John J. Coppinger

John J. Coppinger (11 October 1834 – 4 November 1909) was a career officer in the United States Army. A native of Ireland, in 1855 he joined a unit of the Warwickshire Militia that was being raised in England for service in the Crimean War. The war ended in 1856, before Coppinger's unit saw combat. He resigned in 1860, then joined the military of the Papal States during the Pope's effort to oppose Italian unification. Coppinger was taken prisoner during the conflict and held in Austria, then returned to Ireland after his release. In September 1861, Coppinger traveled to the United States and received a Union Army commission as a captain in the 14th Infantry Regiment. He served through the end of the American Civil War and was wounded during the August 1862 Second Battle of Bull Run.

After convalescing from his wounds, Coppinger returned to duty with the 14th Infantry. He received brevet promotion to major for his performance at the June 1864 Battle of Trevilian Station and lieutenant colonel for his heroism in the October 1864 Battle of Cedar Creek. In January 1865, Coppinger was promoted to colonel and appointed to command the 15th New York Volunteer Cavalry Regiment; he remained in command until the end of the war in April 1865 and was wounded at the 9 April Battle of Appomattox Court House.

After the Civil War, Coppinger joined the United States Army as a captain of the 23rd Infantry Regiment. He served in the western United States during the American Indian Wars, and he was promoted to major in the 10th Infantry Regiment in March 1879 and lieutenant colonel of the 18th Infantry Regiment in October 1883. He was promoted to colonel in January 1891 and assigned to command the 23rd Infantry Regiment.

In April 1895, Coppinger was promoted to brigadier general and assigned to command the Department of the Platte. At the start of the Spanish–American War in April 1898, he was promoted to major general of United States Volunteers and assigned to command the 1st Independent Division with headquarters in Mobile, Alabama. The organization was subsequently designated as the Fourth Army Corps. Coppinger's corps was slated for deployment during the Puerto Rico campaign, but the end of the war came before the Fourth Army Corps departed the United States.

Coppinger left the army upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 64 in October 1898. In retirement, he resided in Washington, D.C. He died in Washington on 4 November 1909. Coppinger was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.