Richard Arnold-Union Army
(1828–1882)
Richard Arnold, son of Rhode Island governor and United States congressman Lemuel Arnold, was born in Providence in 1828. His was an old Rhode Island family, and included the infamous Benedict Arnold. An 1850 graduate of West Point, Richard Arnold initially saw service as an artilleryman in Florida, Maine, and California.
Despite his disaster at Bull Run, Arnold was in command of the artillery of General William B. Franklin’s division at the beginning of the Peninsula fighting. Soon after, Franklin took command of the newly organized 6th Corps, and appointed Arnold his acting inspector general. As such, he was brevetted major for services rendered at the Battle of Savage’s Station. Then a bout with typhoid fever led him to a three months sick leave.
In late 1862, after his recovery, Arnold traveled to Louisiana and a new position as brigadier general and chief of artillery of the Department of the Gulf.
At the end of the war he was brevetted to the rank of Major general in both the regular and volunteer service, but his regular rank was captain of the 5th United States Artillery.
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Despite his disaster at Bull Run, Arnold was in command of the artillery of General William B. Franklin’s division at the beginning of the Peninsula fighting. Soon after, Franklin took command of the newly organized 6th Corps, and appointed Arnold his acting inspector general. As such, he was brevetted major for services rendered at the Battle of Savage’s Station. Then a bout with typhoid fever led him to a three months sick leave.
In late 1862, after his recovery, Arnold traveled to Louisiana and a new position as brigadier general and chief of artillery of the Department of the Gulf.
At the end of the war he was brevetted to the rank of Major general in both the regular and volunteer service, but his regular rank was captain of the 5th United States Artillery.
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