Alvan Gillem

Alvan Cullem Gillem
Alvan Cullem Gillem
Born	(1830-07-29)July 29, 1830 Gainesboro, Tennessee
Died	December 2, 1875(1875-12-02) (aged 45) near Nashville, Tennessee
Place of burial	Mount Olivet Cemetery, Nashville, Tennessee
Allegiance	United States of America Union
Service/branch	United States Army Union Army
Years of service	1851–1875
Rank	Major General
Commands held	10th Tennessee Infantry Fourth Military District
Battles/wars	Third Seminole War American Civil War Modoc War

Alvan Cullem Gillem (July 29, 1830 – December 2, 1875) was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Although Southern-born, he remained loyal to the Federal government and fought in several battles in the Western Theater before commanding occupation troops in Mississippi and Arkansas during Reconstruction. He later played a prominent role in the Modoc War in 1873.

Gillem was born in Gainesboro in Jackson County, Tennessee, the son of Samuel Gillem. In 1851, he graduated 11th in his class from the United States Military Academy and was assigned as a second lieutenant to the artillery. He was soon sent to the front lines in Florida to serve in a battery during the Third Seminole War until 1852. He was then reassigned to the Texas frontier following the war.

With the outbreak of the Civil War, Gillem became a captain on May 14, 1861, initially serving under George H. Thomas. Gillem was chief quartermaster of the Army of the Ohio in the several Tennessee campaigns and was brevetted as a major for gallantry in the Battle of Mill Springs. He was appointed colonel of the 10th Tennessee Infantry in May 1862 and served for a time as the provost marshal of Nashville during the Federal occupation of the city.