Ralph Pomeroy Buckland was an American lawyer and soldier. He is remembered as a Civil War Union Brigadier General and US Congressman.
Background
Ralph Pomeroy Buckland was born on January 20, 1812 in Ravenna, Ohio, whither his parents had recently moved from Massachusetts, and where his father died not long afterward.
He was the grandson of Stephen Buckland, of East Hartford, Connecticut, a Revolutionary artillery captain who died on a British prison ship, and the son of Ralph and Anna (Kent) Buckland.
His mother marying again, Ralph Pomeroy, as the eldest of a numerous family, was, while quite young, thrown partly upon his own resources, living much of the time with an uncle, helping upon the farm.
Education
Ralph acquired the rudiments of an education in the country school while living on his uncle's farm.
Career
At the age of eighteen Buckland descended the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers with a boatload of western produce. Finding employment at New Orleans, he remained there for three years. Returning to Ohio, he attended Kenyon College for a year, afterward reading law under attorneys at Middlebury and Canfield until admitted to the bar in 1837.
In 1855 he was elected to the state Senate, serving for two terms. He organized the 72nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the autumn of 1861, was mustered into the United States service early in 1862, and was soon assigned to the command of the fourth brigade of Sherman's division. This brigade was the only unit of its size in Sherman's army that retained its organization during the hard fighting at Pittsburg Landing and Shiloh, and by many critics is credited with preventing a complete disaster to the Union forces. Buckland was especially commended by Sherman in his report on these engagements.
He continued field service till January 1864 when he was placed in command of the District of Memphis.
In August 1866 he was commissioned brevet major-general, United States Volunteers, for meritorious service. Meantime his friends at home had elected him to Congress, and in January 1865, he had resigned from the army preparatory to taking his seat. After two consecutive terms he resumed his law practise at Fremont, but continued to participate in public affairs.
On the morning following Buckland's death Hayes entered in his diary this estimate: "a strong and conspicuous figure for more than forty years, at the bar, as a citizen, as a public man, and especially as a soldier. His traits were honesty, amazing industry, tenacity of purpose, and perseverance, and a courage, physical and moral, unsurpassed".
Achievements
For his military service he was brevetted Major General of US Volunteers on March 13, 1865. In 1870 he became president of the Ohio Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans Home, at Xenia; in 1876 he was a delegate to the Republican national convention which nominated Hayes; and from 1878 to 1881 he held the post of government director of the Union Pacific Railroad.
Politics
In 1848 Buckland went as delegate to the Whig national convention which nominated General Taylor for the presidency. During the Free-Soil controversies he was carried from his old party moorings into the incipient Republican organization.
Personality
In early manhood he was slender and somewhat dyspeptic, but systematic out-of-door exercise resulted in robust health in middle life. Although a semi-invalid during his last few years, he continued active to the day of his death, going to his home from his office only two or three hours before his demise.
Connections
Beginning practise at Fremont almost penniless, he prospered, married Charlotte Boughton, who traced descent from William Bradford, won the confidence of his neighbors, and held a succession of local offices.
