The First In New Jersey

Union General George William Taylor died August 31^st 1862 from wounds received a few days earlier at the Second Battle of Manassas.

George William Taylor was born November 22^nd 1808 at his family home “Solitude” in High Bridge, New Jersey, the son of Archibald Stewart and Nancy Ann (Bray) Taylor.  He graduated from Partridge's American Literary, Scientific and Military Academy in Middletown, Connecticut.  After graduation Taylor went to work at his father’s company Taylor Iron & Steel Company.  In 1827 He joined the United States Navy, serving until 1831, when he went back into family business.  When the Mexican American War started Taylor served under General Zachary Taylor in the 10^th US Infantry.  Following his service in the Mexican American War, he spent a time looking for gold in California, before returning to New Jersey and the iron company.

When the Civil War started Taylor help recruit what would become the 3^rd New Jersey Infantry.  He would be their Colonel.  The 3^rd would become a part the famed “First New Jersey Brigade” and Taylor and the 3^rd would see action at First Bull Run and many battles during the Peninsula Campaign.  Taylor was promoted May 9^th 1862 to Brigadier General and given command of the 1^st New Jersey Brigade.  On August 27^th 1862 while Taylor’s Brigade was deployed at Manassas Junction near Bull Run Bridge, he was wounded in leg by an artillery shell.

Taylor died August 31^st 1862 in the Washington, DC area.  His body was sent by train to Clinton, New Jersey.  He is buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Clinton, New Jersey.

A Great Man Of Texas

Confederate Brigadier General Benjamin McCulloch of Texas was killed during the Battle of Pea Ridge March 7^th 1862.

Benjamin McCulloch was born in Rutherford County Tennessee the son of Alexander and Frances Fisher (LeNoir) McCulloch.  The family was part of old Virginia planter stock, but McCulloch’s father moved the family west often.  They settled finally in Dyersburg, Tennessee were McCulloch’s neighbor was David Crockett.  In 1835 when Crockett went to Texas, McCulloch and his brother Henry head for the state.  Because of Ben contracting measles the brothers had to hold up for a few weeks, and were saved from being in the Alamo when it fell.

McCulloch fought for Texas under Sam Houston as part of the artillery.  He received 960 acres of land for his service.  He took up land surveying for the Republic of Texas, before joining the Texas Rangers as a lieutenant under Captain John Coffee Hays.  In 1839 McCulloch was elected to the Texas House of Representatives.  By 1842 McCulloch was back fighting Indians and Mexican with the Texas Rangers.  During the Mexican American War he was appointed Chief of Scouts under United States General Zachary Taylor with the rank of Major.  When gold fever struck in 1849 McCulloch traveled to California, where he would become a sheriff in Sacramento.  He was back in Texas by 1852.

With the coming of the Civil War, Texas seceded from the Union on February 1^st 1861 and on the 14^th McCulloch received a commission from Confederate President Jefferson Davis to Colonel.  McCulloch met with Union General David E Twiggs on the morning to February 16^th 1861 and demanded his surrender.  McCulloch was promoted to Brigadier General.  He put together the Confederate Army of the West with men from Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Indians from the Creek, Cherokee and Choctaw nations.  Their first action was at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek on August 10^th 1861, where they defeated Union General Nathaniel Lyon.

McCulloch was in command of the Confederate right wing at the Battle of Pea Ridge.  His troops, after much maneuvering over took a Union artillery battery on March 7^th 1862.  The fight continued through the morning and McCulloch who was riding out in front to scout positions was shot out of his saddle.  He died instantly.  He was buried on the field at Pea Ridge, but was later moved to the battle cemetery in Little Rock.  McCulloch’s remains would be moved finally to the State Cemetery in Austin, Texas.

A Great Escape

Confederate General John Hunt Morgan and several of his men broke out of prison November 27^th 1863 in Ohio and made their escape to the south.

John Hunt Morgan was raised in Kentucky.  His served in the United States Army during the Mexican American War, under General Zachary Taylor.  When the Civil War started and the state of Kentucky didn’t secede, Morgan moved to Alabama.  He made several raids into the north between 1862 and 63.  On the last of these raids Morgan led his band of men through Kentucky, southern Indiana and into Ohio.  After a tour through Cincinnati the raiders head for the Ohio River, their route was blocked at Buffington Island, Ohio by Union soldiers and about 700 of Morgan’s men were captured.  Morgan turned his men back north, but most were captured along with Morgan at Salineville on July 26^th 1863.

