General Hurlbut is often pictured as a hero in Belvidere—here is a very different story. Jeffrey N. Lash in 2003 published A Politician Turned General, nice, readable biography that lays its subject bare. The following is a condensation of the book available on the internet.
Hurlbut was a scoundrel to the core – at least up to and including his time in New Orleans. Hurlbut was born in Charleston, South Carolina in 1815. He received a liberal education and studied law, the starting point for most shady politicians. By the 1840's Hurlbut was low on funds and had resorted to cheating at cards to supplement his income. By 1845 he had graduated up to forging checks and was forced to leave Charleston, probably in the dark of night.
Hurlbut moved west a sufficient distance to avoid scandal and landed in Belvidere, Illinois. ….
1861, Lincoln nominated Hurlbut as a brigadier general. Hurlbut had little to recommend him, but Lincoln paid his political debts, both to Hurlbut and others. Newspapers at the time called his nomination "a joke" and "an outrage." Another called Hurlbut a "one-horse lawyer, and a brawling precinct politician." Hulrbut was sent back to Illinois to command four regiments. Their task was to protect the Hannibal & St. Joseph railroads in Northern Missouri. Southerners, not yet really in the war, were forming militia bands and raiding communication and railway systems.
often" "so intoxicated as to be unable to walk." …the Chicago Evening Journal was calling for his court-martial. Even the New York Times was critical of his behavior and they were a long way from it. Lincoln refused to discipline him and instead reassigned him to Benton Barracks near St. Louis.
After six weeks of penance, he was sent to Tennessee to serve under Grant. In this assignment he would have his one military success. In the battle of Shiloh, Hurlbut showed great personally bravery and gallantry under fire. He did so again at the battle of Hatchie Bridge. Grant then reassigned him and made him the commander of the Military District of Memphis. Memphis in no way deserved this treatment…While skimming thousands of dollars out of the cotton smuggling trade, he completely ignored other aspects of his command.
He would invent an infraction, arrest the Jew in question and confiscate their goods. After a time in prison, they would often be released, but their property was never returned. Asked about it, Hurlbut responded that the gold had been confiscated from a smuggler and minted into currency by his provost. He did not add, "and put into Hurlbut's deposit box,"
involved in the heavy prostitution trade in Memphis.
Eventually Hurlbut would be investigated by Secretary of War Stanton. Before Stanton could look too closely into the matter, however, Hurlbut tended his resignation to Lincoln, pleading that he needed to return to his legal career to support his family
Click on the following for more details of this anti-hero: Entry
Another review of the book is also available. Nick Kurtz writes: “not every general could be on the battlefield, some needed to govern the territory gained. Hurlbut spent most of his war doing just that, and along the way he may have made a tremendous amount of money for himself through embezzlement. “ See more of his comments at: http://shilohnick.blogspot.com/2011/03/stephen-hurlbut.html
names were released by St. John's Abbey of Collegeville as part of a settlement of clergy abuse lawsuits announced on Monday (3-28-2011)by St. Paul attorney Jeff Anderson. The clergy taught at St. John's Preparatory School or were assigned to parishes in St. Cloud.