Born at South East, Putnam County, NY, he entered the Military Academy in 1842 and graduated 13th in the Class of 1846, along with Generals Grant, McClellan, Franklin, Reno, Hancock, Foster, Stoneman, Burnside, "Stonewall" Jackson, Hill, Rickett and others. Upon graduation he was breveted 2nd Lieutenant, 4th Artillery, July 1, 1846.

Promoted to 2nd Lieutenant, 4th Artillery, February 16, 1847, he was in the War with Mexico, being engaged in the Battle of Buena Vista, February 22-23, 1847, for which he was breveted to 1st Lieutenant, February 23, 1847, for gallant and meritorious conduct. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant, 4th Artillery, December 4, 1867 and stationed in garrison at Ft. Monroe, VA, 1848; Ft. Pickens, FL, 1848- 1849; and Key West, FL, 1849. He was engaged in the Florida Hostilities against the Seminole Indians, 1849-1850; in garrison at Ft. Columbus, NY, 1850-1851; in conducting Recruits to Jefferson Barracks, MO, 1851; in garrison at Ft. Columbus, NY, 1851; Ft. Johnston, NC, 1851-1852; and Ft. Mifflin, 1852-1853. After a leave of absence, 1853-1854, he was on detached service at Washington, D. C., 1854; in garrison at Ft. Independence, MA, 1854 and Ft. Leavenworth, KS, 1854-1855. He resigned April 30, 1855.

Couch was a merchant in New York City, 1855-1857 and engaged in the manufacture of copper sheathing at Norton, MA, 1858-1861. He was commissioned as a Colonel, 7th MA Volunteers, June 15, 1861 and Brigadier-General, U. S. Volunteers, to rank from May 17, 1861.

He served as Superintendent of the Cavalry Recruiting Service, Carlisle Barracks, PA, October 15, 1848-October 1, 1852; on frontier duty in Texas, 1852; in command of the Lipan Expedition, 1852; and at Ft. Mason, TX, 1853; in New Mexico, 1853-1854. Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, 2nd Dragoons, July 15, 1853.

He was engaged initially in the defenses of Washington, D. C., July, 1861-March, 1862. In the Virginia Peninsular Campaign, he was in command of division (Army of the Potomac), March-August, 1862, being engaged in the Siege of Yorktown, April 5-May 4, 1862; Battle of Williamsburg, May 5, 1862; Battle of Fair Oaks, May 31-June 1, 1862; Action of Oak Grove, June 25, 1862; and Battle of Malvern Hill, July 1, 1862. He was promoted to Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, July 4, 1862.

Darius Nash Couch

Couch was in command of Division in the Northern Virginia Campaign in the Retreat from Manassas to Washington, D. C., August 30- September 2, 1862. In the Maryland Campaign, he was in command of Division (Army of the Potomac), September-November, 1862, being engaged in the Attack on Maryland Heights, at Harper's Ferry, September 17, 1862; Pursuit of the Enemy from Antietam to the Potomac, September 18-19, 1862; and March to Falmouth, VA, October-November, 1862. In the Rappahannock Campaign, he was in command of II Corps (Army of the Potomac), December, 1862-June, 1863, being engaged in the Battle of Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862 and the Battle of Chancellorsville, May 2-4, 1863.

He was in command of the Department of the Susquehanna, June 11, 1863-December 1, 1864, being engaged in Organizing Pennsylvania Militia to resist General Lee's Invasion, July, 1863; and the Defense of Chambersburg, which he was compelled to evacuate, July 30, 1864. Couch was in command of 2nd Division, XXIII Corps (Army of the Cumberland), December 8, 1864-May 8, 1865, being engaged in the Battle of Nashville, December 15-16, 1864; and Operations in North Carolina to effect a junction with General Schofield, February, 1865. He resigned May 26, 1865.

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