NIeDOWELL, ( 1771-1830). An American surgeon, born in Roekbridge County, Va. Ile attended medical lectures in Edinbnrgh in 1793-94; settled in Danville, Ky., in 1795, and attained great prominenee as a surgeon. He per formed the first operation recorded in the United States in ovarian surgery in 1809. A report of this and of other eases appeared in the Eclectic Repertory end Analytic Review in 1817. Ile was skillful in every branch of the surgical art.
McDOWELL, Invix ( 1818-85 ). An American soldier, prominent as a Federal officer in the Civil \Var. Ile was born in Columbus, Ohio: studied at the College of Troves in France, and in 18:38 graduated at \Vest Point, where from 1841 to 1845 lie was stationed as adjutant. lle served in the Mexican War first as aide-de-camp and then as assistant adjutant-general, under General Wool, and in February, 1847, was bre vetted captain for "gallant and meritorious con duct in the battle of Buena Vista." Early in 1861, after the outbreak of the Civil Wars he was at Washington engaged in organizing the volunteer troops. On INlay 14th he was promoted to be brigadier-general of volunteers. On the 27th he was placed in command of the Army of the Potomac and, urged forward by President Lincoln and the War Department under the im pulsion of public opinion in the North, he ad vanced into Virginia in the middle of July. On the 21st he met Generals Beauregard and John ston, commanding the Confederate army, at Bull Run, and, in spite of his skillfully laid plan of battle, his raw recruits gave way and lie was badly defeated. (See Bum, RUN, FIRST BATTLE oF.) Soon afterwards he was replaced by Gen eral McClellan, under Minn' he commanded the First Corps of the Army of the Potomac, which. however, was on April 4. 1862. formed into the Army of the Rappahannock and assigned to the defense of Washington. On March 14th of this year he was made major-general of volunteers. From August 12 to September 6, 1662, he com manded the Third Corps of the Army of Virginia, and was engaged successively in the battles of Cedar Mountain (August 9th) and noek Station (August 25th 1. and in the second battle of Bull Run (August 290•30th), taking an especially prominent part in the last. On Septem
ber tIth he was relieved from duty in and, regarding this as a reelection upon his profes sional abilities and past services, be asked for a court of inquiry, which, after en refnlly con sidering all charges. reported that time interests of the public service do not require any further investigation into the conduct of Majo•-General McDowell." Ile served from May to July. 1863• as president of the board appointed to investi gate alleged cotton frauds. and from July. 1863, to May, 186•. was president of the board for re tiring disabled officers. On March 13. 1S65. he was brevetted major-general in the Regular Army for "gallant and meritorious serviees at the battle of Cedar .lonntain," and seven years later lie was promoted to the rank of major-generaliin the Regular Army to succeed General Meade. After the war he was in command of various mili tary departments until 1882, when he retired from active service.
McDOWELL, JAMES ( 1796-1851). An Ameri can statesman. born in 11ml:bridge County. Va. Ile graduated at Princeton in 1817; became a member of the Legislature in 1831 ; was Governor from 1842 to 1844, and was a Repre sentative in Congress from 1S47 to 1851. Me I/owell was a State's-Rights man. but was an opponent of slavery and advocated its gradual abolition. lie was an orator of much power, and took an espeeially active part in the debates lead ing up to the Compromise of 1850.
MeDOWELL, Jottx (1780-1803). An Ameri can Presbyterian minister. Ile graduated at Princeton, 1801; was pastor in Elizabethtown, N. J., 1804-1833; in Philadelphia till his death there, February 13, 1863. Ile was moderator of the General Assembly, 1820. and permanent. clerk, 1825-40. At the disruption he remained with the Old School body. \Utile at Elizabethtown he pub lished; The First Bible Class Questions ( 1814 ), and A Ifible-rlass Manual (1819). .4 System, of Theology, in a Series of Sermons, in the Order of the Irestminster Shorter Ca teehism (2 vols.), appeared I525-26. Consult his Life by Sprague (New York, 1864).