Stephen Augustus Hurlbut (November 29, 1815 – March 27, 1882), was an attorney and politician, who commanded the U.S. Army of the Gulf in the American Civil War. Afterward, he continued to serve as a politician and also as a diplomat.
Although born and educated in the South, his parents were from the North and his father was a Unitarian minister. After passing the bar, Hurlbut moved at the age of 30 to Illinois to set up a practice. There he married and had a family.
After the war, he returned to politics. He served in various capacities, being appointed as Minister to Colombia and elected as a U.S. Congressman from Illinois.
Hurlbut was born in 1815 in Charleston, South Carolina to Martin Luther Hurlbut and Lydia Bunce, who were from the North. His father was a Unitarian minister and educator. He had been president of Beaufort College in South Carolina from 1812–1814.[1] Hurlbut studied law with James L. Petigru as his mentor, worked for him as a law clerk, and was admitted to the South Carolina Bar in 1837. During the Second Seminole War, he served as adjutant of a South Carolina infantry regiment.
In 1845, Hurlbut moved north to Illinois, a free state. He established a law practice in Belvidere. He started his own family in 1847 after marrying Sophronia R. Stevens; they had two children together.[2]
In 1847, Hurlbut took part in the Illinois constitutional convention as a Whig delegate. He served as a presidential elector for the Whig Party in the 1848 Presidential Election, and became acquainted with Abraham Lincoln during campaigning for Old Rough and ReadyZachary Taylor.
Hurlbut campaigned for Lincoln during the presidential election in 1860, and attended Lincoln's first inauguration on March 4, 1861. He and Colonel Ward H. Lamon performed a fact-finding mission at Lincoln's request, and visited Charleston on March 24–26, 1861, to investigate and report, "the actual state of feeling in this City & State."[4] Lamon received a separate assignment from William H. Seward to visit Fort Sumter.
On March 27, 1861, Hurlbut wrote a detailed report in which he stated,
There is positively nothing to appeal to — the Sentiment of National Patriotism always feeble in Carolina, has been extinguished and overridden by the acknowledged doctrine of the paramount allegiance to the State. False political economy diligently taught for years has now become an axiom & merchants and business men believe and act upon the belief — that great growth of trade and expansion of material prosperity will & must follow the Establishment of a Southern Republic. They expect a golden era, when Charleston shall be a great commercial emporium & control for the South as New York does for the North.[4][5]
Hurlbut commanded XVI Corps from his headquarters at Memphis, Tennessee. Historian Bertram Korn has suggested that, during Hurlbut's garrison duty at Memphis, Tennessee, the brigadier general issued antisemitic orders confiscating Jewish property and preventing Jews from trading.[7]
After mustering out of the Union Army on June 20, 1865, Hurlbut became one of the founding fathers of the Grand Army of the Republic. He served as commander-in-chief from 1866 to 1868.[9]
He was appointed Minister Resident to Colombia in 1869, where he served three years. In 1872, Hurlbut was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives (R-Illinois). Re-elected for a second term in 1874, he was defeated in 1876.
Hurlbut was appointed as ambassador to Peru in 1881. In that capacity he had a row with General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick, U.S. minister to Chile during the War of the Pacific. Each man had become a partisan of the country to which he was assigned to represent[10] Hurlbut continued to serve as U.S. ambassador to Peru until his death in Lima in 1882.
His body was returned to Belvidere, Illinois for burial. Hurlbut and his wife are buried together in Belvidere Cemetery, Belvidere, Illinois.[11]
According to Donald T. Phillips, author of Lincoln on Leadership (1992), Hachette Book Group, N.Y., N.Y., Stephen A. Hurlbut was "one of his (Lincoln's) trusted colleagues." Lincoln sent him "on a fact-finding mission to Charleston .... to meet with the Confederate leaders, evaluate the situation (i.e., the crisis developing over Ft. Sumter) and report back...." "War, according to Hurlbut, was inevitable, unless the South was allowed to secede." As a result of this report, "Lincoln decided to resupply the embattled fort; if his ships were fired upon, it would be the Confederacy that started the war, not the Union."[12]
References
^Lash, J. N. (1984). "The Reverend Martin Luther Hurlbut: Yankee President of Beaufort College, 1812-1814", The South Carolina Historical Magazine, 85(4), 305–316.
^Woodworth, Steven E. Hurlbut, Stephen Augustus. American National Biography Online. February 2000. Retrieved November 29, 2015,
^Hurlbut, Stephen Augustus, (1815 - 1882), Biographical Dictionary of the United States Congress.
^ abMr. Lincoln and Friends. The Officers: Stephen A. Hurlbut (1815-1882). Project of the Lincoln Institute.
^Full text of the Hurlbut's report to Lincoln can be found at: Steve Hurlbut to Abraham Lincoln, March 27, 1861
^Lash, J. N. (2003). A politician turned general: The Civil War career of Stephen Augustus Hurlbut. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press.
