Samuel Ryan Curtis (February 3, 1805 – December 26, 1866) was an American military officer, and one of the first Republicans elected to Congress. He was most famous for his role as a Union Army general in the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War, especially for his victories at the Battles of Pea Ridge in 1862 and Westport in 1864.
He was a supporter of eventual President Abraham Lincoln, and was considered for a cabinet position in the Lincoln administration. However, after the Civil War broke out, Curtis was appointed colonel of the 2nd Iowa Infantry on June 1, 1861, prompting him to resign his congressional seat on August 4 of that year. He was subsequently promoted to brigadier general, with the promotion backdated to May 17, 1861.
After organizing the chaos in St. Louis, Missouri, Curtis was given command of the Army of the Southwest on December 25, 1861, by Maj. Gen. Henry W. Halleck. The Army originally consisted of three divisions, the 1st commanded by Brig. Gen. Franz Sigel, the 2nd by Brig. Gen. Alexander Asboth, and the 3rd by Col. Jefferson C. Davis. However, Sigel, a native German who held significant influence amongst the many German immigrants in the army, threatened to resign over having not been appointed to command of the army himself. Curtis subsequently gave him overall command of the first two divisions, consisting mainly of German immigrants, while creating a 4th Division commanded by Col. Eugene A. Carr. (Read more at Wikipedia)
Image information:
Title: Samuel R. Curtis, Representative from Iowa, Thirty-fifth Congress, half-length portrait
Creator(s): Vannerson, Julian, 1827-, photographer
Date Created/Published: 1859
Medium: 1 photographic print : salted paper ; 19.7 x 14.3 cm.
Reproduction Number: LC-DIG-ppmsca-26830 (digital file from original item)
Call Number: Illus. in JK1012.M35 1859 (Case X) [P&P]
Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Notes:
….Illus. in: McClees’ gallery of photographic portraits of the senators, representatives & delegates of the thirty-fifth Congress… Washington: McClees & Beck, [1859], page 291.
….Each item includes subject’s original signature in ink.
….Title devised by Library staff based on name provided in book’s index.
https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2010649430/
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Mike’s notes:
Note – This image has been digitally adjusted for one or more of the following:
– fade correction,
– color, contrast, and/or saturation enhancement
– selected spot and/or scratch removal
– cropped for composition and/or to accentuate subject