Civil War Union Brigadier General. He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, but resigned after two years to enter law school. When the Civil War broke out, he was commissioned as Major of the 6th Iowa Volunteer Infantry. During the Union operations against the installations on Island No. 10 and at New Madrid on the Mississippi River, he served on the staff of Major General John Pope. Promoted to Colonel and commander of his regiment, he led it with distinction in the Battle of Cornith, and in Major General Ulysses S. Grant's successful operations to capture Vicksburg, Mississippi. On August 11, 1863 he was promoted to Brigadier General, US Volunteers. He performed outstanding service at the September 1863 Battle of Chickamuaga, and was severely wounded in the November 1863 Battle of Chattanooga, but recovered sufficiently to join Major General William T. Sherman's Army of the Tennessee for the Summer 1864 Atlanta Campaign. First serving as General Sherman's Inspector General, he was given command of the XVI Corps' 2nd Division in July 1864. On October 5, 1864 he was assigned to re-enforce and guard the Union Army's communication lines at Allatoona Pass, Georgia with a small force. When Confederate Major General Samuel G. French's superior forces closed in on the area, he demanded the Union contingents surrender "to avoid a needless effusion of blood", to which General Corse responded defiantly, "We are prepared for the 'needless effusion of blood' whenever it is agreeable to you". The Confederates then attacked his position, but his outnumbered men fended them off until Union reinforcements arrived. The very brutal engagement protected the Western and Atlantic Railroad for the Union, but caused over 1/5th of the participates to be killed or wounded. He himself was slightly wounded in the fight, and the next day he sent a famous telegram to General Sherman that read "I am short one cheekbone and one ear, but am able to whip all hell yet" (in reality, though, he was only slightly scratched). He led his division in the celebrated March to the Sea, then was assigned to command the XV Corps 4th Division, which he commanded in the final operations in the Carolinas. He declined an offer of a commission in the Regular Army, and was mustered out of service in 1866 with the brevet of Major General, US Volunteers. His postwar career would take him to Massachusetts, where he would become Postmaster of Boston and the Chairman of the Massachusetts State Democratic Committee. He died in Winchester, Massachusetts on his 58th birthday. A statue of General Corse stands in his honor today in Burlington, Iowa's Crapo Park.
Civil War Union Brigadier General. He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, but resigned after two years to enter law school. When the Civil War broke out, he was commissioned as Major of the 6th Iowa Volunteer Infantry. During the Union operations against the installations on Island No. 10 and at New Madrid on the Mississippi River, he served on the staff of Major General John Pope. Promoted to Colonel and commander of his regiment, he led it with distinction in the Battle of Cornith, and in Major General Ulysses S. Grant's successful operations to capture Vicksburg, Mississippi. On August 11, 1863 he was promoted to Brigadier General, US Volunteers. He performed outstanding service at the September 1863 Battle of Chickamuaga, and was severely wounded in the November 1863 Battle of Chattanooga, but recovered sufficiently to join Major General William T. Sherman's Army of the Tennessee for the Summer 1864 Atlanta Campaign. First serving as General Sherman's Inspector General, he was given command of the XVI Corps' 2nd Division in July 1864. On October 5, 1864 he was assigned to re-enforce and guard the Union Army's communication lines at Allatoona Pass, Georgia with a small force. When Confederate Major General Samuel G. French's superior forces closed in on the area, he demanded the Union contingents surrender "to avoid a needless effusion of blood", to which General Corse responded defiantly, "We are prepared for the 'needless effusion of blood' whenever it is agreeable to you". The Confederates then attacked his position, but his outnumbered men fended them off until Union reinforcements arrived. The very brutal engagement protected the Western and Atlantic Railroad for the Union, but caused over 1/5th of the participates to be killed or wounded. He himself was slightly wounded in the fight, and the next day he sent a famous telegram to General Sherman that read "I am short one cheekbone and one ear, but am able to whip all hell yet" (in reality, though, he was only slightly scratched). He led his division in the celebrated March to the Sea, then was assigned to command the XV Corps 4th Division, which he commanded in the final operations in the Carolinas. He declined an offer of a commission in the Regular Army, and was mustered out of service in 1866 with the brevet of Major General, US Volunteers. His postwar career would take him to Massachusetts, where he would become Postmaster of Boston and the Chairman of the Massachusetts State Democratic Committee. He died in Winchester, Massachusetts on his 58th birthday. A statue of General Corse stands in his honor today in Burlington, Iowa's Crapo Park.
Bio by: RPD2
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