William Farquhar Barry

William Farquhar Barry
William Farquhar Barry
	William Farquhar Barry
Born	August 18, 1818; New York City
Died	July 18, 1879 (aged 60); Baltimore, Maryland
Place of burial	Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo, New York
Allegiance	United States; Union
Service/branch	United States Army; Union Army
Years of service	1838–1879
Rank	Brigadier General; Brevet Major General
Battles/wars	Mexican–American War; Seminole Wars; American Civil War

William Farquhar Barry (August 18, 1818 – July 18, 1879) was a career officer in the United States Army, serving as an artillery commander during the Mexican–American War and Civil War.

Birth and early years

Born in New York City, Barry graduated from the

second lieutenant in the 4th U.S. Artillery, transferring to the 2nd U.S. Artillery a few weeks later. He was stationed near the Canada–US border, then later took part in the Mexican–American, Seminole, and the Kansas-Missouri Border Wars

.

Military career

He was the co-author of Instruction for Field Artillery (1860), along with

Henry J. Hunt

.

Promoted to major of artillery shortly after the start of hostilities between the Union and the Confederacy, Barry served as Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell's chief of artillery during the First Battle of Bull Run, where his position was overrun after mistaking advancing Confederates for retreating Union forces. Barry was appointed brigadier general by President Abraham Lincoln on August 20, 1861, to rank from August 20, 1861.^[1] President Lincoln submitted the nomination to the U.S. Senate on December 21, 1861, and the Senate confirmed it on March 17, 1862.^[1] Barry came up with the concept that became the U.S. Horse Artillery Brigade in the Army of the Potomac.

As chief of

Yorktown, Mechanicsville, Gaines' Mill, White Oak Swamp, and Malvern Hill

.

After later supervising forts and ordnance surrounding Washington, D.C., Barry became chief of artillery under Maj. Gen.

Atlanta Campaign, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on February 14, 1865.^[2] Barry was mustered out of the volunteer force on January 15, 1866.^[1] On July 17, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Barry for appointment to the brevet grade of major general in the Regular Army, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on July 23, 1866.^[3]

On December 11, 1865, Barry was appointed

labor riots of 1877

he rendered valuable service at Camden Station.

Barry died at Fort McHenry and is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New York.