New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-06
OBITUARY.
GENERAL IRWIN McDowErI.

GENERAL IRWIN MCDOWELL.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 5.-Brigadier-G General
Irwin Mcdowell died at midnight last night He had
been In critical condition for two weeks.
General Irwin Mcdowell. of the best military
scholars In the army, born ON October is, 1915
near Columbus, 0nIo and after O course Of study at
the College de Troyes France. lie entered the Military
Academy at West Point. where he was graduated oa
Jniy /, 1888, and assigned to the LIST Artillery
oreVet second lieutenant He was stationed on the
Niagara frontier, and when the difficulties
there were over he transferred to the
Maine frontier. From 1s41 to 1S45 he was an
adjntant st West Point, having second ieuten
ant on J"ly T. 1885, and first lieutenant On October T.
1872. He went TO Mexico In ls45 rs abde-de-camp TO
General Wool aud by gallant ayd mertorous conduct
at Baena Vista he the rank OF breve May
IL following saw him made assistant adjuant general
and on March 81, 1856. he became brevet major and
assistant adj utant-general In that position the
roublOus times OF 1861 found him. He was ordered
Washington ia February OF that year and
Inspector OF troops on General scotts staff. When
volunteers called tor after the firing Fort Sumter
he busted himself with organizing them into effective
forces until May IA. when be made brgader-
general, ana May IL he assigned to the command
OF the Department OF Northeast Virginia and the
defences OF Washington the Virginia side Of the
Potomac Buena Vista had been his first great battle.
On May %. 1861, he made msnder OF the Army
OF the Potomac and began campaign which ended
at Manassas July 81 with his second battle-Bull
Run. Whoever responsible for the OF
that day General Mcdowell bore them with dignity and
afterward stepped into subordinate place aud served
Loyalty as q division commander OF the Army OF the
Potomac un der Mcclellan. whe that army underwent
reorganization be p In command OF Its First Corps
with the rank Of msQrgeneral OF volunteers arch II.
1862.
A month later he had charge Of the Department
of tho Rappahannock but although the Government
retained full confidence in him the same III fortune
followed him that had marked his former career. anu
accident the saddle. which keps him helpless for
short tIme followed by the appointment Of General
Pope to his command. On h.s recovery General
Mcdowell entered as subordinate Of Pope, the cam
paign OF August 1882 which fatal 10 the reputa
tons Of many He fought at the bloody engage
ment OF Cedar Mountain and at R4ppahannock station,
and ut the second Bull Run he suffered. with other
oIicers> through Pope's ineapacity. After Mcclellan
reOrgauzGd the Army OF the Potomac General Me-
Dowe held military command in the field. Con adent
OF his own integrity the criticisms made upon bin at
the time led General Mcdowell ask for a court OF
inquiry. with the understanding that 1t should nyesti-
gate his conduct In 1862. Tue court. however, over
shadowed by the Porter court aud It's conclusions we're
insignificant.
General Mcdowell went in july 1864. to take
command OF the Department Of the Pacific Coast, IN
June 1865. he cOnn9ued tile Department OF California.
December 1872. assigned 10 the Division OF The
South on March ID, 1865, he was bre,eod major
general for gallant and .rerorOus conduct &c Cedar
Mountain; On September |. 1866 he was mustered out
Of the yOinneer seryIce and November rs, 1872 lie
became msior-general Of the Regular Army. He was
retired from service October 49, 1882 being then sixty
old. aud has since lived in San Francisco.
While General Mcdowell not popular "a military
man. those who into close relations with him were
oh attached TO bin. When he gave up his command
In San Francisco lie bad the comp ment OF reception
from his UireIs lie h0spltaele man aud Lsed bis
private freely Ia the entertainment OF disln-
galsbed Foreigners aud ctizens His private life was
rreproachaDe and his public life was market by dignity
and great fathfuness 10 duty. lie was an agreeable
taker and foTcbe writer but be rarely Used bis pen
excsp. when tOrvsd He OF the best educated
officers Of the army. and early the he the only
officer could converse well in thar tongue with
the French princes who accompanied the FEEDER troops