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Robert Allen (general)
Encyclopedia
Robert Allen was a career officer in the United States Army
, serving as a general during the American Civil War
.
in Columbiana County, Ohio
, and was educated in the public schools. He received an appointment to the United States Military Academy
and graduated in 1836, ranking 33rd out of 49 cadets. He was assigned as a second lieutenant in the 2nd U.S. Artillery
and assigned to garrison duty in various outposts.
He saw his first combat during the Mexican-American War, where he received a brevet
promotion to major
for his actions at the Battle of Cerro Gordo
. Allen was transferred to the Quartermaster
's Department, and was eventually promoted to the chief quartermaster for the Department of the Pacific
with the permanent rank of major.
, where he was again chief quartermaster, as well as a colonel
. Becoming recognized for his efficiency, he was soon promoted to command the supplies for the entire Mississippi Valley. From his headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky
, Allen supervised the Federal supplies for all the region's major campaigns, including Vicksburg
and Atlanta
. He was able to secure a wide variety of surplus railcars from various Northern railroads and arranged to have them ferried across the Ohio River
from Jeffersonville, Indiana
, and used for military purposes to transport food and supplies to the field armies along former Confederate railways.
As a result of his performance, he was promoted to brigadier general and given command all quartermaster operations west of the Mississippi River, except for California
. Allen ranked only behind Quartermaster General
Montgomery C. Meigs
(a fellow USMA 1836 graduate) in terms of responsibility and influence. His efficiency in large scale logistics
helped ensure that the Federal armies in his theater of war were much better equipped and fed than their Confederate opponents.
On January 16, 1866, President Andrew Johnson
nominated Allen for the award of the brevet
grade of major general
to rank from March 13, 1865 and the U.S. Senate confirmed the award on March 12, 1866. On July 17, 1866, President Johnson nominated Allen for the award of the brevet grade of major general, U.S. Army, also to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the award on July 23, 1866. He was mustered out of the volunteer service on September 1, 1866.
Allen died in Europe while traveling, and was buried in Chène-Bougeries Cemetery in Geneva
, Switzerland
.
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...
, serving as a general 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...
.
Early life and career
Allen was born in tiny West PointWest Point, Ohio
West Point is an unincorporated community in northern Madison Township, Columbiana County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 44492. It lies along U.S...
in Columbiana County, Ohio
Columbiana County, Ohio
Columbiana County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of 2010, the population was 107,841. It is named for Christopher Columbus and the county seat is Lisbon....
, and was educated in the public schools. He received an appointment to the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
and graduated in 1836, ranking 33rd out of 49 cadets. He was assigned as a second lieutenant in the 2nd U.S. Artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
and assigned to garrison duty in various outposts.
He saw his first combat during the Mexican-American War, where he received a brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
promotion to major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
for his actions at the Battle of Cerro Gordo
Battle of Cerro Gordo
The Battle of Cerro Gordo, or Battle of Sierra Gordo, in the Mexican-American War saw Winfield Scott's United States troops flank and drive Santa Anna's larger Mexican army from a strong defensive position.-Battle:...
. Allen was transferred to the Quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
's Department, and was eventually promoted to the chief quartermaster for the Department of the Pacific
Department of the Pacific
The Department of the Pacific was a major command of the United States Army during the 19th century.-Formation:The Department of the Pacific was first organized on October 31, 1853, at San Francisco, California, taking over from the previous Pacific Division. The department reported directly to...
with the permanent rank of major.
Civil War service
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Allen was reassigned to the Department of the MissouriDepartment of the Missouri
Department of the Missouri was a division of the United States Army that functioned through the American Civil War and the Indian Wars afterwards.-Civil War:...
, where he was again chief quartermaster, as well as a 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...
. Becoming recognized for his efficiency, he was soon promoted to command the supplies for the entire Mississippi Valley. From his headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, Allen supervised the Federal supplies for all the region's major campaigns, including Vicksburg
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....
and Atlanta
Atlanta Campaign
The Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May...
. He was able to secure a wide variety of surplus railcars from various Northern railroads and arranged to have them ferried across the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
from Jeffersonville, Indiana
Jeffersonville, Indiana
Jeffersonville is a city in Clark County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. Locally, the city is often referred to by the abbreviated name Jeff. It is directly across the Ohio River to the north of Louisville, Kentucky along I-65. The population was 44,953 at the 2010 census...
, and used for military purposes to transport food and supplies to the field armies along former Confederate railways.
As a result of his performance, he was promoted to brigadier general and given command all quartermaster operations west of the Mississippi River, except for California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Allen ranked only behind Quartermaster General
Quartermaster general
A Quartermaster general is the staff officer in charge of supplies for a whole army.- The United Kingdom :In the United Kingdom, the Quartermaster-General to the Forces is one of the most senior generals in the British Army...
Montgomery C. Meigs
Montgomery C. Meigs
Montgomery Cunningham Meigs was a career United States Army officer, civil engineer, construction engineer for a number of facilities in Washington, D.C., and Quartermaster General of the U.S. Army during and after the American Civil War....
(a fellow USMA 1836 graduate) in terms of responsibility and influence. His efficiency in large scale logistics
Logistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
helped ensure that the Federal armies in his theater of war were much better equipped and fed than their Confederate opponents.
On January 16, 1866, President Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
nominated Allen for the award of the brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
grade of 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...
to rank from March 13, 1865 and the U.S. Senate confirmed the award on March 12, 1866. On July 17, 1866, President Johnson nominated Allen for the award of the brevet grade of major general, U.S. Army, also to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the award on July 23, 1866. He was mustered out of the volunteer service on September 1, 1866.
Postbellum
After the war, Allen stayed in the Regular Army until his retirement on March 21, 1878 as the army's assistant quartermaster general, at the permanent grade of colonel, spending some $111 million during his lengthy career.Allen died in Europe while traveling, and was buried in Chène-Bougeries Cemetery in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals (Union)
- Louisville in the American Civil War