Rosecrans

Rosecrans, WILLIAM STARKE, an American general, was born at Kingston, Ohio, 6th September 1819, graduated at West Point in 1842, and was employed as an engineer until 1854, when he resigned, became a civil engineer, and afterwards engaged in coal-mining and the manufacture of kerosene. In 1861 he volunteered as an aide to General McClellan, won an action at Rich Mountain in July, was commissioned brigadier-general in the United States army, and succeeded McClellan as head of the Department of the Ohio, and kept Lee out of western Virginia. In 1862 he commanded a division at the siege of Corinth, and after its capture was given the command of the Army of the Mississippi; on 19th September he defeated General Sterling Price at Iuka, and on 3d and 4th October he successfully defended Corinth against Price and Van Dorn. From October 1862 to October 1863 Rosecrans was in command of the Department of the Cumberland; in the battle at Stone River (December 31 and January 2), against Bragg, he by his personal exertions converted what nearly had been a defeat into a victory, after each side had lost over 9000 men; but at Chickamauga, September 19–20, 1863, he was defeated by Bragg, with a loss of 16,179, although he held Chattanooga, and the Confederates lost 17,804 men. Rosecrans was relieved of his command by General Grant; but in 1864 he was placed over the Department of the Missouri, and repelled Price's invasion of that state. He afterwards received the brevet of major-general, and resigned from the army in 1867. In 1868–69 he was minister to Mexico, in 1881–85 a member of congress, and in 1885 appointed registrar of the U.S. treasury. He died in March 1898.