Civil War Illustrations

General J.K.F. Mansfield

Caption: General [J.K.F.] Mansfield (photographed by Brady)

Source: Illustration and text from Harper's Weekly, August 17, 1861, page 516.

Brig.-Gen. Mansfield, U.S.A.

General J. K. F. Mansfield, whose portrait we give herewith, is a native of Connecticut, from which state he was appointed to a cadetship in the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1817.  He graduated in July, 1822, and was immediately appointed Brevet Second Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. He was subsequently promoted to a First Lieutenancy in March, 1832; Captain, July, 1838; Chief Engineer of the army commanded by General Taylor in the Mexican war, 1846-'47. He was promoted to the honorary rank of Brevet-Major for gallant and distinguished services in defense of Fort Brown, on the Rio Grande, May 9, 1846, and was severely wounded in the battle of Monterey. He received the honorary rank of Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel for gallant services in several conflicts with the enemy in September, 1846, and Brevet Colonel for distinguished bravery in the battle of Buena Vista, February 23, 1847. He was appointed Inspector-General of the army, with the rank of Colonel, May 28, 1853, thereupon relinquishing his rank in the Engineer Corps. He held this responsible position until recently, when President Lincoln, appreciating the high scientific and military talent of this distinguished officer, promoted him to a full Brigadier-Generalship, and placed him in command of the troops at Washington. He is about fifty-five years of age, tall and graceful in form, with a snowy beard.