Hurlbut was born in Charleston, SC, in 1815 and lived there for thirty years, being admitted to the bar and even serving in the South Carolina militia. He moved to Illinois in 1845, becoming involved in politics as a Whig and then a Republican, becoming friends with Lincoln and being elected twice to the state house of representatives. He was dispatched to Charleston in March 1861 and reported back that the situation was hopeless, everyone believing that establishment of a southern republic would make Charleston the southern equivalent of New York as a commercial emporium.

Hurlbut was appointed brigadier general of volunteers in May 1861 and major general in September. He commanded a division at Shiloh and Corinth and commanded the 16^th Corps from headquarters at Memphis, before moving on to command of the Department of the Gulf. Despite a decent combat record, he had ongoing problems with money-management, well, let’s say a tendency to manage other people’s money. He escaped court-martial for “peculation,” being allowed to resign instead in 1865. Continuing accusations of drunkeness and corruption did little to dampen his spirits or enterprise, however: after the war he was first commander in chief of the G.A.R., and was Minister to Columbia and later to Peru, as well serving two terms in Congress. Much of his advancement apparently was due to political support by Grant and Garfield. He died in 1882.

This portrait is a nice waist-up view with good clarity and tones. Nicely inscribed in period brown ink across the bottom front is, “Maj. Genl. S.A. Hurbu[r]t / Comd’g 16^th Army Corps Dept. of the Tenn.”  [sr]

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