Frederick Steele

Frederick Steele (January 14, 1819 – January 12, 1868) was a career military officer in the United States Army, serving as a major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was most noted for retaking much of secessionist Arkansas for the Union cause, escaping the besieged port-city of Camden through successful deception tactics, and defeating Sterling Price and E. Kirby Smith at Jenkins Ferry.
Early life.
Steele, son of Nathaniel & Dameras (Johnson) Steele, was born in Delhi, New York. He was an 1843 graduate of West Point, and later served in the Mexican–American War, where he participated in many engagements. Steele was meritoriously mentioned for distinguished bravery, and was promoted to first lieutenant in June 1848. He served in California during the Yuma War until 1853, and then to Fort Ridgely in Minnesota Territory and then Kansas Territory, and Nebraska Territory until the Civil War. He received his captain's commission on February 5, 1855.
Civil War.
On May 14, 1861, Steele was appointed major in the 11th U.S. Infantry and fought at the Battle of Wilson's Creek. On September 23, 1861, he became colonel of the 8th Iowa Infantry. On January 30, 1862, Steele was appointed brigadier general of U.S. volunteers, to rank from January 29, 1862. He commanded the District of Southeast Missouri, but following the Union victory at the Battle of Pea Ridge he took command of the 1st Division in the Army of the Southwest and briefly commanded the army from August 29 to October 7, 1862. On March 17, 1863, President Lincoln appointed Steele major general of volunteers, to rank from November 29, 1862. The President sent the nomination to the U.S. Senate on March 6, 1863 and the Senate confirmed it on March 13, 1863.
Steele's division was transferred to the Army of the Tennessee becoming the 11th Division in the XIII Corps. He fought at the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou in December 1862 and in the Battle of Arkansas Post in January 1863. His division was renamed the 1st Division in Major General William T. Sherman's XV Corps during the Siege of Vicksburg.
On August 26, 1863, after the fall of Vicksburg, Steele received a brevet promotion to colonel in the U.S. Army. On July 27, 1863, he was placed in command of the Army of Arkansas. His army successfully captured Confederate-held Little Rock in September 1863 and subsequently pushed official Union boundaries south through the state. He was assigned command of VII Corps in the Department of Arkansas in the Trans-Mississippi Theater, holding command from January 6, 1864, to December 22, 1864. On March 23, 1864, Steele began his march with eight thousand soldiers from Little Rock south to Prairie D'Ane, where he was joined by John M. Thayer, who commanded another four thousand troops constituting the Frontier Division of VII Corps. Receiving intelligence from captured rebels there, and with his army on one quarter rations, Steele conducted a successful feint operation toward the rebel capital at Washington, Arkansas, and left Thayer's division on the prairie, while he moved his main column eastward to Camden, believing that it contained stockpiles of provisions and forage for his horses. Upon entering Camden after brushing aside light opposition on April 15, Steele discovered that the enemy had destroyed most of the provisions and supplies there. But he also discovered messages in the Camden telegraph office carelessly left behind by the fleeing rebels confirming the earlier rumors and intelligence that General Banks had been repulsed at Mansfield Louisiana, and that Banks's army was in retreat down the Red river. Steele made the decision based on this confirmed intelligence, to await provisions en route from Little Rock and to scour the countryside for additional grain and forage, await developments in Louisiana and then decide whether to continue south or return to Little Rock. Price, meanwhile besieged Camden from the west, north and south. One supply train reached Camden from Little Rock by way of Pine Bluff on April 22, temporarily relieving the food crisis in VII Corps. When Steele dispatched the wagons under escort back to Pine Bluff for more provisions on April 23, it was intercepted and ambushed by a task force of 5 rebel cavalry brigades under James Fagan at Marks Mills April 25, where two thirds of the Union 2nd Brigade was taken prisoner. Learning of this disaster, Steele again employed a successful deception to exit from Camden, which operation was effected without detection on the night of April 26–27. Proceeding due north on the Military road to Little Rock, elements of Marmaduke's division caught up with VII Corps on the ridge above Jenkins Ferry on the Saline River on April 29, but were easily repulsed and kept at bay enabling Steele to install a pontoon bridge over the Saline and establish strong interior defensive works to guard the crossing. By now, rebel Department of the Trans-Mississippi commander E. Kirby Smith had arrived in Arkansas to take command of Price's force in the field. Smith brought with him two divisions of Arkansas and Texas infantry.
