The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans: Volume IX
S
Schenck, William Edward
page 256
SCHENCK, Robert Cumming, diplomatist, was born in Franklin, Ohio, Oct. 4, 1809; son of Gen. William Cortenus and Elizabeth (Rogers) Schenck, and brother of James Findlay Schenck (q.v.). He was graduated at Miami university, A.B., 1827, A.M., 1830; was a tutor there, 1827–30, and studied law under Thomas Corwin at Lebanon, Ohio. He was married, Aug. 21, 1834, to Reunelche W. Smith of Smithtown, L.I. He practised law in Dayton, Ohio, 1831–43; was a representative in the Ohio legislature, 1841–43, and was a Whig representative from the third district in the 28th-31st and 38th-41st congresses, 1843–51 and 1863–71, serving as chairman of the committee on roads and canals in the 30th congress, and as a member of the committees on ways and means and military affairs, and commerce, 1863–71. He was U.S. minister to Brazil, 1851–54, where with John S. Pendleton (q.v.) he negotiated a treaty between the two countries; brought about the free navigation of the La Plata, and arranged treaties with Uruguay and Paraguay in 1852. He was a projector and president of a railroad from Fort Wayne, Ind., to the Mississippi river, 1853–61, and was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers, May 17, 1861. At Vienna, Va., in June, 1861, he had an encounter with the Confederate force and was driven back, but he recharged with such boldness that the Confederates retreated. He commanded the 2d brigade in Tyler's 1st division at Bull Run, July 21, 1861; commanded Scammon's brigade in Rosecrans's army at Gauley Bridge, Va., Sept. 10, 1861; [p.256] commanded the forces at McDowell, Va., May 8, 1862, composed of his own and Robert H. Milroy's brigades, and under Frémont in the battle of Cross Keys, June 7, 1862. He commanded the 1st division, Sigel's 1st corps, at second Bull Run, where he was severely wounded; was promoted major-general of volunteers, Sept. 18, 1862, to date from Aug. 30, 1862, and commanded the Middle department and the 8th army corps at Baltimore, Md., in 1863. He resigned his commission, Dec. 3, 1863, to take his seat in the 38th congress. He procured while in congress the establishment of the military and naval asylum; and was president of the board of visitors of the U.S. Military academy in 1865. He was a delegate to the Philadelphia Loyalist convention of 1866, and a member of the Alabama claims commission, 1871. He was U.S. minister to Great Britain, 1871–76, resigning when charges were preferred against him of complicity in the celebrated Emma mine fraud in 1876, and he appeared before a committee of the U.S. house of representatives, where he was acquitted. He was a trustee of Miami university, 1835–39. After 1876 he practised law in Washington, D.C., until his death, which occurred in that city, March 23, 1890.
