A Vermonter In The Deep South

Charles Henry Sheldon a Union Captain and future Governor of South Dakota joined Company E of the 7th Vermont Infantry November 23rd 1861.

Charles Henry Sheldon was the son of Gresham and Mary [Brown] Sheldon, and was born September 12th 1840 in Johnson, Lamoille County, Vermont. His father died when he was young and he went to work at 12 as labor on a farm, and a store clerk to help support his family. Sheldon was active in the local abolitionist movement.

With the coming of the Civil War Sheldon volunteered and joined the 7th Vermont Infantry on November 23rd 1861. The 7th Vermont took parts in Battles for Baton Rouge, Mobile, and many other action in the deep south. He was mustered out of service at Brownsville, Texas as a Captain July 13th 1866.

Following the war he lived in Pope County Illinois and worked in a store. He took a government land grant and settled in Groton, Brown County, Dakota, taking up farming. He entered politics in 1886 representing Day, Roberts, Grant and Codington Counties in the Territorial Legislature. In 1892 Sheldon was nominated by the Republican convention for Governor, becoming the second governor of the state of South Dakota. He served two terms. He retired from politics in 1897 and went back to farming. Sheldon went on a speaking tour in support of the Republican party during the 1898 election. After giving a speech at Deadwood, Lawrence County, South Dakota on October 15th 1898, he developed pneumonia and died five day latter. He is buried in the Pierpont Cemetery, in Pierpont South Dakota.

Battle of Baton Rouge

Hoping to take control of the state again, the Confederates tried to re-take the capital at Baton Rouge Louisiana on August 5th 1862. The plan was for a combined force on land and water between the CSS Arkansas and Major General John C Breckinridge’s corps, of 5000 men. Breckinridge’s troops reached the outskirts of Baton Rouge early on the morning of August 5th. The Confederates formed two divisions and pushed back some of the Union troops they encountered.

Union gunboats located in the river started shelling Breckinridge’s men. The CSS Arkansas, which had had success against the Union fleet earlier at Vicksburg, didn’t make it to the battle. After a trip of 200 miles her engines failed, and she was scuttled by the crew. Union commander Brigadier General Thomas Williams had advanced notice of the Confederate attack, and had his men fall back to a line they could defend. Soon after this move Williams was killed, and he was replaced by Colonel Thomas W Cahill. Cahill ordered a counterattack forcing the Breckinridge’s Rebels to retreat..

The Confederates were unable to retake Baton Rouge. The battle was over by ten in the morning. There were heavy causalities on both sides. The Confederates lost about 456 dead, wounded or missing, the Union side saw losses of 383. Union forces remained under threat at Baton Rouge and on August 20th 1862 General Benjamin Butler order the Union troops pulled back to New Orleans.