Civil War Union Brigadier General. A prominent Iowa businessman just prior to the Civil War, he was commissioned Colonel and commander of the 7th Iowa Volunteer Infantry on July 11, 1861. Assigned to General U.S. Grant’s forces in Missouri, he was badly wounded at the November 1861 Battle of Belmont. He recovered sufficiently enough by February 1862, and distinguished himself in the taking of Fort Donelson while leading a brigade (his forces were some of he first to enter the Fort). Promoted to Brigadier General, US Volunteers on March 22, 1862, he was given command of the Army of the Tennessee’s 3rd Brigade of the 4th Division. He led it in the bloody fighting at the Battle of Shiloh, where it sustained over 450 casualties while defending a portion of the infamous Hornet’s Nest. In the Spring 1863 campaign against Vicksburg, Mississippi, he commanded the VXI Corps 4th Division. After that city capitulated in July his division was assigned to accompany forces under General William T. Sherman ordered to capture the state capital of Jackson, Mississippi. He badly handled his divisions placement in its assigned position on July 12, 1863 at the city, with the defending Confederate inflicting a great number of casualties on them. He was relieved of command by his Corps commander, General E.O.C. Ord (who was sustained by General Sherman, despite some misgivings) and was sent back to General Grant, who ordered him to Iowa “to await further orders”. Those orders never came, and he held no further command or assignment throughout the war. Despite this, he was brevetted Major General, US Volunteers on March 13, 1865 for “gallant and meritorious services during the war”.
Civil War Union Brigadier General. A prominent Iowa businessman just prior to the Civil War, he was commissioned Colonel and commander of the 7th Iowa Volunteer Infantry on July 11, 1861. Assigned to General U.S. Grant’s forces in Missouri, he was badly wounded at the November 1861 Battle of Belmont. He recovered sufficiently enough by February 1862, and distinguished himself in the taking of Fort Donelson while leading a brigade (his forces were some of he first to enter the Fort). Promoted to Brigadier General, US Volunteers on March 22, 1862, he was given command of the Army of the Tennessee’s 3rd Brigade of the 4th Division. He led it in the bloody fighting at the Battle of Shiloh, where it sustained over 450 casualties while defending a portion of the infamous Hornet’s Nest. In the Spring 1863 campaign against Vicksburg, Mississippi, he commanded the VXI Corps 4th Division. After that city capitulated in July his division was assigned to accompany forces under General William T. Sherman ordered to capture the state capital of Jackson, Mississippi. He badly handled his divisions placement in its assigned position on July 12, 1863 at the city, with the defending Confederate inflicting a great number of casualties on them. He was relieved of command by his Corps commander, General E.O.C. Ord (who was sustained by General Sherman, despite some misgivings) and was sent back to General Grant, who ordered him to Iowa “to await further orders”. Those orders never came, and he held no further command or assignment throughout the war. Despite this, he was brevetted Major General, US Volunteers on March 13, 1865 for “gallant and meritorious services during the war”.
Bio by: RPD2
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