Full/Brevet

Army/Vol

Comments

05/16/62

Major-Gen

Full

Army

From

To

Brigade

Division

Corps

Army

08/17/61

06/02/62

Department of Virginia

06/09/62

07/22/62

Middle Department

07/22/62

12/22/62

8

Middle Department

Wool, John E., major-general, was born at Newburg, N. Y.,

Feb. 20, 1784, son of a soldier of the War for Independence.

He was for a time a book-seller at Troy and then a law

student, but raised a company of volunteers at the beginning

of the war of 1812, and through the influence of De Witt

Clinton was made a captain in the 13th infantry in April,1812.

He was badly wounded in his first battle, that of Queenstown

heights, received a major's commission April 13, 1813, took

part at Plattsburg and was brevetted lieutenant-colonel.

After the reduction of the army to a peace footing he was made

colonel and inspector-general (1816). He was brevetted

brigadier-general in 1826 and attained the rank by commission

in 1841. In 1832 he went to Europe on a tour of inspection

and witnessed the siege of Antwerp by the French. In 1836 he

had charge of the removal of the Cherokees. In the early days

of the war with Mexico he equipped and forwarded from the West

12,000 volunteers. Following them in person, he led 3,000 men

from San Antonio to Saltillo and was next in command to Gen.

Taylor during the later operations in the interior. At Buena

Vista he chose the ground, disposed the forces for action and

led them in the beginning of the battle. For his services

here he received the brevet of major-general, and at a later

date was presented swords by New York and Congress, with the

thanks of the latter. He had command in the East, with

headquarters at Troy, 1847-54 and 1857-60; was in charge of

the Department of the Pacific, 1854-57, taking the field in

1856 against hostile Indians in the northwest. His promptness

in reinforcing Fortress Monroe in the spring of 1861 secured

that important post to the Union, and in August he was placed

there as commander of the Department of Virginia. He occupied

Norfolk and Portsmouth May 1O, 1862, was commissioned major-

general, U. S. A., six days later, and in June was sent to

Baltimore to command the Middle Military Department. From

Jan. to June, 1863, he had command of the Eastern Department

and was stationed at New York, where he called on veterans to

volunteer for the suppression of the draft riots. He was

retired on Aug. 1, 1863, being long past the age for active

service, and died at Troy, N. Y., Nov. 1O, 1869.