Morgan was placed in the newly built Ohio State Penitentiary along with some of his officers at Columbus, Ohio.  Morgan and his men cut a hole into a ventilation space under Thomas Hines’ cell, through which they tunneled out into the inner yard; they then scaled the wall on November 27^th 1863.  Morgan caught a train for Cincinnati, and then hired a boat to take him across the river.  They made their way back to Tennessee and safety in Confederate territory.

Old Reliable Resigns

Confederate General William Joseph Hardee resigned his United State Army commission on January 31st 1861.

William Joseph Hardee the son of Major John and Sarah [Ellis] Hardee, he was born October 12th 1815 at his families home in Camden County, Georgia. He attended the United State Military Academy at West Point, graduating 26 out of a class of 45 in 1838. Hardee was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 2nd United States Dragoons. The Army sent him to France in 1840 to study military tactics. During the Mexican - American War Hardee was serving under General Zachary Taylor when he was captured at Carricitos Ranch, Texas. After being exchanged on May 11th 1846 he served under General Winfield Scott and was wounded at La Rosia, Mexico in 1847. He wrote “Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics” [known as “Hardee’s Tactics”] in 1855. Hardee returned to West Point where he taught tactics and served from 1856 to 1860 as commandant of cadets.

When Georgia seceded from the United States, Hardee resigned his commission on January 31st 1861. He became at Colonel in the Confederate States Army on March 7th 1861, with command of Fort Morgan in Alabama. Hardee was made a Lieutenant General October 10th 1862. His assignment was to organize an Arkansas regiment. Do to his seeing that his men were well supplied, they nicked named him “Old Reliable”. Hardee was a Corps commander in General Albert Sidney Johnston’s Army of Mississippi during the Battle of Shiloh, where he was wounded. His Corps was defeated by Union Major General George Henry Thomas during their assault on Missionary Ridge as part of the Battle of Chickamauga. Hardee was in the Battle of Bentonville in March 1865, where his only son 16 year old William was mortally wounded. Hardee surrendered to Union General William Tecumseh Sherman at Durham Station April 26th 1865.

Following the war Hardee went back to his wife’s plantation in Alabama. He latter moved to Selma, Alabama where Hardee worked in insurance and warehousing. He would become the president of the Selma and Meridian railroad, and co-author the book “The Irish in America” in 1868. Hardee took sick while with his family on vacation in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, and died November 6th 1873 in Wytherville, Virginia. He is buried in the Live Oak Cemetery in Selma, Alabama.

A Compromise

The Compromise of 1850 presented to Congress on January 29th 1850 defused the confrontations between non slave and slave states for a time.

The Compromise of 1850 was a package of five bills, which passed in September 1850 after eight months of politicking. It help to sooth the resistance between the Southern slave holding states and the Northern non-slave states. The Compromise was presented on January 29th 1850. The Compromise became possible after the death of President Zachary Taylor, it was drafted by Senator Henry Clay a prominent Whig from Kentucky, and pushed through congress by Illinios Democrat Stephen A Douglas. Although neither side was truly happy with all the provision of the Compromise, it was met with relief. Texas gave up its claim to New Mexico, but received the Panhandle and debt forgiveness. The south gave up Southern California, but got possible popular sovereignty slave states in the Utah and New Mexico Territories. The Compromise also included a tougher Fugitive Slave Act which did not make the Northern states happy.

A Pledge Of Loyalty

Union General Thomas Leonidas Crittenden died October 23rd 1893.

Thomas Leonidas Crittenden was born May 15th 1819 in Russellville Kentucky the son of United States Senator John J Crittenden. He studied for the bar with his father and began a practice in 1840 in Kentucky. Crittenden served during the Mexican American War as a Lieutenant Colonel in the 3rd Kentucky Volunteers and an aide to General Zachary Taylor. Following the war he served as the United States Consul in Liverpool.

Kentucky declared neutrality when the Civil War began in 1861. Crittenden pledged loyalty to the Union [he had other family members who joined the Confederacy]. He was appointed Brigadier General and given command of the 5th Division in the Army of the Ohio. He saw action at the Battle of Shiloh, Battle of Stones River, during the Perryville Campaign and many others. Crittenden resigned his command December 13th 1864.

In the years after the war Crittenden was the Kentucky State Treasurer. President Andrew Johnson asked him to return to military service, which Crittenden did on July 28th 1866 as a Colonel in the 32nd Infantry. He was given a brevet rank of Brigadier General in the United State regular army for his service at the Battle of Stone River, before retiring in 1881. Crittenden died October 23rd 1893 in Annadale, New York. He is buried in the City Cemetery in Frankfort, Kentucky.

