Four generals connected with fighting at Ox Hill followed markedly different paths through war and public life. Isaac I. Stevens, born in Massachusetts in 1818 and trained at West Point, served in the Corps of Engineers, was wounded in the Mexican War, resigned from the U.S. Army, became the first governor of Washington Territory, directed the Northern Pacific Railroad survey, served as U.S. commissioner for Indian treaties and as Washington’s congressional delegate, then returned to military service as colonel of the 79th New York Volunteers and later a brigadier general, commanding 1st Division, IX Corps at Second Manassas before being killed at Chantilly in 1862. Alexander R. Lawton, born in South Carolina in 1818 and also a West Point graduate, resigned from the U.S. Army, studied law, practiced in Savannah, led the Augusta and Savannah Railroad, served in both houses of Georgia’s legislature, seized Fort Pulaski for the Confederacy at the start of the Civil War, became a Confederate brigadier general, commanded a Georgia brigade in the Seven Days Battles and at Second Manassas, led a division at Ox Hill, was badly wounded at Sharpsburg, then headed the Quartermaster General’s department until the war’s end before resuming law, returning to the Georgia legislature, leading the state delegation to Democratic National Conventions, and serving as Minister to Austria. Philip Kearny, born in New York City in 1815, earned a law degree, entered the U.S. Army as a dragoon officer, trained with French cavalry, fought in Algeria, resigned but returned for service in Mexico where he lost his left arm at Churubusco, later served in California, traveled widely, fought for France in Italy, received the Cross of the Legion of Honor, and in the Civil War became brigadier general of the New Jersey Brigade and then a major general commanding 1st Division, III Corps before being killed at Chantilly in 1862. Ambrose Powell Hill, born in Virginia in 1825, graduated from West Point, served in Mexico, left the U.S. Army for Confederate service as colonel of the 13th Virginia Infantry, rose to major general in the Seven Days Battles, commanded the Light Division under Stonewall Jackson at Cedar Mountain and Second Manassas, held the Confederate right flank at Ox Hill, helped save Lee’s army at Sharpsburg, later fought at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Bristoe Station, the Wilderness Campaign, and Petersburg, where he was killed in 1865.
