Report of the Military Services of Gen. David Hunter, U.S.A., During the War of the Rebellion, Made to the U.S. War Department, 1873
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Hunter was born in Troy, New York, or Princeton, New Jersey in 1802. He was the son of Rev. Andrew Hunter and his second wife, Mary (Stockton) Hunter, daughter of Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. In 1818, his father being at that time chaplain in the United States Navy stationed at the Washington Navy Yard.
Education
Young Hunter was appointed to West Point. He graduated in 1822.
Career
He served in the 5th Infantry until he became a captain in the 16t Dragoons in 1833. He invested in Chicago lands and in 1836, resigning from the army, settled in Chicago to engage in business with his brother-in-law, John H. Kinzie. He reentered the army in 1842 as a paymaster with the rank of major, and in this capacity was with General Taylor's forces in the Mexican War. In 1860, Hunter, then serving in Kansas, commenced a correspondence with Lincoln advising him of secession rumors. Invited to accompany the President-Elect on his inaugural trip to Washington, he sustained an injury to his collar bone early in the journey and was unable to continue with Lincoln's party. When he arrived at the Capital later, he was put in charge of a guard of 100 gentlemen volunteers to protect the White House, spending every night in the East Room.
Commissioned colonel of cavalry in May 1861, he was made brigadier-general of volunteers a few days later and appointed to command the 2nd Division of McDowell's army. In July he participated in the Bull Run campaign. Much straggling and disorder occurred, and the attack, led by Hunter's division, was late, and was made by small detachments one at a time which were successively defeated. Hunter, however, severely wounded at the beginning of the engagement, was not to blame for the poor conduct of the troops, which was due in the main to their lack of training. In October, he was sent to Missouri to relieve Frémont whom, on November 2, he superseded as commander of the Western Department. He at once repudiated Frémont's convention with Sterling Price whereby both generals agreed to force the disbandment of unauthorized armed bodies, and in accordance with orders withdrew the Union forces for rest and reorganization. Later in November he was assigned to command in Kansas, but since there was at the moment no enemy in that state, he was able to send troops to assist in the expedition against Forts Henry and Donelson, and to Canby in New Mexico.
In March 1862 he assumed command of the Department of the South. Fort Pulaski, Ga. , was at once besieged, and after heavy bombardment surrendered on April 11. The next day Hunter issued an order liberating the slaves which had fallen into Federal hands, and on May 9 followed it by another liberating all slaves in his department. Applauded by abolitionists, this move caused uneasiness in border states and excitement in Congress, and on May 19 the President issued a proclamation annulling the order on the ground that it exceeded the General's authority. Hunter had also sanctioned the raising of a negro regiment (the 16t South Carolina), and in that action was upheld by Congress. The Confederate States proclaimed him a felon, and ordered his execution if captured. He now attempted to take Charleston, but lost the battle of Secessionville on June 16, and was forced to suspend further operations. When he left his department on leave to seek more active duty, he was employed as president of courts martial which tried Gen. Fitz-John Porter and inquired into the loss of Harper's Ferry. Returning to his department, he conducted minor operations until "temporarily" relieved in June 1863, when he was again employed on court-martial duty and in making an extensive inspection of the troops and conditions in the Mississippi Valley. In May 1864, upon the defeat of Sigel in the Shenandoah Valley, Hunter was recalled and assigned to command this important sector. He was ordered to move up the Valley, cross the Blue Ridge to Charlottesville, and then proceed to Lynchburg, living on the country and cutting all railroads and canals. It was left to his discretion as to whether, upon completion of his mission, he should return to the Potomac, or join Grant's army near Richmond. He marched south, and on June 5 won the battle of Piedmont. He captured many prisoners and forced Lee to detach Breckinridge's division, and later Early's corps, to prevent the serious loss of supplies and destruction of communications which Hunter was accomplishing. On June 16 he invested Lynchburg, but the next day Early's forces commenced to arrive, and skirmishing resulted. Since his ammunition was nearly exhausted, Hunter decided not to fight, and in order to avoid an engagement retired into West Virginia. He thus left the Shenandoah Valley open to Early, who, quick to seize his advantage, marched down the Valley and threatened Washington. Hunter made every effort to reach railroads so as to be on the Potomac ahead of Early, but he failed to arrive in time to prevent the Confederates from raiding in the vicinity of the Capital.
Hunter has been criticized for this campaign, though he succeeded in his principal mission, which was to weaken Lee's army at a critical hour. On August 4, Grant arrived at Hunter's headquarters, bringing with him Sheridan, whom he had selected to be the leader of the field forces under Hunter's direction, with a view to driving the enemy once for all from the Shenandoah Valley. Hunter thought it better to resign his command so as to leave Sheridan entirely free, and his resignation was accepted on August 8. He was again engaged on court-martial duty from February 1, 1865, until the end of the war. Directed to accompany the remains of President Lincoln to Springfield, Ill. , he was recalled to become president of the military commission which tried the conspirators. He later became president of the Special Claims Commission and of the Cavalry Promotion Board. Brevetted brigadier-general and major-general for gallant and meritorious conduct during the war, he was retired from active service in 1866 as a colonel, and resided thereafter in Washington, where he died.
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Personality
Hunter was a handsome man, a typical beau sabreur.
Quotes from others about the person
"One of the few 'avowed anti-slavery officers in the army', Hunter had caused a huge commotion only a month before when he had announced unilaterally that all rebel-owned slaves under his jurisdiction were to be 'forever free. ' Abraham Lincoln, who knew and liked Hunter, had sternly countermanded him; the president insisted that 'commanders in the field' could not make such decisions. .. Hunter envisioned a different result. He wanted former slaves to have voting rights. .. The old warrior could not have been happy at the ultimate outcome. "
Daniel W. Crofts, "Runaway Masters" (22 June 2012), The New York Times, New York: The New York Times Company
Connections
He was married, between 1828 and 1831 to Maria Indiana Kinzie.