Crittenden’s son John Jordan Crittenden III died at the Battle of Little Bighorn while serving with Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer in 1876.

The First General To Be Killed

The first General to be killed in the Civil War, Confederate Robert Selden Garnett died July 13th 1861.
Robert Selden Garnett was born December 16th 1819 on his families plantation in Essex County Virginia. Garnett went to the US Military academy graduating in 1841. He was 27th out of a class of fifty-two. He became a Second Lieutenant in the 4th United States Artillery, spending his first year on the Canadian Border in Fort Ontario New York. He would go on to serve under Zachary Taylor during the Mexican-American War, and service with the 7th US in Florida during the Seminole Wars, and the 9th US in Washington Territory fighting against Puget Sound Indians. Garnett was traveling in Europe after the death of his wife and son, when Virginia seceded from the United States.
Garnett resigned his commission April 1861 and began serving under Robert E Lee as the Adjutant General of Virginia. In June 1861 he was made a Brigadier General and Lee assigned him to reorganize the Confederate forces in western Virginia. The Confederates under pressure from Union Major General George B McClellan were forced to withdraw from West Virginia following the Battle of Rich Mountain. Trying to get his 4,500 men out of northern Virginia Garnett found his escape route to Beverly blocked. Using another route to march out going northeast and fighting a rear guard delaying action at Corrick’s Ford on July 13th 1861; Garnett was shot and killed. His body was recovered by the Union army. A Union Honor Guard traveled under a flag of truce to Baltimore Maryland to deliver Garnett’s body to relatives for burial. He would latter be re-buried next to his wife and son in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn New York.
An exhalent web site for information about this subject
Robert S. Garnett (1819–1861)

First Indiana Resident To Hold A Cabinet Position

Caleb Blood Smith a member of Abraham Lincoln’s cabinet died January 7th 1864.

Caleb Blood Smith was born April 16th 1808 in Boston Massachusetts. His parents moved the family to Ohio in 1815. Smith attended Cincinnati and Miami University, and than studied law, being admitted to the bar in 1828. He started the paper “The Sentinel” in 1832. After serving several terms in the Indiana Legislature, Smith was elected to the US Congress in 1843-1849 as a member of the Whig party. President Zachary Taylor appointed him to investigate claims made by Americans against Mexico. Smith returned in 1850 to Cincinnati and the practice of law.

President Abraham Lincoln appointed Smith in 1861 to be the United States Secretary of the Interior. Smith was the first resident of Indiana to hold a Presidential Cabinet position. However due to health issues, Smith let most the responsibilities of his jobs fall to his Assistant Secretary John Palmer Usher. In 1862 Smith temporarily filled the empty sear on the Supreme Court, left vacant by John Archibald Campbell, however Lincoln nominated David Davis to fill the position. Smith resigned in December 1862 do to differences in political oppion, and went back to Indiana where he served as a United States circuit judge.

Smith died January 7th 1864 in Indianapolis Indiana. He is believed to have been buried in the City Cemetery in Connersville Indiana. For two days after his death government building were draped in black by order of the President.

Son of a President

Richard Taylor the son of United States President Zachary Taylor and Lady Margaret was born January 27th 1826 on the family estate near Louisville, Kentucky. He spent most of his childhood on the frontier with his father before attending private schools in Kentucky and Massachusetts. Richard began college at Harvard, but graduated in 1845 from Yale. When his father died in 1850, he inherited the families Sugar Plantation “Fashion” in Louisiana, and soon had about 200 slaves.

At the start of the Civil War, Confederate General Braxton Bragg asked Taylor to be his assistant in Pensacola, Florida. While serving in Florida he was appointed the Colonel of the 9th Louisiana Infantry, and served at the Battle of First Manassas. In October of 1861 Taylor was promoted to General and given command of a Louisiana brigade under General Richard Ewell. He was promoted over more senior officers which caused of cries of favoritism, as he was the brother-in-law of Jefferson Davis. He proved his capability as a leader at many battles including the First Battle of Winchester. In July 1862 at the age of thirty-six, he became the youngest Major General in the Confederacy and was given command of the District of West Louisiana. After John B Hood’s failures in Tennessee, Taylor was placed in command of what was left of the Army of Tennessee. Union General Edward Canby excepted Taylor’s surrender on May 8th 1865; the last of the Confederates east of the Mississippi to give up.

After the war Richard was active in democratic party politics and was a leading opponent of the policies of Reconstruction. He published a memoir of the war in 1879the year he died in New York City. He is buried in the Metairie Cemetery in New Orleans.