Fighting at Jenkins Ferry commenced in a downpour the morning of 30 April. Critical mistakes in troop management by both Price and Kirby Smith resulted in the rebel army committing its divisions in a piecemeal fashion, allowing Steele and his subordinates, Brigadier Generals Frederick Salomon and Samuel Rice, to engage and destroy the attacking rebels in turn with light casualties. The Confederates suffered heavily in this defeat; rebel Generals Marmaduke, Mosby Parsons and John Walker were effectively repulsed in three poorly executed rebel assaults. Indeed, Walker was so thoroughly beaten with 2 of his 3 brigade commanders lying dead on the field, that he refused to submit his casualty report out of embarrassment. Through a further deception operation (reported independently after the war by a Union officer of the 77th Ohio and a Confederate sergeant in General Jo Shelby's command) General James Fagan's heretofore mentioned task force of 5 cavalry brigades was mis-directed away from Jenkins Ferry and did not reach there until the fighting ended. Steele took his army back to Little Rock having won the largest engagement west of the Mississippi during the war. In point of fact, Steele sent several messages to Union Army Chief of Staff Henry Halleck, to Sherman and to his Department commander General John Schofield prior to the expedition, warning of a dearth of forage and provisions in southwest Arkansas, and also calling the military competency of political general Nathaniel Banks into question. Steele was finally compelled, against his better judgment, by newly appointed General-in-Chief Ulysses Grant (and Steele's classmate at West Point) to undertake the expedition to cooperate with Banks. Thus, when the intelligence confirmed Bank's failure against Dick Taylor in Louisiana, Steele had already formulated a plan to save the VII Corps. His victory at Elkins Ford, April 4, at Prairie 'Ane April 12, were indeed impressive, but his victory over Sterling Price and E. Kirby Smith at Jenkins ferry April 29–30, 1864 is considered the greatest defensive victory of the Civil War.
Steele led a force of African American soldiers, officially designated the "Column from Pensacola", in Major General Edward Canby's Army of West Mississippi between February 18, 1865 and May 18, 1865. His troops fought at the battles of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely.
On April 10, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Steele for appointment to the brevet rank of brigadier general in the regular army, for services in the capture of Little Rock, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on May 4, 1866. On June 30, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Steele for appointment to the brevet rank of major general in the regular army, for the Siege of Vicksburg and services during the war, to rank from March 13, 1865 and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on July 25, 1866.
Postbellum career.
Steele was transferred to Texas in June 1865 and placed in command of United States forces along the Rio Grande. He subsequently commanded the Department of the Columbia, overseeing the Snake War. from December 1865 until November 1867. On July 28, 1866, Steele had been appointed to the permanent grade of colonel of the 20th U.S. Infantry Regiment. Meanwhile, he had been mustered out of the volunteer service on March 1, 1867.
In November 1867, Frederick Steele took a leave of absence for health reasons. He died two months later on January 12, 1868, in San Mateo, California from an injury suffered in a fall in a buggy accident caused when he suffered an apoplectic fit. He was originally buried in Lone Mountain Cemetery in San Francisco. However his remains were moved in 1912 when the city removed all its cemeteries from within the city limits. He is buried in Woodlawn Memorial Park, Colma, California.
A monument to Steele stands on the Vicksburg National Military Park.
References.
Attribution
Entering the 2012 season, Lavarnway was named the No. 9 prospect in the Red Sox system by "Baseball America". That season, he was the International League All-Star starting catcher and also a post-season IL All-Star. In 83 games with Pawtucket, he batted .295 with eight home runs and 43 RBI.
On August 1, Lavarnway was called up from Pawtucket when Daniel Nava was placed on the 15-day disabled list. He remained with Boston the rest of the season, receiving regular playing time at catcher and also as a designated hitter. With the Red Sox and the Seattle Mariners tied at three runs apiece on September 4, Lavarnway hit a home run against Blake Beavan, providing the margin of victory in a 4–3 win that snapped a seven-game losing streak for Boston. On September 14, he had four RBIs, including a three-run home run against Aaron Laffey, as the Red Sox defeated the Toronto Blue Jays by a score of 8–5. Lavarnway played 46 games for the Red Sox in 2012, batting .157 with two home runs and 12 RBI. Though his caught stealing percentage was 32% at Pawtucket, it was 10% with Boston.
2013.
On March 27, 2013, the Red Sox optioned Lavarnway to Pawtucket. Manager John Farrell said: "Right now he needs 'everyday' at-bats." Commenting on Lavarnway having been timed at 1.9 seconds throwing out a runner trying to steal second, Farrell said, "More than acceptable at the big league level." Lavarnway was recalled to Boston on April 25 but was optioned back on April 28 to make room for John Lackey's return from the disabled list without having made an appearance. Larvarnway was called up again on May 12 after David Ross was placed on the 7-day disabled list with a concussion. He appeared in three games this time before getting optioned to Pawtucket again on May 24.
