Full Name:
- John McAllister Schofield
Birth Date:
- September 29, 1831
Birth Location:
- Gerry, New York
Parents:
- Reverend James and Caroline (McAllister) Schofield
Education:
- United States Military Academy (1853)
Occupation:
- Military officer
- Politician
Career Summary:
- Lieutenant General (USA)
- U.S. Secretary of War
- Commanding general United States Army
Spouse:
- Harriet Bartlett (1857)
- Georgia Kilbourne (1891)
Place of Death:
- St. Augustine, Florida
Date of Death:
- March 4, 1906
Place of Burial:
- Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia
Significance:
- John M. Schofield’s parents were Reverend James Schofield and Caroline McAllister.
- John M. Schofield’s father was a Baptist minister.
- John M. Schofield moved with his family to Freeport, Illinois in 1843.
- John M. Schofield graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1853, seventh in his class.
- John M. Schofield was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Second Artillery, United States Army, in 1853.
- John M. Schofield was promoted to first lieutenant in August 1855
- John M. Schofield married Harriet Bartlett in 1857.
- John M. Schofield was an assistant professor of natural and experimental philosophy at the United States Military Academy from 1855-1860.
- While on leave from the army (1860-1861), John M. Schofield was a professor of physics at Washington University, in St. Louis, Missouri.
- When the American Civil War began, John M. Schofield was promoted to major in the 1st Missouri Infantry and charged with mustering Missouri troops.
- In 1861, John M. Schofield served as Assistant Adjutant-General to General Nathaniel Lyon, organizing the forces of the Union Army in Missouri.
- John M. Schofield commanded the 1st Missouri Volunteer Infantry at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek (August 10, 1861).
- John M. Schofield was commissioned as brigadier general of volunteers on November 21, 1861.
- John M. Schofield was appointed as commander of the District of Missouri on June 1, 1862.
- John M. Schofield commanded the Army of the Frontier, operating in Missouri and Kansas from October 12-November 20, 1862 and from December 29, 1862 – March 30, 1862 .
- President Abraham Lincoln nominated John M. Schofield for promotion to major general on November 29, 1862, but the U.S. Senate declined to confirm his promotion.
- President Abraham Lincoln nominated John M. Schofield for promotion to major general on March 12, 1863; the U.S. Senate confirmed his promotion on May 12, 1864 (to date from November 29, 1862).
- John M. Schofield was promoted to a divisional command in the Army of the Cumberland on April 20, 1863.
- John M. Schofield was appointed as commander of the Department of the Missouri on May 13, 1863.
- While in command of the Department of the Missouri (1863-1864), John M. Schofield captured Fort Smith and Little Rock, in Arkansas.
- While in command of the Department of the Missouri (1863-1864), John M. Schofield rendered material assistance to General Ulysses S. Grant during the Siege of Vicksburg (May 18 – July 4, 1863).
- John M. Schofield was appointed as commander of the Department and Army of the Ohio, known at that time as the Twenty-third Army Corps, on February 9, 1864.
- John M. Schofield commanded the Army of the Ohio throughout William T. Sherman’s Atlanta campaign (May 7 – September 2, 1864).
- John M. Schofield was the commanding officer during the Union victory at the Battle of Franklin (November 30, 1864).
- John M. Schofield was promoted to brigadier general in the regular army on November 30, 1864, for his leadership at the Battle of Franklin (November 30, 1864).
- John M. Schofield took part in the Union victory at the Battle of Nashville (December 15-16, 1864).
- John M. Schofield was promoted to the brevet rank of major general in the regular army on March 13, 1865.
- John M. Schofield commanded the Department of North Carolina from April 26, 1865, until June 21, 1865.
- John M. Schofield was mustered out of volunteer service on September 1, 1866.
- From June 22, 1865, to August 16, 1866, John M. Schofield served as a confidential diplomatic emissary to France negotiating withdrawal of French troops from Mexico.
- John M. Schofield served as Secretary of War under President Andrew Johnson from June 1, 1868 to March 13, 1869.
- John M. Schofield was promoted to major general in the regular army on March 4, 1869.
- Serving on a special mission to assess the military value of the Hawaiian Islands (1872 – 1873), John M. Schofield recommended the United States establish a military base at Pearl Harbor.
- John M. Schofield was the Superintendent of the United States Military Academy from 1876 to 1881.
- John M. Schofield commanded of the Military Division of the Pacific from 1882 to 1883.
- John M. Schofield commanded of the Division of the Missouri from 1883 to 1886.
- John M. Schofield commanded of the Division of the Atlantic from 1886 to 1888.
- John M. Schofield’s first wife, Harriet, died on December 24, 1888.
- John M. Schofield married his second wife, Georgia Kilbourne in 1891.
- John M. Schofield received the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1892 for his “conspicuous gallantry” during the Battle of Wilson’s Creek (August 10, 1861).
- John M. Schofield served as commanding general of the entire United States Army from August 14, 1888 to September 29, 1895.
- John M. Schofield was promoted to lieutenant general, February 25, 1895.
- John M. Schofield retired from active service on his 64th birthday, September 29, 1895.
- John M. Schofield died of a cerebral hemorrhage on March 4, 1906, in St. Augustine, Florida.