He commanded the 7th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment in the famed Iron Brigade of the Army of the Potomac through most of the Civil War, and was U.S. consul to the Merina Kingdom of Madagascar for 12 years (1875–1887).

[1]: 553  After two years, he went west and prospected for land in the Wisconsin Territory, but ultimately returned to Ohio where he enlisted for service in the Mexican–American War.

[1]: 553 After the war, he worked as a contractor participating in the California Gold Rush, but soon relocated to the Minnesota Territory, where he became one of the founders of the settlement of Wilton, in Waseca County.

They spent most of the fall constructing fortifications and guarding railroad bridges around Washington, D.C.[2]: 444–445 Shortly after joining the brigade, Colonel Van Dor left and returned to Wisconsin, leaving Lt.

This coincided with other leadership shake-ups in the brigade as less-experienced politically appointed officers were replaced with more qualified and experienced men.

[2]: 445 In July, after General John Pope replaced McClellan in overall command of the Union Army, the Iron Brigade was assigned to participate in raids against Confederate infrastructure and logistics south of the Rappahannock.

They encountered a patrol of Confederate cavalry and drove them away, but soon realized that a large enemy force under J. E. B. Stuart was present in the area.

[5]: 54–55 Immediately after returning to Falmouth, on August 9, 1862, the brigade received an order to proceed to Cedar Mountain, Virginia, to reinforce General Pope.

[2]: 446 General Irvin McDowell, who commanded their division, was convinced that the Confederates represented an inconsequential force, and ordered the brigades to proceed on their march toward Centreville.

However, when the Confederates opened up cannon fire, General John Gibbon ordered the 7th Wisconsin and their brigade to engage the enemy and attempt to capture the artillery.

[2]: 447 [note 1] The 2nd and 7th Wisconsin regiments took the bulk of the casualties in the battle, and all three field officers of the 7th, including Colonel Robinson, were wounded.

He was carried off the field and sent to Washington, he spent the next three months recuperating and missed the events of the Maryland campaign and the Battle of Antietam.

[5]: 131–132 In April, the campaigning resumed with the Battle of Chancellorsville, where the 7th Wisconsin and the Iron Brigade were ordered to cross, then re-cross the Rappahannock, and ultimately acted as rearguard as the Union army abandoned the offensive again.

The 7th Wisconsin was part of the left wing of the attack, under General David McMurtrie Gregg, which made a hook south of Brandy Station and came north to find an overwhelming force of enemy cavalry.

[2]: 458  They skirmished through the morning of June 9 in the Battle of Brandy Station, then retreated toward Bealeton, Virginia, to meet the rest of the Army of the Potomac on the march north to Pennsylvania, to intercept Lee's attack.

[5]: 165 To their right, the first brigade, under their former commander General Lysander Cutler was forced back in 30 minutes, taking severe casualties, but reformed behind them.

[6]: 280 [5]: 174–175  They successfully held off the Confederate offensive, but were ordered to fall back to the south of the city when XI Corps, on their right, collapsed into full retreat.

Colonel Robinson's account of the Iron Brigade's actions during the Battle of Gettysburg can be found in the Official War Records, Series 1, Volume 27, Part 1, Item 37.

The Iron Brigade participated but did not see significant fighting in either the Bristoe campaign, nor the subsequent Union offensive known as the Battle of Mine Run.

Colonel Robinson and the re-enlisted veterans traveled by train but were delayed by an accident near Massillon, Ohio, where the locals welcomed them into their homes to rest for the night.

[2]: 465 [5]: 259  On the morning of May 5, the Iron Brigade, along with their division, marched southwest and encountered the enemy in the woods at the start of what became the Battle of the Wilderness.

[5]: 261  The Union made three attempts to storm the enemy lines, but were repulsed as elements of the Confederate First Corps under James Longstreet arrived and counterattacked.

[2]: 465 On the night of May 7, V Corps was ordered to proceed southeast toward Spotsylvania Court House, as Grant attempted to maneuver his army in between Lee and the Confederate capitol, Richmond.

Arriving at Laurel Hill, northwest of Spotsylvania Court House, on the morning of May 8, they found a Confederate force had already reached the site and occupied strong defensive positions.

[8] After days of skirmishing and shelling at the fortifications around Spotsylvania Court House, V Corps was again ordered to move to the south, continuing the maneuver toward Richmond.

[2]: 468 After more days of entrenched stalemate, on the evening of May 26, Grant again ordered the Union divisions to stealthily evacuate their lines and proceed south around the Confederate right flank.

In 1882, when a delegation of Madagascan ambassadors were being sent to tour the United States and Europe, Queen Ranavalona II personally requested that the Colonel Robinson be allowed to accompany the mission.

[1] Colonel Robinson secured an appointment to the United States Military Academy for his eldest surviving son, William.

[14] During his eventful career, General Robinson also served with the 7th U.S. Cavalry Regiment (after the Battle of Little Bighorn) and was with the unit sent to apprehend Sitting Bull after his surrender.

Robinson did not approve of their relationship, saying he did not want his daughter to become a war widow, but Richardson and Leonora defied him and eloped at Washington, D.C., in the spring of 1862.