Israel Bush Richardson

Biography

Israel Bush Richardson graduated from West Point, served in the Mexican War, and rose through the ranks to become a major general in the Union Army, commanding brigades and divisions that played pivotal roles in the Army of the Potomac.

His calm leadership, stern discipline, and willingness to share the hardships of his soldiers earned him the respect of those around him, and though mortal wounds suffered in 1862 ended his life, his legacy of courage endures in accounts of the battlefields where he fell; he is remembered at Oak Hill Cemetery.