James Madison Robertson

James Madison Robertson
Born	(1817-05-28)May 28, 1817 New Hampshire
Died	January 21, 1891(1891-01-21) (aged 73) Plattsburgh, New York
Buried	Riverside Cemetery Plattsburgh, New York
Allegiance	United States of America Union
Service / branch	United States Army Union Army
Years of service	1838–1879
Rank	Brevet Brigadier General
Unit	2nd U.S. Artillery 3rd U.S. Artillery
Commands	U.S. Horse Artillery Brigade
Battles / wars	Mexican-American War Third Seminole War American Civil War

James Madison Robertson (also referred to as Robinson^[1]) (May 28, 1817 – January 21, 1891) was a career United States Army artillery officer who commanded the First Brigade of U.S. Horse Artillery during the American Civil War.

Born in New Hampshire, Robertson enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1838. He served for ten years in Batteries F and H, 2nd U.S. Artillery. Ranking as a quartermaster sergeant during the Mexican–American War, Robertson received a field commission on June 28, 1848. He was promoted to first lieutenant in September 1852, and served in Florida during the Third Seminole War.^[2]

It appears possible that prior to 1854, Robertson used the surname "Robinson" and that sometime in 1854 he changed it to Robertson; while it is unclear, this is documented in Heitman's register of the United States Army, and he was often referred to erroneously as Robinson in contemporary documents.^[1][3]

In May 1861, Robertson received his captaincy as the Union Army expanded for the Civil War, and was assigned to command Battery B, 2nd U.S. Artillery. Battery B was soon combined with Battery L, 2nd U.S. to create the amalgamated Battery B & L, 2nd U.S. Artillery, armed with six 3-inch Ordnance rifles and attached to the U.S. Horse Artillery Brigade with the Artillery Reserve of the Army of the Potomac. He commanded the battery throughout the Peninsula Campaign in mid-1862, and received a brevet promotion to major for "gallant and meritorious service" at the Battle of Gaines' Mill.^[1]

Robertson succeeded Lieutenant Colonel William Hays as the commander of the First Brigade of U.S. Horse Artillery attached to the Union Cavalry Corps following the reorganization of the Artillery Reserve (after the Peninsula Campaign but prior to the Battle of Chancellorsville) and held that position through the remainder of the war. Engaged in most of the major battles in the Eastern Theater, he received a brevet promotion to lieutenant colonel for services at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863.^[1]

During the Wilderness Campaign of 1864, the First Brigade of the U.S. Horse Artillery was attached to Brigadier General Philip Sheridan's Cavalry Corps, and Robertson was awarded a brevet promotion to colonel on May 31, 1864, for "gallant and meritorious service" at the Battle of Cold Harbor.^[1]

At the end of the Civil War, Robertson was awarded a brevet promotion to the rank of brigadier general for services in command of the Horse Artillery Brigade throughout the Wilderness Campaign.^[1][4] On June 30, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Robertson for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the United States Senate confirmed the appointment on July 25, 1866.^[5]

After the war, Robertson returned to his permanent rank of captain in the Regular Army with the 2nd U.S. Artillery, and earned a promotion to major in June 1874.^[1]

He transferred to the 3rd U.S. Artillery in 1875, and retired in 1879.^[1]

Robertson was married to Frances O. Fouquet (1837-1926). He died on January 21, 1891, in Plattsburgh, New York.^[6][7]

• List of American Civil War brevet generals (Union)

• Eicher, David J., and John H. Eicher. Civil War High Commands. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 978-0-8047-3641-1.
• Heitman, Francis B. Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army, From its Organization, September 29, 1789 to March 2, 1903. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1903.
• Henry, Guy V. Military Record of Civilian Appointments to the United States Army. Volume 1. New York: D. Van Nostrand, Publisher, 1873.
• Simpson, William A. "The Second Regiment of Artillery" in Rodenbough, Theophilus and William Haskin, eds. The Army of the United States. New York: Maynard, Merrill, & Co., 1896.
• U.S. War Department. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1894.

• Generals and Brevets: Photographs of General Officers during the American Civil War at the Wayback Machine (archived February 8, 2008)
• Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. Washington, D.C.