From the personal collection of Surgeon & General Bernard John Dowling Irwin. Irwin has the distinct honor of being the first recipient of the Medal of Honor in U.S. military history by date of action, February 13, 1861

(1807-71) Known as "Prince John," a resplendently uniformed man with a theatrical manner, he attained a reputation for his social grace and etiquette. Born at Port Royal, Virginia, he graduated in the West Point class of 1830. He fought gallantry during the Mexican War, while an artillery officer, and at the Battle of Palo Alto, on April 18, 1847, Magruder served with "zeal and ability," in General Winfield Scott's expedition, under heavy fire and turned Mexican artillery against them at Cerro Gordo, for which he was praised by his superiors and was promoted to the rank of brevet major. In the Battle of Mexico City, he was wounded, and ordered the first shots to be fired, and began a heavy pursuit, despite superior Mexican numbers, to capture the Anzures, Veronica, and Belen intersection, a crucial crossroads that would block efforts by General Santa Anna to relieve the palace. From the conflict in Mexico, Magruder learned the value of deceiving and flanking forces outnumbering his own. He also saw the war as a way to demonstrate that the science of artillery was continually advancing, and submitted a detailed plan for separating the light artillery from ordnance, field, and sea coast artillery, resulting in an enlightened division of labor" and specialization. Magruder resigned from the U.S. Army on April 20, 1861, and was appointed brigadier general in the Provisional Confederate Army on June 17, 1861, and major general on October 7, 1861. He won the Battle of Big Bethel, Va., the first land battle of the war, and distinguished himself in the early part of the 1862 Virginia Peninsula campaign, completely deceiving General George B. McClellan as to the size of his forces at Yorktown. He was less successful during the Seven Days battles, and was later assigned to command the District of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Here he was successful in the recapture of Galveston, Texas and the dispersal of the Federal blockading fleet. After surrendering the Trans-Mississippi Department in June 1865, General Magruder fled to Mexico refusing to be formally paroled and then joined Emperor Maximilian's Imperial forces with the rank of major general. He did not return to the United States until 1867. John B. Magruder died in Houston, Texas, on February 18, 1871, and is buried at the Episcopal Cemetery, in Galveston.

Wet plate, albumen carte de visite photograph, mounted to 2 3/8 x 3 7/8 card. Full standing view of the flamboyant Magruder wearing a double breasted frock coat with epaulets, over the shoulder belt, aiguillete, sash, gauntlets, and holding his sword in one hand and a chapeau hat with plume, and eagle hat plate in the other. Back mark: Charles D. Fredricks & Co., 587 Broadway, New York. The card mount has been slightly trimmed. Written in period ink on the front of the card mount is, Maj. Genl. J.B. Magruder, C.S.A. Written in period ink in Irwin's hand on the reverse is, Maj. Genl. J.B. Magruder, C.S.A., Died Feb. 19, 1871. Age 64. Genl. B.J.D. Irwin album, No. 185 is written in another hand in pencil at the bottom. Splendid pose of Magruder wearing a uniform of his own design! Very desirable image. Rare with the provenance.

History of United States Surgeon & General Bernard John Dowling Irwin

Surgeon & General Irwin was the first United States Medal of Honor Recipient by date of action, February 13, 1861.

(1830-1917) Born in County Roscommon, Ireland, he immigrated with his parents to the United States in the 1840s. He attended New York University from 1848 to 1849, and then served as a private in the New York Militia. In 1850, he entered Castleton Medical College, and he later transferred to New York Medical College, where he graduated in 1852.

He served as a surgeon and physician at the State Emigrant Hospital on Ward's Island, NYC, until his appointment as assistant surgeon in the U.S. Army in 1856. He was an assistant army surgeon during the Apache Wars, and was the first Medal of Honor recipient chronologically by date of action. His actions on February 13, 1861, at Apache Pass, Arizona, are the earliest for which the Medal of Honor was awarded! The citation on his medal of honor reads; "Voluntarily took command of troops and attacked and defeated hostile Indians he met on the way. Surgeon Irwin volunteered to go to the rescue of 2d Lt. George N. Bascom, 7th U.S. Infantry, who, with 60 men, was trapped by Chiricahua Apaches under Cochise. Irwin and 14 men, not having horses, began the 100-mile march riding mules. After fighting and capturing Indians, recovering stolen horses and cattle, he reached Bascom's column and helped break his siege."

Cochise, the Apache Indian chief, and a group of Apache warriors were accused of kidnapping a boy and a small group of U.S. soldiers in the Arizona Territory after the Army had captured Cochise's brother and nephews. When the Army refused to make a prisoner exchange, Cochise killed his prisoners. Soldiers then killed Cochise's brother and nephews. 2nd Lieutenant George Nicholas Bascom led a group of 60 men from the 7th U.S. Infantry after Cochise but was soon besieged, prompting a rescue mission by the army. In response to the siege of Bascom and his men, Irwin set out on a rescue mission with 14 men of the 1st U.S. Dragoons. He was able to catch up with the Apaches at Apache Pass in present day Arizona. He strategically placed his small unit around Cochise and his men, tricking the Apache leader into thinking that he had a much larger army with him. The Apaches fled and Bascom and his men were saved. Bascom and his men joined Irwin and together they were able to track Cochise into the mountains & rescued the young boy that Cochise had captured.

The Medal of Honor did not exist during the time of the "Bascom Incident," and would not be established until a year later in 1862. However, the actions of Irwin were well remembered, and he was awarded the Medal of Honor just prior to his retirement. Irwin's actions were the earliest for which the Medal of Honor was awarded, predating the outbreak of the American Civil War.

Irwin subsequently served with the Union army during the Civil War, and was promoted to captain in August 1861, and the next year was appointed medical director under Major General William "Bull" Nelson. He improvised one of the first field hospitals used by the U.S. Army at the Battle of Shiloh, on April 7, 1862. He was captured during the Battle of Richmond, Ky., while attempting to save the wounded General Nelson. He was promoted to major in September 1862, and after his release from a Rebel prison he became medical director in the Army of the Southwest. From 1863 to 1865, he was superintendent of the military hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, and in March of 1865, he was brevetted to the rank of colonel. He was a companion of the California Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, and the Order of the Indian Wars of the United States. After the Civil War, Irwin served as a senior medical officer at several U.S. army posts, including West Point from 1873 to 1878. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in September 1885, to colonel in August 1890, and to brigadier general in April 1904. He died in Ontario, Canada, on December 15, 1917, and is buried in the West Point Cemetery, at the U.S. Military Academy, New York.

His son George LeRoy Irwin, graduated from West Point in 1889, and served in World War I, becoming a Major General in the U.S. Army.

His grandson Stafford LeRoy Irwin, graduated from West Point in 1915, and served in World War II, and became a Lieutenant General in the U.S. Army.

His daughter, Amy Irwin Addams McCormick, was a nurse with the American Red Cross and served during World War I.

General Irwin was an admirer and collector of photographs, and he put together a very large, and superb collection of Union and Confederate images. Interestingly, he collected photographs of both Rebel and Yankee alike. I have owned several famous military photograph albums before and never came across one that collected images from both sides of the rebellion. He numbered each individual image, and wrote a brief historical notation on each one. The collection was split up by another dealer, and by the time I found out about it, I was still very fortunate to be able to acquire about one third of his superb Civil War image collection. Each image is rare because it is "one of a kind" having come from the Irwin collection!

The image of B.J.D. Irwin pictured here is a copy photograph from the "Find a Grave" website and is used here for illustration purposes only.