John Cleveland Robinson | |
|---|---|
 General John C. Robinson | |
| Born | (1817-04-10)April 10, 1817 Binghamton,New York |
| Died | February 18, 1897(1897-02-18) (aged 79) Binghamton, New York |
| Place of burial | Spring Forest Cemetery, Binghamton, New York |
| Allegiance | United States of America Union |
| Service | United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1839–1869 |
| Rank |  Major General |
| Commands | 1st Michigan Infantry Regiment 2nd Division,I Corps 2nd Division,V Corps |
| Battles / wars | Seminole Wars |
| Awards | Medal of Honor |
| Other work | Lieutenant Governor ofNew York |
John Cleveland Robinson (April 10, 1817 – February 18, 1897) was an American soldier in theUnited States Army. Robinson had a long and distinguished military career, fighting in many wars and culminating his career as abrigadier general andbrevetmajor general in theUnion Army during theAmerican Civil War.
In 1866, PresidentAndrew Johnson made Robinson a brevet grade of major general in theregular army, which was approved by theU.S. Senate. He received theMedal of Honor for valor in action in 1864 nearSpotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia, where he lost a leg.[citation needed]
He retired from the U.S. Army on May 6, 1869, and was placed on the retired list as a full rank major general. After his army service, he served asLieutenant Governor of the state ofNew York from 1873 to 1874, and served two terms as the president of theGrand Army of the Republic.
Robinson was born on April 10, 1817, inBinghamton, New York.[1][2] He was appointed to theUnited States Military Academy atWest Point, New York, on July 1, 1835.[1] He was expelled from the academy for insubordination on March 14, 1838, and went on to study law.[1] After a year as a civilian, he rejoined the army in October 1839 and was commissioned as asecond lieutenant in the5th U.S. Infantry Regiment.[2][3]
Robinson traveled toCorpus Christi, Texas, in September 1845 to join GeneralWinfield Scott and theArmy of Occupation as a regimental and brigade quartermaster.[1] In June 1846, Robinson was promoted tofirst lieutenant and served in theMexican–American War, fighting with distinction in theBattle of Monterey.[1][2] He also was in action at the battles ofPalo Alto andResaca de la Palma.[2] He served as regimental or brigadequartermaster between March 28, 1847, and September 1, 1847, and between January 27, 1849, and August 12, 1850.[1]
Robinson was commissioned as acaptain on August 12, 1850, and then served in various garrisons. He led troops in several engagements against hostile Indians in Texas in 1853–54.[3] In 1856, Robinson went into combat again, serving inFlorida during theThird Seminole War, where he furthered his military record of bravery and efficient services. He led a series of expeditions against the Seminoles in theEverglades andBig Cypress Swamp.
At the close of the Seminole War, he was assigned command ofFort Bridger and sent to theUtah Territory. In 1857–58, he served atCamp Floyd during theUtah War. Camp Floyd had the largest concentration of U.S. Troops at any post prior to the Civil War. While stationed in the desolate Utah Territory he and others petitioned theFreemason'sGrand Lodge of Missouri to establish aMasonic lodge in the Utah Territory. It was granted the March 6, 1859, Rocky Mountain #205 under dispensation from Missouri, and Robinson became the first Worshipful Master of the first Masonic lodges in Utah. In the late 1850s, he was ordered back east to assume command ofFort McHenry inBaltimore, Maryland.[1]
With the outbreak of the Civil War, Maryland was a border state, remaining loyal to theUnion despite being aslave state. Secessionists planned to seize Fort McHenry, but Robinson made it appear that reinforcements were imminent for his small 60-man garrison, and was able to retain control of the fort.[2]
Robinson was soon sent toDetroit as an army recruiting officer, and for a short time, assisted GovernorWilliam Dennison in raising troops inColumbus, Ohio.[2] In September 1861, he was appointed ascolonel of the1st Michigan Volunteer Infantry, aregiment he helped recruit.[2][3] That autumn, he was also promoted tomajor of the2nd U.S. Infantry in theregular army, concurrent with his assignment in the volunteer army.[1] Within a few months, he was commanding abrigade of volunteers atNewport News, Virginia in preparation for thePeninsula Campaign.
