Orlando B . Willcox Orlando Bolivar Willcox ( April 16 , 1823 – May 11 , 1907 ) was an American soldier who served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War . Early life . Willcox was born in Detroit , Michigan . He entered the United States Military Academy in West Point , New York , in 1843 . Following graduation in 1847 , he was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 4th U . S . Artillery . He would subsequently serve in the United States Army in various capacities over a period of forty years . Willcox served in the Mexican - American War , fought against the Indians on the frontier , and again in the Third Seminole War . Following the latter conflict , he resigned from the Army in 1857 . Civil War . When the Civil War began , Willcox was practicing law in Detroit . He was appointed colonel of the 1st Michigan Volunteer Infantry . He was wounded and captured in the First Battle of Bull Run ( First Manassas ) while in command of a brigade in Maj . Gen . Samuel P . Heintzelman ' s division . He later received the Medal of Honor in 1895 for " most distinguished gallantry " during the battle . After his release and exchange more than a year later , on August 19 , 1862 , President Abraham Lincoln appointed Willcox a brigadier general of volunteers , to rank from July 1 , 1861 . The President had to submit the nomination three times , the last on March 7 , 1863 , before the U . S . Senate finally confirmed the appointment on March 11 , 1863 . Willcox commanded the 1st Division of Maj . Gen . Ambrose Burnside ' s IX Corps in 1862 . He led the division at the Battle of Antietam and the corps at the Battle of Fredericksburg . During the 1863 draft riots , Willcox commanded the District of Indiana and Michigan . He again led a division at Knoxville and during Lt . Gen . Ulysses S . Grant ' s Overland Campaign . On December 12 , 1864 , President Abraham Lincoln nominated Willcox for appointment to the brevet grade of major general of volunteers to rank from August 1 , 1864 , and the U . S . Senate confirmed the appointment on April 14 , 1865 . Following the Siege of Petersburg , he led the first troops to enter Petersburg , Virginia , before ending the war serving in North Carolina . He was mustered out of the volunteers on January 15 , 1866 . Later life . Willcox returned to Detroit to resume his career as a lawyer but when the United States ( Regular Army ) was expanded in July 1866 , he accepted appointment as colonel of the 29th U . S . Infantry Regiment . On March 26 , 1867 , President Andrew Johnson nominated Willcox for appointment to the brevet grade of brigadier general , USA ( regular army ) , to rank from March 2 , 1867 , and the U . S . Senate confirmed the appointment on April 5 , 1867 . Also , on the same dates of nomination , rank and confirmation , President Johnson nominated and the U . S . Senate confirmed the appointment of Willcox to the brevet grade of major general , USA ( regular army ) . Willcox transferred to the 12th U . S . Infantry Regiment in 1869 and served in San Francisco , except for brief periods , until 1879 when he became Commander of the Department of Arizona . In this capacity , he put down the raids of Apache Indians . For his service in the West , he was awarded a Vote of Thanks by the Arizona Legislature . Willcox was appointed a brigadier general , USA ( regular army ) , October 13 , 1886 . He retired April 16 , 1887 as a brigadier general . After his retirement , Willcox was governor of the Soldiers ' Home in Washington , D . C . from February 27 , 1889 to July 8 , 1892 . Willcox moved to Canada in 1905 . He died in Cobourg , Ontario , at 84 years of age and was buried in Section 1 , Grave 18 , of Arlington National Cemetery . Honors . The town of Willcox , Arizona is named in his honor . Medal of Honor citation . Rank and organization : Colonel , 1st Michigan Infantry . Place and date : At Bull Run , Va . , July 21 , 1861 . Entered service at : Detroit , Mich . Birth : Detroit , Mich . Date of issue : March 2 , 1895 . Citation : Led repeated charges until wounded and taken prisoner . Further reading . " Forgotten Valor : the memoirs , journals and Civil War letters of Orlando B . Willcox " / Orlando B . Willcox and Robert Garth Scott ( ed ) ( 1999 )