Robert H. Milroy was an American soldier and Indian agent. He was the Civil War Union Major General.
Background
Robert Huston Milroy was born on June 11, 1816, in Washington County, Indiana. He was the son of Samuel and Martha (Huston) Milroy. He came of fighting stock being, it was claimed, a descendant of Robert Bruce through his great-grandfather, John McElroy, who fled from Scotland, changed his name to Milroy, and later settled near Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Robert Milroy's immediate ancestors were Indian fighters, and his father contributed stoutly to the upbuilding of the young state of Indiana. The son fully sustained the family reputation. The Milroys removed from Washington County to Carroll County, Indiana, when he was ten years old.
Education
In 1840, Milroy entered Norwich University in Vermont and graduated in 1843 with the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Master of Military Science. In the Mexican War, Milroy raised a voluntary company in Carroll County. Mustered into service on June 20, 1846, at New Albany, he was mustered out at New Orleans on June 16, 1847. He took a law course at the University of Indiana, where he received the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1850, was admitted to the bar, and began practice at Delphi, Indiana.
Career
In 1850, Milroy was elected a delegate from Carroll County to the state's second constitutional convention as, by an interesting coincidence, his father had been sent to the first one. He was appointed to the bench of the 8th judicial circuit, but resigned, removed to Rensselaer, Indiana, in 1854 and took up the practice of law. In Indiana, he is best known as a soldier of the Civil War. At the first call for troops he proceeded to raise a voluntary company in Rensselaer. Of this, he was made captain but on April 27, 1861, was mustered into the three months' service as colonel of the 9th Regiment of Indiana Volunteers. At the expiration of this term of service he reenlisted for the three years' service with the same rank, but on September 3 of that year was promoted brigadier-general, and on November 29, 1862, major-general of volunteers. Much of his field service was in western Virginia, where his measures to suppress guerrilla warfare were so drastic that the Confederates offered a large reward for him, dead or alive. As major-general he commanded the second division of the VIII Army Corps, being stationed at Winchester, Virginia, when Lee made his movement northward toward Pennsylvania. He engaged the Confederate army till driven back with losses so disastrous that they were afterward the subject of military investigation, but he was finally exonerated. He claimed that his retarding of Lee's forces enabled Meade to prepare for Gettysburg. He remained in the service till the end of the war. After the war, he occupied positions of trust and responsibility. He was one of the trustees of the Wabash and Erie Canal. In 1872, he became superintendent of Indian affairs in the state of Washington, and from 1875 to 1885, he was Indian agent with headquarters at Olympia, where he died.
Achievements
Milroy is most noted for his defeat at the Second Battle of Winchester in 1863. He commanded some 8000 men at the Battle of Winchester, Virginia in June of 1862. Confederate Major General Richard Ewell's 2nd Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia outmatched General Milroy and captured some 3400 men, and all 23 pieces of artillery. A bronze statue of heroic size was erected at his old home, Rensselaer, where it still perpetuates his memory. Milroy is the namesake of the city of Milroy, Minnesota.
Personality
Personally, Robert Huston was of fine, athletic appearance, fully six feet and two inches in height; he had piercing black eyes; and these, together with an aquiline nose and long silver hair, gained for him the sobriquet of the "Gray Eagle. "
Quotes from others about the person
Carl Schurz wrote that "he lived on a footing of very democratic comradeship with his men. The most extraordinary stories were told of his discussing with his subordinates what was to be done, of his permitting them to take amazing liberties with the orders to be executed. But he did good service, was respected and liked by all".
Connections
On May 17, 1849, Milroy was married to Mary Jane Armitage of Alexandria, Pennsylvania, who bore him seven children.
