History of West Hartford, (Windsor County) Vermont United States of America

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William Babcock Hazen, soldier, was born in West Hartford, Vt., Sept. 27, 1830. His father, a farmer, removed to Huron, Ohio, in 1833, and William worked on the farm during the summer and attended school a few months in the winter. He entered the U.S. military academy in 1851 and was graduated in 1855. He was on duty with the 4th infantry in California and Oregon, 1855-57, and was promoted 2d lieutenant in the 8th infantry for gallantry in Indian warfare. He served on the western frontier of Texas, 1857-61. He attacked and ex-terminated fifteen lodges of Apaches and commanded a company in five engagements with the Comanche Indians. For these services he was complimented in general orders and was brevetted first lieutenant under date of May 6, 1859. In a personal encounter with the Indians he was severely wounded in December, 1859, and was given one year's leave of absence. He was appointed professor of infantry tactics in the U.S. military academy, February, 1861, and was promoted 1st lieutenant, April 6th, and captain, May 14, 1861. He recruited the 41st Ohio volunteers and was permitted to accept the command with the rank of colonel of volunteers, Oct. 29, 1861, and commanded his regiment in the defence of the Ohio frontier and in raids in Kentucky. He was with Buell's army at Pittsburg Landing, the siege of Corinth, and at Perryville, and in the operations of the army commanded the 19th brigade, 4th division, army of the Ohio. His skill in defending the left wing of the army at Stone's River, Oct. 12, 1862, when beset in front and in the rear by a large Confederate force, gained for him promotion, Nov. 29, 1862, to the rank of brigadier-general. His brigade made a way for the supply train to reach the army at Chattanooga, October 27, by way of Brown's Ferry, and at Missionary Ridge he captured eighteen pieces of artillery. He commanded the 2d division of the 15th army corps in the Atlanta campaign and on Sherman's march to the sea. For his movement in attacking and capturing Fort McAllister, Dec. 13, 1864, he was recommended for promotion by General Sherman to the rank of major-general of volunteers on the same day of his victory. He was present at Johnston's surrender, and was given command of the 15th army corps, May 19, 1865, relinquishing his command on the disbandment of the corps, Aug. 1, 1865. He was brevetted lieutenant-colonel and colonel, Sept. 1, 1864, brigadier-general, March 13, 1865. and major-general of volunteers, April 20, 1865, to rank from Dec. 13, 1864. He was mustered out of the volunteer service in 1866 and promoted colonel of the 38th infantry, and was transferred to the 6th infantry in 1869. He was in Paris, France, during the Franco-Prussian war, for the purpose of studying European war methods, 1780-71; was at Fort Buford, Dak., in 1871-72, and made revelations of the practices of post-traders which resulted in implicating Secretary of War Belknap. He was in Europe as military attach? at Vienna, during the Russo-Turkish war, 1876-77. He was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general, Dec. 8, 1880, and was made general signal officer as successor to Gen. Albert J. Myer, deceased. Under his direction the expedition of Lieut. A. W. Greely to Lady Franklin Bay and one under Lieutenant Ray to Point Barrow, Alaska, to make meteorological observations and establish permanent international polar stations were carried out. He also sent out Lieutenant Beebe in the Neptune early in June, 1882, and Lieut. E. A. Garlington in the Proteus, commanded by Capt. Richard Pike, June 29, to the relief of Lieutenant Greely, and on the return of both expeditions without accomplishing the object of their purpose, General Hazen urged upon the secretary of war the immediate necessity of sending out a sealer to his rescue. His recommendation was not acted on and General Hazen was severely censured for the conduct of the two relief expeditions, and in the court-martial of Lieut. E. A. Garlington, in charge of the Proteus, begun Jan. 3, 1883, while Garlington was "not held to further accountability" and was commended for "zeal, energy and efficiency," the failure of the expedition was attributed to "grave errors and omissions" of the chief signal officer of the army. On Dec. 17, 1883, President Arthur appointed a commission headed by General Hazen to receive plans and suggestions for a new relief expedition in 1884; which resulted in the rescue of the explorer and his party. For severely censuring Secretary Lincoln for his conduct in planning the relief expeditions General Hazen was court-martialed and reprimanded His work in the signal service bureau was of great value, and he introduced the cold wave signal and many reforms by which he vastly improved the service. He was married to Mildred. daughter of Washington McLean of Cincinnati, Ohio, and their only child, John McLean, was killed by a fall of his horse at Tompkinsville, N.Y., Sept. 24, 1898. Mrs. Hazen was married Nov. 9, 1899, to Admiral George Dewey. General Hazen published: The School and the Army in Germany and France with a Diary of Siege-Life in Versailles (1872); Barren Lands in the Interior of the United States (1874); and A Narrative of Military Service (1885). He died in Washington, D.C., Jan. 16, 1887.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of West Hartford, (Windsor County) Vermont

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