#perryville

Brigadier General John A Campbell(Union)

Relatively speaking, Campbell’s Civil War military record was solid but unspectacular. This was in stark contrast to his beard, which was clearly neither of those things. I’d like to think that if you saw him head-on, you’d be able to see his bow tie through the little gap in the middle of his beard. I’d further like to think he planned it that way deliberately.

Campbell began the war as a Lieutenant in the Ohio Volunteer Infantry. After serving throughout the conflict at western battles including Shiloh, Perryville and Franklin, he was made a Brigadier General in the closing weeks of the war. It was the springboard to a successful post-war career. He was a journalist before returning to the regular army, then becoming the first Governor of the Wyoming Territory.