Ferdinand Van Derveer
Encyclopedia
Ferdinand Van Derveer was a lawyer and a brigadier general
in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
. He was educated in the local schools, studied law, passed his bar exam and established his practice in Middletown. However, when the Mexican-American War erupted, he left his law office and enlisted in the military as a private
in the 1st Ohio Volunteers. By the end of the war, he had risen to the rank of captain and commanded an assaulting column at the Battle of Monterey
. While his regiment was being mustered out Van Derveer served as a second to Capt. Carr B. White
in a duel with Lt. Fyffe over White's promotion to captain. Van Derveer returned home after the war and resumed his legal career. He served for a number of years as the Sheriff
of Butler County, Ohio
.
When the Civil War began, Van Derveer organized the 35th Ohio Infantry
and became its first colonel
. It originally consisted of 921 men, 750 of whom came from Butler County. Before disbanding in September 1864, the 35th Ohio Infantry fought at Mill Springs
, Perryville
, Stones River
, Missionary Ridge
, and Chickamauga
, during which nearly half the men in the regiment were killed or wounded. In 1864, Van Derveer was appointed Brigadier General of Volunteers and assigned to the IV Corps
in Alabama
in January 1865.
After the conclusion of the war, Van Derveer returned to Butler County and served as a judge
. He is buried in Greenwood Cemetery Hamilton, Ohio
. His grave can be found in the Hill Section, Lot 561.
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Biography
Van Derveer was born in Middletown, OhioMiddletown, Ohio
Middletown is an All-America City located in Butler and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. Formerly in Lemon, Turtlecreek, and Franklin townships, Middletown was incorporated by the Ohio General Assembly on February 11, 1833, and became a city in 1886...
. He was educated in the local schools, studied law, passed his bar exam and established his practice in Middletown. However, when the Mexican-American War erupted, he left his law office and enlisted in the military as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the 1st Ohio Volunteers. By the end of the war, he had risen to the rank of captain and commanded an assaulting column at the Battle of Monterey
Battle of Monterey
-Preliminaries:Prior to the Mexican-American War the Californio forces had already driven the Mexican appointed Governor Manuel Micheltorena and most of his soldiers from Alta California...
. While his regiment was being mustered out Van Derveer served as a second to Capt. Carr B. White
Carr B. White
Carr Baily White was a physician, officer during the Mexican War and general during the American Civil War. His Civil War service is greatly associated with operations in western Virginia and Maryland....
in a duel with Lt. Fyffe over White's promotion to captain. Van Derveer returned home after the war and resumed his legal career. He served for a number of years as the Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Butler County, Ohio
Butler County, Ohio
Butler County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of 2010, the population was 368,130. Its county seat is Hamilton. It is named for General Richard Butler, who died in 1791 fighting Indians in northern Ohio. Butler's army marched out of Fort Hamilton, where the city of...
.
When the Civil War began, Van Derveer organized the 35th Ohio Infantry
35th Ohio Infantry
The 35th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was nicknamed the "Persimmon Regiment"-Service:...
and became its first colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
. It originally consisted of 921 men, 750 of whom came from Butler County. Before disbanding in September 1864, the 35th Ohio Infantry fought at Mill Springs
Battle of Mill Springs
The Battle of Mill Springs, also known as the Battle of Fishing Creek in Confederate terminology, and the Battle of Logan's Cross Roads in Union terminology, was fought in Wayne and Pulaski counties, near current Nancy, Kentucky, on January 19, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It...
, Perryville
Battle of Perryville
The Battle of Perryville, also known as the Battle of Chaplin Hills, was fought on October 8, 1862, in the Chaplin Hills west of Perryville, Kentucky, as the culmination of the Confederate Heartland Offensive during the American Civil War. Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg's Army of Mississippi won a...
, Stones River
Battle of Stones River
The Battle of Stones River or Second Battle of Murfreesboro , was fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee, as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War...
, Missionary Ridge
Battle of Missionary Ridge
The Battle of Missionary Ridge was fought November 25, 1863, as part of the Chattanooga Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the Union victory in the Battle of Lookout Mountain on November 24, Union forces under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant assaulted Missionary Ridge and defeated the...
, and Chickamauga
Battle of Chickamauga
The Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863, marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign...
, during which nearly half the men in the regiment were killed or wounded. In 1864, Van Derveer was appointed Brigadier General of Volunteers and assigned to the IV Corps
IV Corps (ACW)
There were two corps of the Union Army called IV Corps during the American Civil War. They were separate units, one serving with the Army of the Potomac and the Department of Virginia in the Eastern Theater, 1862–63, the other with the Army of the Cumberland in the Western Theater,...
in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
in January 1865.
After the conclusion of the war, Van Derveer returned to Butler County and served as a judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
. He is buried in Greenwood Cemetery Hamilton, Ohio
Hamilton, Ohio
Hamilton is a city in Butler County, southwestern Ohio, United States. The population was 62,447 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Butler County. The city is part of the Cincinnati metropolitan area....
. His grave can be found in the Hill Section, Lot 561.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals
- List of Ohio's American Civil War generals
- Ohio in the American Civil War