Brevet Brigadier General Edmund Monroe Pope

Brevet Brigadier General Edmund M. Pope was one of Mankato’s most distinguished Civil War veterans and a man whose military record placed him among the notable officers of the Union cavalry.

With the outbreak of the Civil War, Pope entered service in the 8th New York Cavalry, rising steadily through the ranks from captain to major and lieutenant colonel. He served for a time as acting assistant inspector general on the staff of Brigadier General George A. Custer, earning the confidence of his superiors through both administrative skill and battlefield courage.

Pope saw action in some of the war’s most significant engagements, including Harper’s Ferry, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Brandy Station, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Winchester, and Cedar Creek. During the conflict he endured the hardships of captivity, spending months as a prisoner of war in the notorious Libby Prison before being exchanged and returning to active service.

On February 25, 1865, he was given command of the 8th New York Cavalry with the rank of colonel. He led the regiment during the Appomattox Campaign, which culminated in the surrender of General Robert E. Lee on April 9, 1865. For faithful and meritorious service during the war, Pope was commissioned brevet brigadier general on March 13, 1865.

Following the war, General Pope made his home in Minnesota, where he became engaged in the lumber and real estate businesses. He also participated in public life as a member of the Democratic Party and was long regarded as a respected and prominent resident of Mankato. He remained active in veterans’ organizations, including the Grand Army of the Republic, and was honored by his comrades for both his service and character.

General Pope died suddenly of heart failure in December 1886 while at his home at Grand Marais on Lake Superior. His remains were brought to Mankato, where funeral services were conducted and he was laid to rest in Glenwood Cemetery. His passing was widely mourned, and his war record was remembered as “particularly brilliant,” marked by courage, determination, and unwavering devotion to duty.

Today, General Edmund M. Pope rests among fellow soldiers and civic leaders in Glenwood Cemetery—a reminder of the national history that intersects with Mankato’s own story.