Marsena R. Patrick

Marsena Rudolph Patrick
Marsena Rudolph Patrick
	Mexican-American War; American Civil War

Marsena Rudolph Patrick (March 15, 1811 – July 27, 1888) was a college president and an officer in the United States Army, serving as a general in the Union volunteer forces during the American Civil War. He was the provost marshal for the Army of the Potomac in many of its campaigns.

Early life

Patrick was born in

captain, in 1847. He was appointed brevet major

in 1849 for "meritorious conduct while serving in the enemy's country." However, Patrick decided to resign from the Army in 1850 and returned to New York.

For a time, he was president of the Sackett's Harbor and Ellisburgh Railroad,^[1] as well as becoming an expert farmer, studying and using the latest scientific advances to prosper. In 1859, Patrick was appointed President of the New York State Agricultural College, serving in that role for two years before the outbreak of the Civil War, when Patrick enlisted in the New York state militia as inspector general in early 1861.

Civil War

In March 1862, Patrick was appointed as a

Maryland Campaign, seeing action at the battles of South Mountain and Antietam

.

In the reorganization of the command structure following Antietam, Patrick was named as the provost marshal for the Army of the Potomac on October 6, 1862. To support his efforts, he had the equivalent of a brigade of troops, including at various times:

McClellan (Illinois) Dragoons (Companies A & B)
9th New York Infantry
(Company G)
93rd New York Infantry
2nd U.S. Cavalry
8th U.S. Infantry
2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry
6th Pennsylvania Cavalry
(Companies E&I)
Regular cavalry
21st New York
23rd New York
35th New York
80th New York (20th Militia)
Maryland Light Artillery, Battery B
Ohio Light Artillery, 12th Battery

Patrick tried vainly to stop vengeful Union soldiers from sacking and looting Fredericksburg in November, and had to fend off political officials who placed the blame on him, including numerous inquiries from

Eastern Theater and assumed authority over multiple armies, Patrick was elevated to provost marshal for the combined forces operating against Richmond, Virginia

.

Postwar career

Following the surrender of Robert E. Lee in April 1865, Patrick remained in northern Virginia as provost of the District of Henrico in the Department of Virginia. Although appointed a brevet major general in the volunteer army, Patrick resigned from the Army a second time on June 12, 1865, preferring to return to civilian life rather than accept a role in the smaller Reconstruction era.

In

Republican Joseph Howland

.

Patrick moved to

Manlius, NY, and from 1867 through 1868, Patrick served as president of the New York State Agricultural Society; then spent the next two years as a state commissioner, a role he again held from 1879 through 1880. He became a widely known public speaker, particularly on topics related to technological advances in agriculture. Interested in the care of former soldiers, Patrick moved to Ohio and became the governor of the central branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers

. A large tombstone bearing his name and rank stands in the Manlius Village Cemetery.

Marsena Patrick died in Dayton, Ohio, and was buried in the Dayton National Cemetery. (See preceding paragraph) His diary (Inside Lincoln's Army: The Diary of Marsena Rudolph Patrick, Provost Marshal General, Army of the Potomac), frequently critical of the Army's commanders, was published in 1964.

In popular culture

Patrick appears briefly in the 2003 Civil War film Gods and Generals, portrayed by Ryan Cutrona. During scenes depicting the Battle of Fredericksburg, he is seen berating soldiers looting the town, and ordering his guard to put a stop to the vandalism.