^Korn, Bertram Wallace (1951). American Jewry and the Civil War. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America. p. 154. OCLC 761780.
^Terry L. Jones. (2011). Historical Dictionary of the Civil War. Scarecrow Press, p. 725.
^In Tucker, S. (2013). American Civil War: The definitive encyclopedia and document collection.
^Clayton, L. A. (1999). Peru and the United States: The condor and the eagle. Athens: University of Georgia Press.
^Fensom, R., & Foreman, J. (1987). Illinois: Off the beaten path. Chester, Conn: Globe Pequot Press.
^Phillips, D. T. (1992). Lincoln on leadership: Executive strategies for tough times 2016-01-08 at the Wayback Machine. New York: Warner Books.
Further reading
Lash, Jeffrey N., A Politician Turned General: the Civil War Career of Stephen Augustus Hurlbut. Kent, Ohio; London: Kent State University Press, 2003. ISBN9781612773605OCLC 606999741
Sager, Juliet Gilman, and Harry G. Hershenson. Stephen A. Hurlbut, 1815–1882. Springfield: Illinois State Historical Society, 1935. OCLC 808309677
stephen, hurlbut, stephen, augustus, hurlbut, november, 1815, march, 1882, attorney, politician, commanded, army, gulf, american, civil, afterward, continued, serve, politician, also, diplomat, stephen, augustus, hurlbutmember, house, representatives, from, il. Stephen Augustus Hurlbut November 29 1815 March 27 1882 was an attorney and politician who commanded the U S Army of the Gulf in the American Civil War Afterward he continued to serve as a politician and also as a diplomat Stephen Augustus HurlbutMember of the U S House of Representatives from Illinois s 4th districtIn office March 4 1873 March 3 1877Preceded byJohn B HawleySucceeded byWilliam LathropPersonal detailsBorn 1815 11 29 November 29 1815Charleston South CarolinaDiedMarch 27 1882 1882 03 27 aged 66 Lima PeruResting placeBelvidere Cemetery Belvidere IllinoisPolitical partyRepublicanSignatureMilitary serviceAllegiance United States of AmericaUnionBranch service United States ArmyUnion ArmyYears of service1835 42 1861 1865RankMajor GeneralCommandsXVI CorpsDepartment of the GulfBattles warsSecond Seminole War American Civil War Battle of Shiloh Siege of Corinth Battle of Hatchie s BridgeAlthough born and educated in the South his parents were from the North and his father was a Unitarian minister After passing the bar Hurlbut moved at the age of 30 to Illinois to set up a practice There he married and had a family When war broke out he supported the Union and Republican Party Hurlbut was present at the Battle of Shiloh and served under General Sherman during the Meridian Expedition After the war he returned to politics He served in various capacities being appointed as Minister to Colombia and elected as a U S Congressman from Illinois Contents 1 Early life 2 Civil War 3 Postwar years 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksEarly life EditHurlbut was born in 1815 in Charleston South Carolina to Martin Luther Hurlbut and Lydia Bunce who were from the North His father was a Unitarian minister and educator He had been president of Beaufort College in South Carolina from 1812 1814 1 Hurlbut studied law with James L Petigru as his mentor worked for him as a law clerk and was admitted to the South Carolina Bar in 1837 During the Second Seminole War he served as adjutant of a South Carolina infantry regiment In 1845 Hurlbut moved north to Illinois a free state He established a law practice in Belvidere He started his own family in 1847 after marrying Sophronia R Stevens they had two children together 2 In 1847 Hurlbut took part in the Illinois constitutional convention as a Whig delegate He served as a presidential elector for the Whig Party in the 1848 Presidential Election and became acquainted with Abraham Lincoln during campaigning for Old Rough and Ready Zachary Taylor He was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1859 and re elected in 1861 3 Hurlbut campaigned for Lincoln during the presidential election in 1860 and attended Lincoln s first inauguration on March 4 1861 He and Colonel Ward H Lamon performed a fact finding mission at Lincoln s request and visited Charleston on March 24 26 1861 to investigate and report the actual state of feeling in this City amp State 4 Lamon received a separate assignment from William H Seward to visit Fort Sumter On March 27 1861 Hurlbut wrote a detailed report in which he stated There is positively nothing to appeal to the Sentiment of National Patriotism always feeble in Carolina has been extinguished and overridden by the acknowledged doctrine of the paramount allegiance to the State False political economy diligently taught for years has now become an axiom amp merchants and business men believe and act upon the belief that great growth of trade and expansion of material prosperity will amp must follow the Establishment of a Southern Republic They expect a golden era when Charleston shall be a great commercial emporium amp control for the South as New York does for the North 4 5 Civil War Edit General Hurlbut When the Civil War erupted Hurlbut joined the Union Army He was commissioned as a brigadier general U S Volunteers on May 17 1861 and a major general on September 17 1862 He commanded the 4th Division Army of the Tennessee at the Battle of Shiloh and in the advance towards