He was called up for a third time on June 18 after Ross was again placed on the 7-day disabled list with a concussion. On August 6, while catching knuckleballer Steve Wright in his first major league start, Lavarnway tied a Major League record with four passed balls in one inning. The record was set by Ray Katt of the New York Giants in 1954, catching knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm, and tied by Gino Petralli of the Texas Rangers in 1987, catching knuckleballer Charlie Hough. Lavarnway was sent back to Pawtucket on August 19 when Ross returned from the disabled list, but it was only for a couple weeks before he was recalled in September as part of September call-ups. Overall in 2013, he batted .299 in 25 regular season games for Boston, with one home run and 14 RBI. With Pawtucket in 2013, he batted .250 with three home runs and 24 RBI. With Pawtucket, he threw out 18 of 45 attempted base stealers (40.0%), the 4th-best percentage among International League catchers. However, he only threw out 19% of would-be base stealers in the major leagues.
2014.
In the spring of 2014 Lavarnway was tutored to play first base by infield instructor Brian Butterfield. Lavarnway started the 2014 season in Pawtucket, where he batted .265 with two home runs and 11 RBIs in 44 games before getting recalled by Boston on May 26. He started at first base for the first time in the major leagues on May 29 against the Atlanta Braves but left the game early with left wrist soreness. The next day, he was placed on the 15-day disabled list after an MRI revealed a broken hamate bone in the wrist. He had surgery to remove the hamate bone from his left wrist at the Cleveland Clinic on June 4 and began a rehab assignment with Portland on July 21. Moved up to Pawtucket on July 25, Lavarnway was eventually optioned to Pawtucket, not rejoining the Red Sox until September. With Pawtucket, Lavarnway led the team to the International League title, earning Governor's Cup MVP honors after earning 10 hits in 22 at bats. Promoted by the Red Sox after Pawtucket's season ended, he appeared in five games, either as a pinch-hitter or as a first baseman. In nine games with Boston in 2014, Lavarnway had only 10 at bats, going hitless in them. His totals with Pawtucket were a .283 average, three home runs, and 20 RBIs in 62 games. After the season, he was designated for assignment on November 25.
Baltimore Orioles.
The Los Angeles Dodgers claimed Lavarnway off waivers on December 5, 2014. Lavarnway was out of options, and therefore could not be sent to the minor leagues without first clearing waivers. However, he was designated for assignment, then claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs on December 19, 2014. Four days later, however, the Cubs also put him on waivers.
Lavarnway changed teams again on December 23, when the Baltimore Orioles – his fourth team in 18 days – claimed him off waivers from the Cubs. Lavarnway was again designated for assignment on January 9. He began the 2015 season on the Orioles' opening day roster. After appearing in only ten games, he was designated for assignment on May 26. Manager Buck Showalter said, "I just don't think Ryan's swing and the things that he's capable of doing are conducive to playing once a week," and indicated that he hoped Lavarnway would accept a Norfolk roster position. Instead, Lavarnway became a free agent. He had batted .107 in 10 games for Baltimore, with no home runs or RBIs.
Atlanta Braves.
On May 30, 2015, Lavarnway signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves. Playing for the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves, in 49 plate appearances he recorded a .268 batting average/.388 on-base percentage/.463 slugging percentage with two home runs and eight RBIs. After playing 13 games for Gwinnett, he was called up to the majors on June 15 to replace the struggling Christian Bethancourt. With the Braves, he served as A. J. Pierzynski's backup. On July 11, his home run against Jorge de la Rosa accounted for half of Atlanta's scoring in a 3–2 loss to the Colorado Rockies. In 27 games for Atlanta, he batted .227 with two home runs and six RBIs. He was outrighted off the roster on October 9 but was re-signed to a minor league deal by the organization.
Invited to spring training with the Braves in 2016, Lavarnway failed to make the team and played for Gwinnett, batting 276 with no home runs and 10 RBIs in 25 games. Lavarnway was granted his release on May 15, allowing newly-acquired Anthony Recker to get more playing time with Gwinnett.
Toronto Blue Jays.
On May 27, 2016, Lavarnway signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays and was assigned to the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. In 66 games for New Hampshire, he batted .262 with six home runs and 38 RBIs. He elected free agency on November 7, 2016.
Oakland Athletics.
