Don Carlos Buell was born on March 23 1818 in Ohio, but spent most of his childhood at an uncle's home in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Appointed to West Point, he was graduated 32nd of 44 in the class of 1841, behind Josiah Gorgas - who would become head of the Confederacy's ordnance efforts. After graduation Buell was posted to the 3rd US Infantry in Florida. He went on to serve in the Mexican War (1846-48), being promoted to first lieutenant on June 18 1846. He was breveted captain that September "for meritorious conduct during the several conflicts at Monterey." Buell was badly wounded on August 20 1847 at Churubusco, and was breveted major for his behaviour there at Conteras. He was named his regimental adjutant on February 15 1847, being assistant adjutant general on January 25 1848.

After the Mexican War he remained a staff officer, serving at various departments in the West and East. He was apppointed a lieutenant-colonel and assistant adjutant general in the Department of the Pacific just before the Civil War broke out. Buell was married to a native of Georgia and at one point owned eight slaves: despite this, he remained loyal to the Union. Returning to Wasshington, he was commissiioned brigadier-general of volunteers on May 17 1861.
© Osprey Publishing American Civil War Commanders Union Leaders in the West

Military History. --- Cadet at the Military Academy, July 1, 1837, to July 1, 1841, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Second Lieut., 3d Infantry, July 1, 1841.

Served: in the Florida War, 1841-42; in garrison at Ft. Stansbury, Fla., 1843, -- and Jefferson Barracks, Mo., 1843-44; on frontier duty at Ft. Jesup (Camp Wilkins), La., 1844-45; in Military Occupation of Texas, 1845-46; in the War with Mexico, 1846-48, being engaged in the Battle of Palo Alto, May 8, 1846, -- Battle of Resaca-de-la-Palma,

(First Lieut., 3d Infantry, June 18, 1846, to Mar. 5, 1851)

May 9, 1846, -- Battle of Monterey, Sep. 21-23, 1846,

(Bvt. Capt., Sep. 23, 1846, for Gallant and Meritorious Conduct

in the Several Conflicts at Monterey, Mex.)

--Siege of Vera Cruz, Mar. 9-29, 1847, -- Battle of Cerro Gordo, Apr. 17-18, 1847, -- Skirmish of Ocalaca, Aug. 16, 1847, -- Battle of Contreras, Aug. 19-20, 1847, -- Battle of Churubusco, Aug. 20, 1847, where he was severely wounded,

(Bvt. Major, Aug. 20, 1847, for Gallant and Meritorious Conduct

in the Battles of Contreras and Churubusco, Mex.)

and as Adjutant, 3d Infantry, Feb. 15, 1847, to Jan. 25, 1848; and as

(Bvt. Captain, Staff – Asst. Adjutant-Gen., Jan. 25, 1848)

Asst. Adjutant-General, in the Adjutant-General's Office, Washington, D. C., July 1848, to Jan., 1849, -- of the 6 th Military Department, Jan. 13, 1849, to Apr. 25, 1851, -- of the Department of New Mexico, July 19, to Sept. 20, 1851, -- of the 8 th Military Department, at Corpus Christi, Tex., Oct. 30, 1852, to Oct. 31, 1855, -- of the Department of Texas, Oct. 31, 1855, to dec. 11, 1856, -- of the Department of the East, headquarters, Troy, N. Y., Feb. 19 to Sep. 14, 1857, -- of the Department of the West, headquarters, St. Louis, Mo., Dec. 4, 1857, to May 17, 1858, -- of the Department of Utah, May 3 to June 29, 1858, -- of the Department of the West, headquarters, St. Louis, Mo., June 27, 1858, to Feb. 14, 1859, -- in the War Department, on Special service, Feb. 14, 1859, to Mr. 20,

(Bvt. Major, Staff – Asst. Adjutant-Gen., Feb. 25, 1861)

(Lieut.-Colonel, Staff – Asst. Adjutant-Gen., May 11, 1861)

1861, -- and of the Department of the Pacific, headquarters, San Francisco, Cal., May 20, to Aug. 9, 1861.

Served during the Rebellion of the Seceding States, 1861-64: in the

(Brig.-General, U. S. Volunteers, May 17, 1861)

Defenses of Washington, D. C., Sep. 14, to Nov. 9, 1861; in command of the Department of the Ohio, Nov. 15, 1861, to Mar. 11, 1862; in the Tennessee and Mississippi Campaign, in command of the Army of the Ohio, Mar. 11 to June 26, 1862, being engaged in the March to Pittsburg Landing,

(Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, Mar. 21, 1862)

Ten., Mar.-Apr., 1852, -- Battle of Shiloh, Apr. 6-7, 1862, -- and Advance upon and Siege of Corinth, Apr. 9 to May 30, 1862; in command of the Army of the Ohio, in Operations in North Alabama, and movement to Louisville, Ky., June to Sep., 1862; in command of the

(Colonel, Staff – Asst. Adjutant-General, July 17, 1862)

Army of the Ohio, in the Advance into Kentucky, Oct., 1862; before a Military Commission to Investigate his Campaign in Tennessee and Kentucky, Nov. 24, 1862, to May 10, 1863; and in waiting orders at

(Mustered Out of Volunteer Service, May 23, 1864)

Indianapolis, Ind., May 10, 1863, to June 1, 1864.

Resigned, June 1, 1864.

Civil History. --- President of Green River, Ky., Iron Works, 1865-70. Coal Mining, on Green River, Ky., since 1870. U. S. Pension Agent, Louisville, Ky., 1885-89. P. O. Paradise, Muhlenburg, County, Ky.

Corpus Christi Public Libraries © 2004