Michael Kelly Lawler
Encyclopedia
Michael Kelly Lawler was an officer in the United States Army
in both the Mexican War and the Civil War
. In the latter conflict, as a brigadier general
he commanded a brigade
of infantry
in the Western Theater
and served in several battles.
, Ireland
, in 1814, Lawler and his parents, John and Elizabeth Kelly Lawler, moved to the United States
and settled initially in Frederick County, Maryland
. In 1819, they moved to rural Gallatin County, Illinois
. On the 20th day of December, 1837 he married Elizabeth Crenshaw. He received an appointment as a captain in the Mexican War and was asked by Governor Thomas Ford
to organize a company of riflemen. He served in the campaign to take Matamoros, Tamaulipas
.
He then returned to his farm in Illinois, where he was residing at the outbreak of the Civil War. He established a thriving mercantile business, dealing in hardware, dry goods, and shoes. He studied law, passed his bar exam, and used his legal license to help the claims of Mexican War veterans.
. His time in command of the regiment in Kentucky and Tennessee was controversial and an "ordeal." He was suffered a wound during the Battle of Fort Donelson
. In November 1862 he was commissioned as a brigadier general, and commanded a brigade in the Second Division of the XIII Corps
. He fought with distinction in the Vicksburg Campaign
in 1863. He led his men in the battles of Port Gibson
, Champion's Hill, and Big Black River Bridge
.
Following the surrender of Jackson, Mississippi
, the XIII Corps was split up and divided among other operations in the Western Theater. For the rest of the war, General Lawler served in Louisiana
in the Department of the Gulf.
In the omnibus promotions at the end of the Civil War, Lawler received a promotion for distinguished service to major general
in the Union army backdated from March 13, 1865.
.
He died in the summer 1882 and is buried in the Lawler Family Cemetery near Equality, Illinois
.
A memorial to Michael K. Lawler stands in Equality, Illinois
. He also was honored with a marble bust in Vicksburg National Military Park
in Vicksburg, Mississippi
.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in both the Mexican War and the 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...
. In the latter conflict, as a brigadier general
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...
he commanded a brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
of infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
in the Western Theater
Western Theater of the American Civil War
This article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.-Theater of operations:...
and served in several battles.
Early life and career
Born in County KildareCounty Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, in 1814, Lawler and his parents, John and Elizabeth Kelly Lawler, moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and settled initially in Frederick County, Maryland
Frederick County, Maryland
Frederick County is a county located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering the southern border of Pennsylvania and the northeastern border of Virginia. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 233,385....
. In 1819, they moved to rural Gallatin County, Illinois
Gallatin County, Illinois
Gallatin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 5,589, which is a decrease of 13.3% from 6,445 in 2000...
. On the 20th day of December, 1837 he married Elizabeth Crenshaw. He received an appointment as a captain in the Mexican War and was asked by Governor Thomas Ford
Thomas Ford (politician)
Thomas Ford was the eighth Governor of Illinois, and served in this capacity from 1842 to 1846. A Democrat, he is remembered largely for his involvement in the death of Joseph Smith, Jr., and the subsequent Illinois Mormon War...
to organize a company of riflemen. He served in the campaign to take Matamoros, Tamaulipas
Matamoros, Tamaulipas
Matamoros, officially known as Heroica Matamoros, is a city in the northeastern part of Tamaulipas, in the country of Mexico. It is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across the border from Brownsville, Texas, in the United States. Matamoros is the second largest and second...
.
He then returned to his farm in Illinois, where he was residing at the outbreak of the Civil War. He established a thriving mercantile business, dealing in hardware, dry goods, and shoes. He studied law, passed his bar exam, and used his legal license to help the claims of Mexican War veterans.
Civil War service
In May 1861 he recruited the 18th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment, and was appointed as its first colonelColonel (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...
