William Babcock Hazen

William Babcock Hazen (September 27, 1830 – January 16, 1887) was a career United States Army officer who served in the Indian Wars, as a Union general in the American Civil War, and as Chief Signal Officer of the U.S. Army. His most famous service was defending "Hell's Half Acre" at the Battle of Stones River in 1862.

Early life and military career

Hazen was born in West Hartford, Vermont, but moved to Ohio at the age of three. He spent his boyhood in the town of Hiram and formed a close personal friendship with future President James A. Garfield. He graduated from the United States Military Academy, in 1855, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 4th U.S. Infantry. Before the Civil War, he served primarily in the Pacific Northwest and Texas, where he was wounded severely on November 3, 1859, during a fight with the Comanches along the Llano River. He was absent on sick leave until 1861.

Civil War

Soon after the fall of Fort Sumter, he was promoted to captain of the 8th U.S. Infantry, and by October 29, 1861, he was Colonel of the 41st Ohio Infantry. Starting in January 1862, he commanded a brigade in the Army of the Ohio, under General Don Carlos Buell. His first major battle was Shiloh, where Buell's army arrived on the second day (April 7, 1862), in time to counterattack the Confederate army for a Union victory.

In the fall of 1862, Hazen fought under Buell at Perryville. His brigade was reorganized into the XIV Corps (later to be known as the Army of the Cumberland) under William S. Rosecrans, and, in this organization, Hazen served in his most famous engagement, the Battle of Stones River, at Murfreesboro, Tennessee. On December 31, 1862, the Confederate forces under Braxton Bragg delivered a devastating assault that caught Rosecrans by surprise and drove his forces back three miles, leaving their backs to the Stones River. Hazen's brigade defended a four-acre cedar forest known by the locals as "Round Forest". Their defense was so spirited against heavy odds that they arguably saved the Union line and the Round Forest is now known informally (if inexplicably) as "Hell's Half Acre". Hazen was wounded in the shoulder during the fight and was promoted to brigadier general, effective November 29, for his gallantry. Months after the battle, a monument was erected by veterans of the fight in a small Union cemetery at the site. This is considered to be the oldest monument erected on a Civil War battlefield.

Hazen continued with the Army of the Cumberland through the successful Tullahoma Campaign, the serious Union defeat at the Battle of Chickamauga, and the victorious Battle of Chattanooga. He was promoted to brevet major in the regular army for Chickamauga and brevet lieutenant colonel for Chattanooga. He served under William T. Sherman in the Atlanta Campaign, the March to the Sea, and the Carolinas Campaign, as part of the Army of the Tennessee. He was elevated to division command late in the Atlanta Campaign. He was promoted to brevet colonel in the regular army in September 1864 and to major general of volunteers on December 13, 1864. Very late in the war, he commanded the XV Corps of the Army of the Tennessee and was eventually promoted to brevet major general in the regular army, March 13, 1865.

Postbellum career

As the U.S. Army was drawn down following the war, Hazen was redesignated as colonel of the 38th U.S. Infantry in July 1866 and transferred to the 6th U.S. Infantry in March 1869. He served primarily on the Western frontier, but also visited Europe as an observer during the Franco-Prussian War. He offered testimony in one of the procurement corruption scandals that rocked the administration of President Ulysses S. Grant, which resulted in the resignation of Grant's Secretary of War, William W. Belknap.

On December 15, 1880, President Rutherford B. Hayes promoted Hazen to brigadier general and appointed him Chief Signal Officer of the U.S. Army, a post he held until his death. One of the duties of the U.S. Army Signal Corps at the time was the management of the Weather Service and Hazen came under indirect criticism for the government's lack of response to the distress, in 1883-84, of the International Polar Year expedition to Fort Conger, Lady Franklin Bay led by Lieutenant Adolphus Greely.

Hazen married Mildred McLean, daughter of Washington McLean, the owner of "The Washington Post".

Hazen died in Washington, D.C., and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Hazen Bay in Alaska is named in his honor.

ee also

*List of American Civil War generals

References

* Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J., "Civil War High Commands", Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
* Warner, Ezra J., "Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders", Louisiana State University Press, 1964, ISBN 0-8071-0822-7.