Stewart Van Vliet
Encyclopedia
Stewart Leonard Van Vliet (July 21, 1815 – March 28, 1901), was a United States Army
officer who fought on the side of the Union
during the American Civil War
.
, and entered the United States Military Academy
in 1836, graduating in 1840, 9th in a class of 42. Among the members of his class were several future Civil War generals: Paul Octave Hebert
(1/CSA), William Tecumseh Sherman
(6/USA), John P. McCown
(10/CSA), George Henry Thomas
(12/USA), Richard S. Ewell
(13/CSA), James Green Martin
(14/CSA), George W. Getty
(15/USA), William Hays
(18/USA), Bushrod Johnson
(23/CSA), William Steele
(31/CSA), and Thomas Jordan (41/CSA).
Van Vliet was attached in the U.S. 3rd Artillery during the Seminole Wars
, seeing action in several engagements, "in one of which he killed an Indian chief in a hand to hand fight."
He served in the Mexican–American War
with General Zachary Taylor
at the Battle of Monterrey
, and under General Winfield Scott
at the Siege of Veracruz
. After the war, he was stationed in Kansas
, helping build forts along the Platte River
.
He was married at Fort Laramie, March 6, 1851, to Sarah Jane Brown, the daughter of Maj. Jacob Brown. In September 1855, he served in the Sioux Expedition under Col.
William S. Harney
, and in 1857, with Col. Albert Sidney Johnston
in the Utah War
against the Mormons
.
His obituary provides the following rendition of his participation in that expedition: "He fitted out Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston's expedition against the Mormons, who were in open revolt against the United States, and after it started was ordered to go on ahead and communicate with Brigham Young
. He made a wonderfully rapid 1,000-mile drive from Leavenworth to Salt Lake City, traveling with his escort of thirty soldiers, in light wagons. On approaching Utah several travelers urged him to turn back, as the Mormons had threatened his life. He was so much impressed by these warnings that he left his little force 150 miles from Salt Lake City, in order not to endanger their lives, and rode into the Mormon stronghold alone. He was treated courteously, and the trouble was settled without bloodshed."
on August 3, 1861, and Brigadier General
, Volunteers, on September 23, 1861. During the Civil War, he was chief quartermaster of the Army of the Potomac
from August 1861 until July 10, 1862. His appointment to brigadier general expired a week later, and he was stationed in New York City
for the remainder of the war, coordinating supplies and transportation for troops in the field. In October 1864, he received brevet
promotions to lieutenant colonel
, colonel and brigadier general, U.S. Army, and Major General
in the U.S. Army and Volunteers. He was again promoted to Brigadier General, Volunteers on March 13, 1865.
until 1881, when he retired as Assistant Quartermaster General of the U.S. Army. His last assignment was on the Retiring Board, starting in 1879. He stayed in Washington, D.C.
, after he retired, and died there. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery
.
General Van Vliet was a member of the Aztec Club, the Holland Society, the St. Nicholas Society, the Loyal Legion
and the Grand Army of the Republic
.
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...
officer who fought on the side of the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
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
Van Vliet was born in Ferrisburg, Vermont, the son of Christian and Rachael Van Vliet. He grew up in Fishkill, New YorkFishkill, New York
Fishkill is an upscale village within the much larger town, Town of Fishkill, one of the fastest growing towns in the region, in Dutchess County, New York, USA. The village population was 1,735 at the 2000 census...
, and entered 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...
in 1836, graduating in 1840, 9th in a class of 42. Among the members of his class were several future Civil War generals: Paul Octave Hebert
Paul Octave Hebert
Paul Octave Hébert was the 14th Governor of Louisiana from 1853–56 and a General in the Confederate Army.-Early life:...
(1/CSA), William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
(6/USA), John P. McCown
John P. McCown
John Porter McCown was a career officer in the United States Army, fighting in the Mexican–American War and in the Seminole Wars. He also served as a general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War....
(10/CSA), George Henry Thomas
George Henry Thomas
George Henry Thomas was a career United States Army officer and a Union General during the American Civil War, one of the principal commanders in the Western Theater....
(12/USA), Richard S. Ewell
Richard S. Ewell
Richard Stoddert Ewell was a career United States Army officer and a Confederate general during the American Civil War. He achieved fame as a senior commander under Stonewall Jackson and Robert E...
(13/CSA), James Green Martin
James Green Martin
James Green Martin was a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
(14/CSA), George W. Getty
George W. Getty
George Washington Getty was a career military officer in the United States Army, most noted for his role as a division commander in the Army of the Potomac during the final full year of the American Civil War....
(15/USA), William Hays
William Hays (general)
William Hays was a career officer in the United States Army, serving as a Union Army general during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
(18/USA), Bushrod Johnson
Bushrod Johnson
Bushrod Rust Johnson was a teacher, university chancellor, and Confederate general in the American Civil War. He was one of a handful of Confederate generals who were born and raised in the North.-Early life:...