On November 21, 2016, Lavarnway signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics that included an invitation to spring training. He began the 2017 season playing for the Nashville Sounds of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. He was called up on July 5, appearing in one game before being sent outright back to Nashville on July 11. His contract was selected by the Athletics on July 27 when Josh Phegley went on the disabled list with an oblique injury. This time, he appeared in five games before being designated for assignment on August 5 after the A's added catcher Dustin Garneau. Lavarnway was outrighted to Nashville two days later. He batted .273 for the Athletics, recording three hits in 11 at bats. In 83 games for Nashville, he batted .239 with six home runs and 26 RBIs. He elected free agency after the season.
Pittsburgh Pirates.
On January 22, 2018, Lavarnway signed a minor league deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was invited to spring training. Lavarnway began the 2018 season playing for the Indianapolis Indians of the Class AAA International League, for whom he was a mid-season All Star. He hit .288/.375/.485 in 77 games for Triple-A Indianapolis, was called up to Pittsburgh on September 4, and had four hits in six at bats for the Pirates. He elected free agency on November 3.
New York Yankees.
On November 7, 2018, Lavarnway signed a contract with the New York Yankees, in which he was invited to spring training. In 2019 he played for their AAA farm team, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, and batted .213/.333/.315 with three home runs and 19 RBIs in 108 at bats. The team released him on July 18.
Cincinnati Reds.
Just hours after his release from the Yankees, Lavarnway signed a one-year major league contract with the Cincinnati Reds. The following day on July 19, 2019, he became the first player with six RBIs in his Reds debut since RBIs became an official statistic in 1920 and the first player ever to have three or more extra base hits and six or more RBIs in his first game with any team (dating back to 1920). He was also the first Reds catcher to have three hits, two home runs, and six RBIs in one game since Johnny Bench in 1973. Lavarnway would go on to play a total of five games for the Reds, batting .278 with two home runs and seven RBIs. On July 28, Lavarnway was designated for assignment. The Reds subsequently sent him to their AAA team, the Louisville Bats, where he batted .225/.319/.500 with three home runs and seven RBIs in 40 at bats before being released on August 29.
Cleveland Indians.
On August 30, 2019, the Cleveland Indians signed Lavarnway to a minor league contract and assigned him to the Triple-A Columbus Clippers, wanting him to compete with Eric Haase for a promotion to the major leagues after the minor league season ended. Lavarnway played four games in the regular season for the Columbus Clippers, the Indians' AAA farm team, batting .364/.429/.455 in 11 at bats. However, he never played a game for the Indians, as Cleveland chose to call up Haase instead. Lavarnway became a free agent following the 2019 season.
Miami Marlins.
On December 18, 2019, Lavarnway signed a minor league contract with the Miami Marlins with an invitation to spring training. On August 3, 2020, Lavarnway was selected to the active roster. He was designated for assignment on August 21, and then outrighted by the Marlins to their alternate site. At the end of the regular season he was on the Marlins' 12-player "taxi squad". In the coronavirus-shortened 2020 regular season he batted .364/.364/.364 in 11 at bats. Lavarnway elected free agency on October 15, 2020.
Cleveland Indians (second stint).
On February 19, 2021, Lavarnway was signed to a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians organization with an invitation to the Indians' 2021 major league spring training camp.
Team Israel.
Lavarnway played for Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic qualifier. Throughout the qualifier, Lavarnway was the starting catcher in all three games while also batting second in all games. In the opening game, Lavarnway went 3-for-4, while scoring a run and walking once, with his one out resulting in a double play. In the second game Lavarnway went hitless in three at bats, while walking once. In the third and final game, Lavarnway hit a two-run home run, as part of a 2-for-5 evening, scoring 2 runs and collecting 3 RBIs.
Lavarnway was the starting catcher for Team Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic in the main tournament, in March 2017. After # 41-ranked Israel defeated # 3-ranked South Korea and # 4-ranked Taiwan, Lavarnay noted: "two generations ago, the way that this team was put together would have meant that we were being killed...It means a lot more than that we're here." Lavarnway was named Pool A MVP, after going 5-for-9 (.556/.692/.889) a home run, 3 RBIs, and 4 walks. Over the two rounds that the team played, Lavarnway batted 8-for-18 (.565) with two doubles, a home run, and 6 RBIs, while walking 5 times. Discussing the experience, he observed, "It changed how proud I am about being Jewish."
In November 2019, Lavarnway obtained Israeli citizenship, hoping to play for Team Israel in baseball at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Personal life.
In 2013, Lavarnway married chef and food blogger Jamie Neistat, a Denver native who, like Lavarnway, is Jewish. Lavarnway and his wife go to synagogue regularly and live what he describes as a "Jewish lifestyle". "We are proud members of the Jewish community in the city," he says. His cousin, Emma, served in the Israel Defense Forces. In 2020, Lavarnway was inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.