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T. Devin

T. Devin

Federal (USV)

Colonel

Thomas Casimer Devin

(1822 - 1878)

Home State: New York

Command Billet: Commanding Regiment

Branch of Service: Cavalry

Unit: 6th New York Cavalry

Before Antietam

He was a house painter, a partner in a paint, oil, and varnish firm in New York City, and a militia officer - rising to Lieutenant Colonel of the First New York State Militia Cavalry. He led an independent Company of Cavalry, a 90-day Volunteer unit he raised, and in July 1861 he was appointed Captain in the 1st NY Cavalry. At age 38 he enrolled in New York City on 15 November and mustered as Colonel of the 6th New York Cavalry on 18 November 1861.

On the Campaign

He was in command of a detachment (8 companies) of his Regiment as escort and advance guard of the Ninth Corps.

They were at South Mountain on the 14th in support of Campbell's Battery, and crossed Antietam Creek early on the 16th to scout the Confederate line, taking artillery fire near the Lower Bridge on that mission. On the 17th they were stationed near and below the Bridge opposite the Confederate Cavalry at that end of the field.

The rest of the War

He commanded the 2nd Brigade/1st Division/Cavalry Corps at Chancellorsville, Beverly Ford, and with distinction under Brigadier General Buford on the first day at Gettysburg. He was on the raid on Richmond, in the Shenandoah Valley campaign, at Front Royal, where he was wounded, Winchester, Fisher's Hill, and Cedar Creek, VA. In October 1864 he was appointed Brigadier General of Volunteers and led the First Division of the Cavalry Corps to Five Forks, and on the rest of the Appomattox campaign. He was honored by brevet to Major General of Volunteers in March 1865 for his war service and mustered out on 15 January 1866.

After the War

He was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the 8th United States Cavalry (Regular Army) on 28 July 1866 and promoted to Colonel, 3rd US Cavalry on 25 June 1877. He was still in service when he died at home on 4 April 1878.

References & notes

His career basics from Warner,1 with New York service from the Adjutant General2 and Federal service from Heitman.3 His gravesite is on Findagrave.

More on the Web

For a portrait of Devin and something about his role at Five Forks in April 1865, see an article on the blog.

Birth

12/10/1822; New York, NY

Death

04/04/1878; New York, NY; burial in Calvary Cemetery, Woodside, Queens, NY

Notes

1   Warner, Ezra J., Generals in Blue, Lives of the Union Commanders, Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press, 1964, pp. 123-124  [AotW citation 29482]

2   State of New York, Adjutant-General, Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of New York [year]: Registers of the [units], 43 Volumes, Albany: James B. Lyon, State Printer, 1893-1905, For the Year 1893, Vol. II, pg. 442  [AotW citation 29483]

3   Heitman, Francis Bernard, Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army 1789-1903, 2 volumes, Washington DC: US Government Printing Office, 1903, Vol. 1, pg. 370  [AotW citation 29484]