- Robert Byington Mitchell
Infobox Governor
name= Robert Byington Mitchell
imagesize=250px
caption=
order=7th
office= Territorial Governor of New Mexico
term_start= 1866
term_end= 1869
nominator=
predecessor=Henry Connelly
successor=William A. Pile
birth_date=April 4 ,1823
birth_place=Mansfield, Ohio
death_date= death date and age |1882|01|26|1823|04|04
death_place=Washington, D. C.
spouse=
alma_mater=
profession=Lawyer ,Politician
party= Democratic
religion=Robert Byington Mitchell (
April 4 ,1823 ndashJanuary 26 ,1882 ) was a brigadier general in theUnion Army during theAmerican Civil War and the Governor of theNew Mexico Territory from 1866 to 1869. [cite web |url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/mitchell7.html |title=Index to Politicians: Mitchell, O to R |accessdate=2008-08-01 |publisher=The Political Graveyard]Early life and career
Mitchell was born in
April 4 ,1823 , inMansfield, Ohio .cite web |url=http://www.civilwarinteractive.com/Biographies/BiosRobertByingtonMitchell.htm |title=A Civil War Biography: Robert Byington Mitchell |accessdate=2008-08-01 |publisher=Civil War Interactive] For some odd reason, it was recorded that he graduated from bothKenyon College andWashington & Jefferson College , although neither school has a record of his attendance.cite web |url=http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/rbmitchell.htm |title=Robert Byington Mitchell |accessdate=2008-08-01 |publisher=Arlington Cemetery Website Another Ohio-born Civil War general with the same surname, John G. Mitchell, did graduate from Kenyon, so he may have been confused in some early reference works with Robert B. Mitchell.]He studied law in
Mount Vernon, Ohio . After completing his studies, he practiced law in Mansfield. He served in theMexican War as a second lieutenant in the 2nd Ohio Volunteers. He was elected mayor ofMount Gilead, Ohio , in 1855. Next year, he moved to Linn County,Kansas Territory . He served in the territorial legislature, as a delegate to the Leavenworth Convention, from 1857 to 1858. He served as treasurer of the Kansas Territory from 1859 to 1861. He was a delegate to the1860 Democratic National Convention inCharleston, South Carolina .Civil War service
After the start of the Civil War, Mitchell was commissioned as the colonel of the
2nd Kansas Volunteer Infantry . He was badly wounded at theBattle of Wilson's Creek onAugust 10 ,1861 . He was shot from his horse while leading hisregiment .After recovery, U. S. President
Abraham Lincoln appointed him as a brigadier general to rank fromApril 8 ,1862 , and he was given command of a mixedbrigade atFort Riley . He commanded the 9th division inCharles C. Gilbert 's III Corps atPerryville, Kentucky . He was then sent toNashville, Tennessee , where he remained for several months.During the Chickamauga campaign, Mitchell served as
George H. Thomas 's Chief of Cavalry for theArmy of the Cumberland . Just before theThird Battle of Chattanooga , he was ordered toWashington, D.C. , forcourt-martial duty. According to some sources, this was due to severe wounds which incapacitated him from field duty but this is contradicted in the "Official Records " by Mitchell's own correspondence. Whether incapacitated or not, he would not see active campaigning again, and for the remainder of the Civil War, he commanded the District of Nebraska, then the District of North Kansas, and finally the District of Kansas.Governor of New Mexico Territory
Mitchell was honorably mustered out of the army on
January 15 ,1866 . On the same day, theUnited States Senate confirmed his nomination as the Governor of the New Mexico Territory. He took the oath of office on June 6, 1866. He never appeared to take his duties as governor seriously. He often was absent from the territorial capital Sante Fe, without explanation, forcing the legislature to forward bills it had passed to Washington, D. C., for approval of theUnited States Congress . He resigned as governor in 1869.Later life
After leaving the office, Mitchell returned to Kansas. He was unsuccessful in his bid to represent Kansas in the U. S. Congress in 1872. He then moved to Washington, D. C., where he died on
January 26 ,1882 .He was buried with full military honors in Section 2, Grave 1023, ofArlington National Cemetery inArlington, Virginia .References
External links
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6520 Robert Byington Mitchell] at
Find A Grave Persondata
NAME= Mitchell, Robert Byington
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