Alfred Sully

Alfred Sully (May 22, 1821 – April 27, 1879), was a military officer during the American Civil War and during the Indian Wars on the frontier. He was also a noted painter.

Alfred Sully in Southern Victory
Alfred Sully had been a captain in the US Army when the War of Secession began in 1861. He recruited forces for the Union and drove rebels out of St. Joseph and Independence, Missouri. The following year, Sully was promoted to brevet colonel and later brigadier general of the 1st Minnesota Volunteers. While in command of this unit, Sully fought in the Peninsula campaign and later at Camp Hill. After the war, Sully continued his military carer.

By 1881, Sully was now a proper colonel and when the Second Mexican War began later that year, he found himself once again in command of the 1st Minnesota Volunteers for the campaign in Kentucky. His troops were among the first soldiers to cross the Ohio into Louisville, and immediately ran into heavy resistance on Sixth street, along the water front. His regiment soon came under heavy fire, and he started suffering tremendous casualties, wilting away to a couple of hundred men. Unable to go either forwards or backwards, he wired General Willcox for artillery support quickly or he would have to surrender.

Willcox promised him the support and ordered him to regain his position for the planed offensive. Failing that he was to hold his position at all costs. After the order was despatched, Willcox made no attempt to arrange the promised artillery support as all his artillery was committed elsewhere.