From A Family Of Service

Francis Fessenden a lawyer and politician from Maine, who was a General in the Civil
War died January 2nd 1906.

Francis Fessenden was born in Portland Maine March 18th 1839, the son of US Senator William P Fessenden. He attended school at Bowdoin College and study law at Harvard Law School, before joining his father’s practice.

With the beginning of the Civil War Fessenden received a commission of Captain in 19th US Infantry. He was wounded at the Battle of Shiloh, and when he returned to duty was made the Colonel of the 25th Maine Infantry. In September of 1863 he was place in charge of the 30th Maine Veteran Infantry. Promoted to Brigadier General in 1864 he saw action in the Red River Campaign. At Monet’s Ferry he was shot in the leg and had to have it amputated. He spent the rest of the war on administrative duty.

When the war ended Fessenden served on the military commission for war crimes, including the trial of Henry Wirz. He spent 1866 working for the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands. Fessenden retired from the Regular Army November 1st 1866. He returned home to Portland Maine, where he was elected city mayor in 1876. Fessenden died January 2nd 1906 in Portland Maine and is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery there.