Corinth and the subsequent siege He also led a division at the Battle of Hatchie s Bridge taking command of the entire Union force after Gen Edward Ord was wounded 6 Hurlbut commanded XVI Corps from his headquarters at Memphis Tennessee Historian Bertram Korn has suggested that during Hurlbut s garrison duty at Memphis Tennessee the brigadier general issued antisemitic orders confiscating Jewish property and preventing Jews from trading 7 Hurlbut led a corps under William T Sherman in the 1864 Meridian expedition He subsequently commanded the Department of the Gulf succeeding Nathaniel P Banks and serving in that capacity for the remainder of the war Hurlbut was suspected of embezzlement during his term General Edward R S Canby ordered a court martial proceeding and the arrest of Hurlbut However he was allowed to resign in June 1865 8 Postwar years EditAfter mustering out of the Union Army on June 20 1865 Hurlbut became one of the founding fathers of the Grand Army of the Republic He served as commander in chief from 1866 to 1868 9 He was appointed Minister Resident to Colombia in 1869 where he served three years In 1872 Hurlbut was elected to the U S House of Representatives R Illinois Re elected for a second term in 1874 he was defeated in 1876 Hurlbut was appointed as ambassador to Peru in 1881 In that capacity he had a row with General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick U S minister to Chile during the War of the Pacific Each man had become a partisan of the country to which he was assigned to represent 10 Hurlbut continued to serve as U S ambassador to Peru until his death in Lima in 1882 His body was returned to Belvidere Illinois for burial Hurlbut and his wife are buried together in Belvidere Cemetery Belvidere Illinois 11 See also Edit American Civil War portal Politics portalList of American Civil War generals Union William Henry HurlbertNotes EditAccording to Donald T Phillips author of Lincoln on Leadership 1992 Hachette Book Group N Y N Y Stephen A Hurlbut was one of his Lincoln s trusted colleagues Lincoln sent him on a fact finding mission to Charleston to meet with the Confederate leaders evaluate the situation i e the crisis developing over Ft Sumter and report back War according to Hurlbut was inevitable unless the South was allowed to secede As a result of this report Lincoln decided to resupply the embattled fort if his ships were fired upon it would be the Confederacy that started the war not the Union 12 References Edit Lash J N 1984 The Reverend Martin Luther Hurlbut Yankee President of Beaufort College 1812 1814 The South Carolina Historical Magazine 85 4 305 316 Woodworth Steven E Hurlbut Stephen Augustus American National Biography Online February 2000 Retrieved November 29 2015 Hurlbut Stephen Augustus 1815 1882 Biographical Dictionary of the United States Congress a b Mr Lincoln and Friends The Officers Stephen A Hurlbut 1815 1882 Project of the Lincoln Institute Full text of the Hurlbut s report to Lincoln can be found at Steve Hurlbut to Abraham Lincoln March 27 1861 Lash J N 2003 A politician turned general The Civil War career of Stephen Augustus Hurlbut Kent Ohio Kent State University Press Korn Bertram Wallace 1951 American Jewry and the Civil War Philadelphia Jewish Publication Society of America p 154 OCLC 761780 Terry L Jones 2011 Historical Dictionary of the Civil War Scarecrow Press p 725 In Tucker S 2013 American Civil War The definitive encyclopedia and document collection Clayton L A 1999 Peru and the United States The condor and the eagle Athens University of Georgia Press Fensom R amp Foreman J 1987 Illinois Off the beaten path Chester Conn Globe Pequot Press Phillips D T 1992 Lincoln on leadership Executive strategies for tough times Archived 2016 01 08 at the Wayback Machine New York Warner Books Further reading EditLash Jeffrey N A Politician Turned General the Civil War Career of Stephen Augustus Hurlbut Kent Ohio London Kent State University Press 2003 ISBN 9781612773605 OCLC 606999741 Sager Juliet Gilman and Harry G Hershenson Stephen A Hurlbut 1815 1882 Springfield Illinois State Historical Society 1935 OCLC 808309677United States Congress Stephen A Hurlbut id H001003 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress AttributionThis article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Wilson J G Fiske J eds 1900 HURLBUT Stephen Augustus Appletons Cyclopaedia of American Biography New York D Appleton External links Edit Media related to Stephen A Hurlbut at Wikimedia Commons Stephen A Hurlbut at Find a GraveU S House of RepresentativesPreceded byJohn B Hawley Member of the U S House of Representatives from Illinois s 4th congressional districtMarch 4 1873 March 3 1877 Succeeded byWilliam LathropDiplomatic postsPreceded byPeter J Sullivan United States Minister to ColombiaNovember 13 1869 April 3 1872 Succeeded byWilliam L ScruggsPreceded byIsaac P Christiancy United States Minister to PeruAugust 2 1881 March 27 1882 Succeeded bySeth Ledyard PhelpsPolitical officesPreceded byBenjamin F Stephenson Commander in Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic1866 1868 Succeeded byJohn A Logan Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Stephen A Hurlbut amp oldid 1096473911, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