. His time in command of the regiment in Kentucky and Tennessee was controversial and an "ordeal." He was suffered a wound during the Battle of Fort Donelson
Battle of Fort Donelson
The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from February 11 to February 16, 1862, in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The capture of the fort by Union forces opened the Cumberland River as an avenue for the invasion of the South. The success elevated Brig. Gen. Ulysses S...
. In November 1862 he was commissioned as a brigadier general, and commanded a brigade in the Second Division of the XIII Corps
XIII Corps (ACW)
XIII Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was first led by Ulysses S. Grant and later by John A. McClernand and Edward O.C. Ord...
. He fought with distinction in the Vicksburg Campaign
Vicksburg Campaign
The Vicksburg Campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in the Western Theater of the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi River. The Union Army of the Tennessee under Maj. Gen....
in 1863. He led his men in the battles of Port Gibson
Battle of Port Gibson
The Battle of Port Gibson was fought near Port Gibson, Mississippi, on May 1, 1863, between Union and Confederate forces during the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. The Union Army was led by Maj. Gen. Ulysses S...
, Champion's Hill, and Big Black River Bridge
Battle of Big Black River Bridge
The Battle of Big Black River Bridge, or Big Black, fought May 17, 1863, was part of the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. Union commander Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and the Army of the Tennessee pursued the retreating Confederate Lt. Gen. John C...
.
Following the surrender of Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
, the XIII Corps was split up and divided among other operations in the Western Theater. For the rest of the war, General Lawler served in Louisiana
Louisiana in the American Civil War
Antebellum Louisiana was a leading slave state, where enslaved Africans and African Americans comprised the majority of the population through the eighteenth century. By 1860 47% of the population was enslaved. The state also had one of the largest free black populations in the United States...
in the Department of the Gulf.
In the omnibus promotions at the end of the Civil War, Lawler received a promotion for distinguished service to major general
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
in the Union army backdated from March 13, 1865.
Post-bellum and later career
After mustering out of the army in 1866, Lawler returned home and resumed his legal practice and farming near Shawneetown, IllinoisShawneetown, Illinois
Shawneetown is a city in Gallatin County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,410 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Gallatin County...
.
He died in the summer 1882 and is buried in the Lawler Family Cemetery near Equality, Illinois
Equality, Illinois
Equality is a village in Gallatin County, Illinois, United States. The population was 721 at the 2000 census. Near the village are two points of interest, the Crenshaw House and the Garden of the Gods Wilderness.-History:...
.
A memorial to Michael K. Lawler stands in Equality, Illinois
Equality, Illinois
Equality is a village in Gallatin County, Illinois, United States. The population was 721 at the 2000 census. Near the village are two points of interest, the Crenshaw House and the Garden of the Gods Wilderness.-History:...
. He also was honored with a marble bust in Vicksburg National Military Park
Vicksburg National Military Park
Vicksburg National Military Park preserves the site of the American Civil War Battle of Vicksburg, waged from May 18 to July 4, 1863. The park, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Delta, Louisiana, also commemorates the greater Vicksburg Campaign, which preceded the battle. Reconstructed forts and...
in Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
.
Further reading
- Crichton, Jane, "Michael Kelly Lawler: A Southern Illinois Mexican War Captain and Civil War General." Thesis. Carbondale, Illinois: Southern Illinois University. 1965.
- Dorris, Jonathan T., "Michael Kelly Lawler: Mexican and Civil War Officer," Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, Vol. 48, No. 4 (Winter 1955).
- Heidler, David Stephen, Heidler, Jeanne T., and Coles, David J., Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: a political, social, and military history, W. W. Norton & Company, 2002, p. 1146, ISBN 039304758X.
- Hicken, Victor, Illinois in the Civil War, Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1991.
- Lawler's personal papers - Collection at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale; microfilm copy at Illinois State Historical Library
External links
- Lawler Cemetery at graveyards.com, showing M.K. Lawler monument
- Find-a-Grave entry for Michael Kelly Lawler (location given on this page is incorrect)
- illinoiscivilwar.org entry for Lawler.