George W. Morell

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George Webb Morell (January 8, 1815 – February 11, 1883) was a civil engineer, lawyer, farmer, and a Union general in the American Civil War.

Morell was born in Cooperstown, New York. He graduated from the United States Military Academy, first in his class of 56 cadets, in 1835 and was commissioned a brevet second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. He resigned from the Army on June 30, 1837, and became a civil engineer for the Charleston and Cincinnati Railroad and later for the Michigan Central Railroad. He moved to New York in 1839 and worked as a lawyer. He was a United States court commissioner from 1859 to 1861.

At the start of the Civil War, Morell was appointed colonel and quartermaster of the New York Militia. He was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on August 9, 1861, and served in brigade and division command in the Army of the Potomac during the Peninsula Campaign. His close association with Brig. Gen. Fitz John Porter, his corps commander, negatively affected his career prospects, as Porter was (unjustly) court-martialed for dereliction in the Second Battle of Bull Run. Morell testified on Porter's behalf at the court-martial, effectively ruining his military career. After the Battle of Antietam, he saw no additional field service. Morell was appointed a major general on July 4, 1862, but the appointment expired the following year without confirmation by the United States Senate. He commanded the Draft Depot in Indianapolis, Indiana, for most of 1864 and was mustered out from volunteer service on December 15, 1864.

Morell worked as a farmer after his military service. He died in Scarborough, New York, and is buried there in the chancel of St. Mary's Episcopal Church.

[edit] References

• Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J., Civil War High Commands, Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
• Warner, Ezra J., Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders, Louisiana State University Press, 1964, ISBN 0-8071-0822-7.