Rash's Surname Index
Notes for George CADWALADER
George Cadwalader ( May 16 1806, Feb 3 1879 )
He was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, studied law, and was admitted to the bar. He
served in the PA state militia and suppressed anti-foreign riots in Philadelphia. His father
was Thomas Cadwalader, his mother was Mary Biddle, who was the daughter of Clement
Biddle who served in the American Revolutionary War. He was married in 1830 to Frances
Mease Butler. They had one daughter, Frances who died young. On Mar 3 1847, he was
appointed brigadier general and took command of a brigade of reinforcements being sent to
Winfield Scott in central Mexico. His brigade was designated the 2nd Brigade in the newly
formed 3rd Division under Gideon Pillow. He was at the battles of Contreras, Churubusco,
and Chapultepec. For services at Chapultepec he as brevetted major general in the Regular
army. When the Civil War broke out, Cadwalader immediately volunteered his services to
the Union cause. Due to his military experience, he was appointed major general of PA Vols
by Governor Andrew Curtin in Apr 1861. On May 15 he was appointed military commander
in MD, where Union communications were threatened by local Confederate sympathizers.
On May 25, he ordered the arrest of John Merryman, who had been recruiting soldiers for
the Confederates. When Chief Justice Taney issued a writ of habeas corpus, Cadwalader
ignored him, saying he was authorized by the President to suspend habeas corpus. This
dispute resulted in the important case of Ex parte Merryman. Cadwalader took command of
the 1st Division in Robert Patterson's Army of the Shenandoah. On May 25 1862, he was commissioned major general of Voluteers in the US Army. Cadwalader later commanded the
post at Corinth, MS. He returned to PA before resigning in Jul 1865. In Apr 1865 General
Cadwalader helped found the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, a major
fraternal organization for former Union officers. He served as Commander-in-Chief of the
Loyal Legion until his death. He died in Philadelphia on Feb 3 1879.
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