Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Stephen Augustus Hurlbut (November 29, 1815 March 27, 1882), was a politician, diplomat, and commander of the U.S. Army of the Gulf in the American Civil War. Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Hurlbut studied law and was admitted to the South Carolina bar in 1837. During the Second Seminole War, he served as adjutant of a South Carolina infantry regiment. In 1845, Hurlbut moved to Illinois, established a law practice in Belvidere. He was a presidential elector for the Whig Party in the 1848 Presidential Election. He was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1859 and again in 1861.