William W. Orme

Who was William W. Orme?

Brigadier General William Ward Orme was born in Washington, D.C. in 1832. He moved to Bloomington, Illinois, in McLean County, prior to 1860 where he practiced law in the law firm of Swett & Orme. His partner was Leonard Swett. While practicing law in Illinois he caught the attention of Abraham Lincoln who called Orme the most promising lawyer in Illinois.

He was a delegate to the Illinois State Constitutional Convention in 1860. He was a friend of Supreme Court Justice David Davis. When Abraham Lincoln appointed Davis to the Supreme Court, Davis wrote Orme about the news.

Orme formed and commanded the 94th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment, known as the "McLean Regiment." At the time, he was a colonel. He led a brigade under Francis J. Herron at the battle of Prairie Grove and, for his performance there, was promoted to Brigadier General postdated to 29 November 1862. Herron's division was transferred to the Army of the Tennessee and Orme continued in command of his brigade during the siege of Vicksburg. Upon the Confederate surrender, Orme's brigade led the Union army into the fallen the city of Vicksburg.