Daniel D . Bidwell Daniel Davidson Bidwell ( August 12 , 1819 – October 19 , 1864 ) was a civic leader in Buffalo , New York , before the outbreak of the American Civil War . He enlisted early in the war and then was appointed colonel of a regiment of infantry . He was promoted to general in command of a brigade in early 1864 , leading it until he was mortally wounded at the Battle of Cedar Creek . Early life . Daniel Bidwell was born on August 12 , 1819 , in Buffalo , New York . He was raised in the city and educated in local schools . He involved in , and became the leader of , " D " Company Buffalo City Guard ( an independent militia ) , before the war . Civil War . After the outbreak of war , Daniel Bidwell joined the 65th New York Infantry as a private but was promoted to the rank of captain . He then was involved in organizing the 74th New York Infantry . Bidwell next was appointed colonel of the 49th New York Infantry on August 1 , 1861 . As regimental commander , he served in the Peninsula Campaign in the Second Division , VI Corps , Army of the Potomac . Bidwell apparently was not present at the Battle of South Mountain or the Battle of Antietam . In 1863 , when VI Corps , under Maj . Gen . John Sedgwick , crossed the Rappahannock River during the campaign culminating in the Battle of Chancellorsville , Bidwell ’ s regiment served in the brigade of Brig . Gen . Thomas H . Neill in the Second Division , VI corps , now under Brig . Gen . Albion Howe . The 49th New York distinguished itself by fending off probing attacks launched by Confederate MG Jubal Early as Neill ' s brigade approached Fredericksburg , Virginia . Bidwell thereafter was involved in the Second Battle of Fredericksburg and the Battle of Salem Church . On the morning of May 4 , 1863 , Bidwell ' s regiment , with artillery support , fended off an attack by the 48th Virginia Infantry from the brigade of Brig . Gen . William " Extra Billy " Smith . The New Yorkers reported capturing 200 prisoners and the colors of that regiment . The 49th New York suffered only 35 casualties in these actions . Bidwell continued in regimental command at the Battle of Gettysburg , where he served under General Neill on the far right flank of the Army . When the Army of the Potomac was reorganized for Lt . Gen . Ulysses S . Grant ’ s Overland Campaign , Bidwell retained his command under General Neill , but they had a new division commander , Brig . Gen . George Getty . When Getty was wounded in the Battle of the Wilderness on May 5 , 1864 , Neill became acting division commander . Bidwell took over command of Neill ’ s brigade . The brigade had been detached from second division and sent to serve under Brig . Gen . Horatio Wright on the right flank of the Army . On May 6 , Bidwell took part in an unsuccessful assault on the Confederate lines . Later in the day , when Confederate Brig . Gen . John B . Gordon attacked the exposed right flank of VI Corps , Bidwell ' s command was the third brigade from the right , with the commands of Brig . Gen . Truman Seymour and Brig . Gen . Alexander Shaler beyond it . Gordon ' s attack routed the brigades of Shaler and Seymour . Bidwell turned his brigade to face the Confederate advance and a portion of Seymour ' s brigade rallied on his line . This stand stopped Gordon ' s advance . Bidwell led his brigade at the Battle of Spotsylvania , the Battle of Cold Harbor , and the earliest stage of the Siege of Petersburg . Colonel Bidwell was promoted to the rank of brigadier general on August 11 , 1864 . Service in the Shenandoah Valley . Bidwell was present at the earliest stages of the Siege of Petersburg . Thereafter , he served in Washington , D . C . , and the Shenandoah Valley . When Jubal Early moved on the capital following his ousting Maj . Gen . David Hunter from the Valley , he crossed into Maryland . After winning the Battle of Monocacy , Early moved on Washington . He had been delayed just long enough for units of VI Corps to reach the capital . Bidwell ’ s brigade arrived just as the Confederates were advancing on Fort Stevens , one of the key forts on the perimeter of Washington . At a crucial stage of the Battle of Fort Stevens Bidwell ' s brigade moved out and pushed back Early ’ s troops . Bidwell ’ s command lost about one quarter of its numbers , about 250 of 1 , 000 , in this action . Bidwell next was in the field under the command of Maj . Gen . Philip H . Sheridan . Maj . Gen . Horatio Wright commanded VI Corps in the new Army of the Shenandoah , and Getty had resumed command of second division . Bidwell led his brigade at the Battle of Opequon , otherwise known as the Third Battle of Winchester , and the Battle of Fisher ' s Hill . At the Battle of Cedar Creek on October 19 , 1864 , much of the Army of the Shenandoah was ousted from its encampments by a surprise Confederate attack . VI corps was the last infantry command left contesting the enemy advance by 7 : 00 AM . When first and third divisions were forced to retreat , Getty ' s second division became the rear guard of the Union infantry force . Bidwell ' s brigade held the left flank of Getty ' s division with the 1st Vermont Brigade in the center and Col J . M . Warner ' s brigade on the right . This line held despite continued Confederate attacks and then artillery fire . General Bidwell was mortally wounded by a Confederate shell while commanding his brigade . Getty eventually had to withdraw to the line from which Sheridan , who had ridden in from Winchester , Virginia launched his successful counterattack . Lt . Col . Winsor B . French of the 77th New York Infantry commanded Bidwell ' s brigade after he was struck down . General Bidwell was buried at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo . A statue in this honor is located at Colonial Circle in Buffalo . His funeral march for piano was written by Karl August Goehle , a well known and respected musician and teacher in Buffalo . Library of Congress , " General Bidwells funeral march " , LC Control No . : 52049003 .