Ivan Vasilovitch Turchinoff  "Union's Only Russian General"  January 30, 1822 - June 19, 1901

Ivan Vasilovitch Turchinoff was born in Russia and graduated from the Imperial Military School in St. Petersburg in 1841. During his Russian service he fought in Hungary and in the Crimean War and designed excellent coastal defenses for Finland. He married his commander's daughter, and in 1856 they immigrated to America, settled in Chicago, where Turchinoff worked as an engineer for the Illinois Central Railroad. Turchinoff Americanized his name to John Basil Turchin.

In June 1861, the Civil War having broken out, Turchin joined the Union army and became a colonel of the 19th Illinois Volunteers, which he quickly disciplined into a well-drilled unit. He also wrote the manual Brigade Drill, which was used by Union forces. With his wife by his side even in the field, Turchin led the 19th in Missouri, Kentucky, and Alabama. In December 1861 Turchin was given command of the 8th Brigade in Gen. Don Carlos Buell's Army of the Ohio.

In May 1862 Turchin encouraged his troops to perpetuate dishonorable acts against the towns of Athens, Ala. General Buell was so outraged when he learned of the rape, pillaging, and burnings that he had Turchin court-martialed both for the Athens episode and for allowing Mrs. Turchin to be present on the battlefield. Found guilty, Turchin was given a dishonorable discharge on August 6, 1862.

Turchin returned to Chicago, where he received a hero's welcome. Turchin's wife, however, had gone to Abraham Lincoln and convinced the president not only to annul the verdict and return her husband to service, but to promote him to brigadier general. Turchin went on to fight in Tennessee and Georgia until he resigned on October 4, 1864, because of poor health.

Returned to Chicago, Turchin worked as a patent solicitor and engineer before he went insane and died in an asylum in Illinois at the age of 79.

Fascinating Fact:  Turchin's wife reportedly assumed command in the field for a period of 10 days while her husband was ill.


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