Jesse Lee Reno was born in Wheeling, Virginia on June 20, 1823, the third of eight children of Lewis and Rebecca Reno. Reno’s ancestors were French and originally named Renault, but anglicized the name to Reno shortly after coming to the United States in 1770. When Jesse was seven years old the family moved to Franklin, Pa. An 1846 graduate of West Point, ranked eighth in a class of 59, Reno was a classmate of such men as George McClellan, Thomas (Stonewall) Jackson, and George Pickett.

During the Mexican War (1846-48) Reno distinguished himself in a number of battles, was twice promoted, and once severely wounded. During these battles he was primarily in charge of howitzer batteries. After the war, Reno served in a variety of army posts and positions around the country, achieving steady promotions, He married Mary Beanes Cross in 1853 and she bore him one son, Jesse Jr., in 1861. At the beginning of the Civil War, Reno was commander of the Mount Vernon arsenal in Mobile, Ala., when four companies of state troopers seized control of the arsenal on orders of the Alabama governor on Jan. 4, 1861. Reno and his 18 men were released after the bloodless takeover. Reno returned north and was put in charge of the Arsenal at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

Gen. Ambrose Burnside promoted Reno to the rank of brigadier general on Nov. 12, 1861 and then ordered him to Washington to take charge of the second brigade in Burnside’s army. After trading five regiments for about one month, Reno’s brigade took part in Burnside’s attack on Confederate positions along the North Carolina coast. The joint army-navy expedition was quite successful and most of the Outer Banks and parts of the North Carolina mainland fell into Union hands, strengthening the blockade of the Confederate coastline.

On July 18, 1862, Reno was promoted to the rank of Major general, returned with Burnside to Maryland, and placed in charge of the army’s IX Corps. Reno and IX Corps. participated in the Second Battle of Bull Run on Aug. 28-30, 1862, a Union defeat. Emboldened, the Confederates under Lee invaded Maryland leading to the battles of South Mountain (Sept. 14) and Antietam (Sept. 17), both Union victories which led to Lee’s retreat to Virginia. General Reno was shot in the chest while observing Confederate positions at Fox’s Gap during the battle of South Mountain. Reno’s last words were “Tell my command that if not in body, I will be with them in spirit.”

In announcing Reno’s death to the men of IX Corp, General Burnside gave high praise to their fallen leader for his character, bravery and military genius. Three days later during the terrible battle of Antietam, IX Corp chanted “Remember Reno” as they crossed Antietam creek.

After his death, Reno’s body was buried in Boston, but in 1867 the body was transferred to Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D. C. He was survived by his wife Mary and son Jesse Jr. A number of Army forts, counties, and cities were named Reno in his honor, the most important being the one in Nevada.

NOTE: Laker is professor emeritus of history at Wheeling Jesuit University and president of the Board of the West Virginia Independence Hall Foundation.