With his vast combat experience and with the growing need in the expanding army for senior officers, he was promoted again by President Lincoln on April 30, 1862, to rank from April 28, 1862, tobrigadier general of volunteers.[4] He was transferred soon afterwards to theArmy of the Potomac, where he assumed command of a brigade in thedivision ofPhilip Kearny in theIII Corps. He served with distinction during the Peninsula Campaign, particularly at theSeven Days Battles. General Kearny lavishly praised Robinson in his official report.
I have reserved General Robinson for the last. To him this day is due, above all others in this division, the honors of this battle. The attack was on his wing. Everywhere present, by his personal supervision and noble example he secured for us the honor of victory.[5]
Robinson also fought that year during theNorthern Virginia Campaign at theSecond Battle of Bull Run.[6] He was wounded at Broad Run, Virginia on August 27, 1862. He missed theMaryland Campaign as his brigade was not present. He next fought at theBattle of Fredericksburg. He was transferred to command of second divisionI Corps in time to participate inChancellorsville in 1863.
During theBattle of Gettysburg in July 1863, Robinson commanded a division in theI Corps north of the borough ofGettysburg. He and his men fought well on July 1, but eventually had to retire through the streets of the town under the pressure of overwhelming numbers. For his valor and meritorious performance at Gettysburg, he wasbrevetted as alieutenant colonel in the regular army. He was again brevetted, this time tocolonel in theregular army, for his efforts during theMine Run Campaign and the 1864Battle of the Wilderness. In the latter battle, Robinson commanded the 2nd Division in the reorganizedV Corps, which was composed of his old division plus a brigade of Maryland troops.
Robinson presided over thecourt-martial of Brig. Gen.Thomas A. Rowley for his conduct at Gettysburg.
After the war he received aMedal of Honor for his actions during a preliminary action to theBattle of Spotsylvania Court House, the fight at Alsop's farm at Laurel Hill,Virginia, on May 8, 1864. According to the official citation, Robinson "placed himself at the head of the leading brigade in a charge upon the enemy's breastworks; was severely wounded".[7] On December 12, 1864, President Lincoln nominated Robinson for appointment to the brevet grade ofmajor general of volunteers to rank from June 27, 1864, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on February 14, 1865.[8] However, having been shot through the left knee and permanently disabled following its amputation at the thigh, Robinson never returned to field duty after Alsop's Farm. He performed administrative duty as a district commander in theDepartment of the East for the rest of the war.
A Maine Soldier once called him "The hairiest General he ever saw." Which lead to his more famous nickname: "The hairiest man in the army."
Robinson remained in the army following the cessation of hostilities and was assigned command of theFreedmen's Bureau in Federally occupiedNorth Carolina. On April 10, 1866, PresidentAndrew Johnson nominated Robinson for appointment to the brevet grade ofbrigadier general in the regular army, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination on May 4, 1866.[9] In July 1866, he was promoted to full colonel in the regular army. On July 17, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Robinson for appointment to the brevet grade of major general in theregular army, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on July 23, 1866.[10] Robinson was mustered out of the volunteer army on September 1, 1866.[1] In 1867, Robinson was assigned to command of the Military Department of the South. The following year, he was again reassigned, this time to lead the Department of the Lakes.[1] Robinson retired from the U.S. Army on May 6, 1869, receiving a commission to the full grade of major general in the regular army on the date of his retirement.[1]
Robinson, as with many leading political and social figures of his day, was aFreemason, becoming a member of Binghamton Lodge #177 and rising through its ranks.[11]
Robinson, long a popular figure in New York, was elected thelieutenant governor of New York in1872, serving underRepublican governorJohn A. Dix.[3] Robinson was active in veterans affairs, and became the commander-in-chief of theGrand Army of the Republic from 1877 to 1879. A decade later, he was elected as president of the Society of the Army of the Potomac. He was also a member of the New York Commandery of theMilitary Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.
In his elder years, Robinson lost his eyesight and became totally blind.
He died at home on February 18, 1897, at the age of 79 and was buried atSpring Forest Cemetery in Binghamton, Broome County, New York.[2]
A bronze statue of Robinson stands inGettysburg National Military Park near Oak Ridge.
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This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Wilson, J. G.;Fiske, J., eds. (1891).Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. New York: D. Appleton.{{cite encyclopedia}}:Missing or empty|title= (help)
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| Preceded by | Lieutenant Governor of New York 1873–1874 | Succeeded by |
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| Preceded by | Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic 1877–1879 | Succeeded by |
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