Silas Casey-Union Army
(1807-1882)
Like Richard Arnold, Silas Casey came from an honorable old Rhode Island family. Born in East Greenwich in 1807, Casey also attended West Point, Class of 1826, and upon graduation was assigned to the Arkansas Territory.
In 1861, Casey journeyed to Washington and was appointed brigadier general of volunteers. He proved to be a great help in organizing and drilling the raw recruits in the great, new Army of the Potomac, and when General McClellan began his campaign on the Virginia Peninsula, Casey led the 2nd Division of the 4th Army Corps. The campaign appeared to be progressing well — if slowly — until May 31, 1862. On that day occurred the Battle of Seven Pines, or Fair Oaks. That pivotal engagement marked the beginning of the retreat of the Union army, the advent of Robert E. Lee as a Confederate commander, and an end to the military fortunes of Silas Casey.
His sole field service during the war was in the Peninsula campaign, where his division was thrashed at Seven Pines on May 31, 1862, ironically enough facing George Pickett’s brigade. He was still promoted to major general, given a desk and from it wrote his three volume System of Infantry Tactics, used by both sides during the Silas Casey war. After the war, he remained in the army as a colonel.
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In 1861, Casey journeyed to Washington and was appointed brigadier general of volunteers. He proved to be a great help in organizing and drilling the raw recruits in the great, new Army of the Potomac, and when General McClellan began his campaign on the Virginia Peninsula, Casey led the 2nd Division of the 4th Army Corps. The campaign appeared to be progressing well — if slowly — until May 31, 1862. On that day occurred the Battle of Seven Pines, or Fair Oaks. That pivotal engagement marked the beginning of the retreat of the Union army, the advent of Robert E. Lee as a Confederate commander, and an end to the military fortunes of Silas Casey.
His sole field service during the war was in the Peninsula campaign, where his division was thrashed at Seven Pines on May 31, 1862, ironically enough facing George Pickett’s brigade. He was still promoted to major general, given a desk and from it wrote his three volume System of Infantry Tactics, used by both sides during the Silas Casey war. After the war, he remained in the army as a colonel.
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