Irvin McDowell

Biography

Irvin McDowell, born in 1818, pursued a military career that led him to command Union forces at the outset of the Civil War. Though the early engagements of the conflict tested his leadership, he continued to serve with dedication, overseeing recruitment and training that prepared countless volunteer regiments for service.

After his military duties, he spent later years on the West Coast, where he remained a respected elder statesman until his death in 1885; his memory rests at San Francisco National Cemetery among fellow veterans.