(23/CSA), William Steele
William Steele (general)
William Steele was a career United States Army officer who served with distinction during the Mexican–American War. He later served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
(31/CSA), and Thomas Jordan (41/CSA).
Van Vliet was attached in the U.S. 3rd Artillery during the Seminole Wars
Seminole Wars
The Seminole Wars, also known as the Florida Wars, were three conflicts in Florida between the Seminole — the collective name given to the amalgamation of various groups of native Americans and Black people who settled in Florida in the early 18th century — and the United States Army...
, seeing action in several engagements, "in one of which he killed an Indian chief in a hand to hand fight."
He served in the Mexican–American War
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known as the First American Intervention, the Mexican War, or the U.S.–Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S...
with General Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...
at the Battle of Monterrey
Battle of Monterrey
In the Battle of Monterrey during the Mexican-American War, General Pedro de Ampudia and the Mexican Army of the North was defeated by U.S...
, and under General Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
at the Siege of Veracruz
Siege of Veracruz
The Battle of Veracruz was a 20-day siege of the key Mexican beachhead seaport of Veracruz, during the Mexican-American War. Lasting from 9-29 March 1847, it began with the first large-scale amphibious assault conducted by United States military forces, and ended with the surrender and occupation...
. After the war, he was stationed in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, helping build forts along the Platte River
Platte River
The Platte River is a major river in the state of Nebraska and is about long. Measured to its farthest source via its tributary the North Platte River, it flows for over . The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, which in turn is a tributary of the Mississippi River which flows to...
.
He was married at Fort Laramie, March 6, 1851, to Sarah Jane Brown, the daughter of Maj. Jacob Brown. In September 1855, he served in the Sioux Expedition under Col.
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
William S. Harney
William S. Harney
William Selby Harney was a cavalry officer in the U.S. Army during the Mexican-American War and the Indian Wars. He was born in what is today part of Nashville, Tennessee but at the time was known as Haysborough....
, and in 1857, with Col. Albert Sidney Johnston
Albert Sidney Johnston
Albert Sidney Johnston served as a general in three different armies: the Texas Army, the United States Army, and the Confederate States Army...
in the Utah War
Utah War
The Utah War, also known as the Utah Expedition, Buchanan's Blunder, the Mormon War, or the Mormon Rebellion was an armed confrontation between LDS settlers in the Utah Territory and the armed forces of the United States government. The confrontation lasted from May 1857 until July 1858...
against the Mormons
Mormons
The Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, a religion started by Joseph Smith during the American Second Great Awakening. A vast majority of Mormons are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while a minority are members of other independent churches....
.
His obituary provides the following rendition of his participation in that expedition: "He fitted out Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston's expedition against the Mormons, who were in open revolt against the United States, and after it started was ordered to go on ahead and communicate with Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
. He made a wonderfully rapid 1,000-mile drive from Leavenworth to Salt Lake City, traveling with his escort of thirty soldiers, in light wagons. On approaching Utah several travelers urged him to turn back, as the Mormons had threatened his life. He was so much impressed by these warnings that he left his little force 150 miles from Salt Lake City, in order not to endanger their lives, and rode into the Mormon stronghold alone. He was treated courteously, and the trouble was settled without bloodshed."
Civil War
Van Vliet was promoted to majorMajor (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...
on August 3, 1861, and 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...
, Volunteers, on September 23, 1861. During the Civil War, he was chief quartermaster of the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
from August 1861 until July 10, 1862. His appointment to brigadier general expired a week later, and he was stationed in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
for the remainder of the war, coordinating supplies and transportation for troops in the field. In October 1864, he received 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...
promotions to lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
, colonel and brigadier general, U.S. Army, and 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 U.S. Army and Volunteers. He was again promoted to Brigadier General, Volunteers on March 13, 1865.
Later life
After the war, he remained in the Regular ArmyRegular Army
The Regular Army of the United States was and is the successor to the Continental Army as the country's permanent, professional military establishment. Even in modern times the professional core of the United States Army continues to be called the Regular Army...
until 1881, when he retired as Assistant Quartermaster General of the U.S. Army. His last assignment was on the Retiring Board, starting in 1879. He stayed in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, after he retired, and died there. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.
General Van Vliet was a member of the Aztec Club, the Holland Society, the St. Nicholas Society, the Loyal Legion
Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States
The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, also known by its acronym MOLLUS or simply as the Loyal Legion, is a United States patriotic order, organized April 15, 1865, by officers of the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps of the United States who "had aided in maintaining the honor,...
and the Grand Army of the Republic
Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...
.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals
- Vermont in the Civil WarVermont in the Civil WarDuring the American Civil War, the State of Vermont continued the military tradition started by the Green Mountain Boys of American Revolutionary War fame, contributing a significant portion of its eligible men to the war effort.- History :...