William S. Rosecrans | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 1st district | |
| In office March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1885 | |
| Preceded by | Horace Davis |
| Succeeded by | Barclay Henley |
| U.S. Minister to Mexico | |
| In office 1868–1869 | |
| President | Andrew Johnson |
| Preceded by | Marcus Otterbourg |
| Succeeded by | Thomas H. Nelson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 6, 1819 Delaware County, Ohio, US |
| Died | March 11, 1898 (aged 78) Redondo Beach, California, US |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | United States Military Academy Class of 1842 |
| Nickname | "Old Rosy" |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States of America Union |
| Branch/service | United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1842–1854, 1861–1867 |
| Rank |  Major General |
| Commands | Army of the Mississippi Army of the Cumberland Department of the Missouri |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
William Starke Rosecrans (September 6, 1819 – March 11, 1898) was an American inventor, coal-oil company executive, diplomat, politician, and U.S. Army officer. He gained fame for his role as a Union general during the American Civil War. He was the victor at prominent battles in the Western theater of the American Civil War. However, his military career ended after his disastrous defeat at the Battle of Chickamauga in 1863.
Rosecrans graduated in 1842 from the United States Military Academy, where he served in engineering assignments and was a professor before leaving the Army to pursue a career in civil engineering. At the start of the Civil War, he led troops from Ohio and achieved early combat success in western Virginia. In 1862, in the Western theater, he won the Battle of Iuka and the Second Battle of Corinth while under the command of Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. His brusque, outspoken manner and willingness to quarrel openly with superiors caused a professional rivalry with Grant (as well as with Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton) that would adversely affect Rosecrans' career.
Given command of the Army of the Cumberland, he fought against Confederate general Braxton Bragg at Stones River. He then outmaneuvered him in the brilliant Tullahoma campaign, driving the Confederates from Middle Tennessee. His strategic movements then caused Bragg to abandon the critical city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, but Rosecrans' pursuit of Bragg ended during the bloody Battle of Chickamauga, where his unfortunately worded order mistakenly opened a gap in the Union line and Rosecrans and a third of his army was swept from the field. Besieged in Chattanooga, Rosecrans was relieved of command by Grant.
Following his humiliating defeat, Rosecrans was reassigned to command the Department of Missouri, where he opposed Price's Raid. After the war, he served in diplomatic and appointed political positions and in 1880 was elected to Congress, representing California.