Henry Prince (general)
Henry Prince (1811-1892) was a Union Army general during the American Civil War.
Early Life and Career:
Born in Eastport, Maine, Prince graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1835. He served in the Seminole Wars and the Mexican-American War, where he received brevet promotions for gallantry. Prior to the Civil War, he served in various staff positions and frontier assignments.
Civil War Service:
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Prince was serving as a paymaster. He quickly volunteered for combat duty and was appointed brigadier general of volunteers in April 1862. He commanded a brigade in the Army of Virginia during the Northern Virginia Campaign, where he was severely wounded at the Battle of Cedar Mountain in August 1862.
After recovering from his wounds, Prince returned to duty and commanded a division in the XI Corps of the Army of the Potomac. He participated in the Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863, where his division suffered heavy losses during the Confederate flank attack. After Chancellorsville, the XI Corps, along with the XII Corps, was transferred to the Western Theater to reinforce the Army of the Cumberland.
Prince commanded his division at the Battle of Chickamauga in September 1863. His performance at Chickamauga was criticized, and he was relieved of his command of the division shortly thereafter.
Post-War Life:
After the war, Prince remained in the Regular Army and served in various staff positions. He retired from the army in 1879 with the rank of brigadier general. He died in 1892 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Legacy:
While not considered one of the most successful or well-known Union generals, Henry Prince served throughout the Civil War and contributed to the Union effort. His career reflects the experiences of many professional soldiers who served in both the antebellum army and during the conflict. His wound at Cedar Mountain demonstrated personal bravery, but his performance at Chancellorsville and Chickamauga resulted in criticism that impacted his career trajectory.