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Born in the village of Erskine on the River Clyde on November 17th 1826.
He learnt his fathers trade as a blacksmith. He emigrated to America at
the age of twenty-three and settled in Chicago. There he became a
manager in a Chicago Iron Works and at the start of the Civil War,
became a Captain of a militia company (Chicago Highland Guards), and
would rise to the rank of Brevet Major General during the war.
His assignments throughout the war were as follows:- Colonel,
12th Illinois (May 1861), named the Colonel of a three month regiment, he
managed to re-enlist it for a three year full term on August 1st 1861. He
commanded 1st Brigade, 2nd Division in Missouri and Tennessee during 1862
and was promoted to Brigadier General USV, on March 21, 1862 and led various
units until July, 1865. He led a Brigade at Fort Donelson and was wounded
in the foot at Shiloh. He briefly commanded a division but was again in
brigade command during the Corinth, Mississippi operations. Not present at
Luka or Corinth, he took part in the Vicksburg Campaign. Brevetted Major
General for Nashville, he participated in operations against Mobile before
being mustered out on 24th August 1865.
An article from the Louisville Daily Journal dated Wednesday November 27th, gives the following description of the
12th Illinois's Regimental
National Colours.
"When the orator of the occasion Mr Robert Harvey, mounted the
stand the flags were for the first time unfurled since leaving Chicago and
consisted of a National flag of the finest silk, a regimental flag and a
complimentary flag to the Colonel and a majority of the officers of the
regiment who are of Scotland's noble sons. The regimental colors are
composed of blue silk, regulation size, finest texture, fringed with
yellow in the centre of which was a gilt spread-eagle from the beak of
which floated a ribbon upon which were inscribed the words "E
Pluribus Unum"; the eagle was encircled with thirteen stars over
which in a half circle were the words 12th Reg. Ill. Volunteers.
The other flag (complimentary) was of white silk with a red border and
yellow fringe ornamented in the centre with a representation of the
Scottish thistle, over and beneath which were inscribed the following
familiar words (with the exception of McArthur's name being substituted
for that hero of Lucknow) "Dinna ye hear the slogan? Tis McArthur and
his men"
Sadly after the war he does not appear to have done well in official
matters or in business |
