Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum
Born: September 24, 1827
Delphi, New York
Died: April 14, 1894
Brooklyn, New York
1852: West Point Graduate
1852: 2nd Lieutenant
March 3, 1855: 1st Lieutenant
October 31, 1855: Resigned U.S. Army
1861: Appointed Colonel
July 25, 1862: Major General
effective July 4, 1862
Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum
by Mathew Brady, ca. 1861
At age 16, received a Public School Teacher's Certificate
1852: West Point Graduate, 7th out of 43. Tutored his roommate, Philip Sheridan who credited him with passing the math exam and graduating
1852: 2nd Lieutenant in 1st U.S. Artillery serving in the Seminole War in Florida
Stationed in Fort Moultrie, South Carolina
March 3, 1855: Promoted to 1st Lieutenant
October 31, 1856: Resigned his commission
1858: Admitted to the New York bar and practiced in Syracuse
While in New York, served as an instructor of artillery in New York Militia as a Colonel
1861: Appointed Colonel of 27th New York Infantry
July 21, 1861: Battle of First Bull Run leading the 27th New York Infantry. Lost 130 men in battle and was badly wounded.
June 25-July 1, 1862: Seven Days Battles - Commander, 1st Division of Brig. Gen. Franklin's VI Corps
July 25, 1862: Promoted to Major General of Volunteers, effective July 4th
During the Northern Virginia Campaign, the VI Corps remained around Washington, D.C., but one of Slocum's brigades was sent to Bull Run were it was routed by the Confederates
September 14, 1862: Battle of South Mountain - assaulted enemy lines behind stone wall and routed them.
October 1862: named commander of XII Corps who had lost its commander at Antietam, Gen. Joseph Mansfield
May 1-4, 1863: Battle of Chancellorsville: Commanded the right wing and along with the V Corps and XI Corps, a combined force of 46,000 men, executed and maneuvered his wing into the rear of Gen. Lee's army, halting the Confederate advance
When Gen. Hooker was removed from command, he was ranking commander in the field, but Pres. Lincoln chose Gen. Meade instead. Slocum consented to serving under Gen. Meade.
July 1-3, 1863: Battle of Gettysburg - Commanded the army for about six hours till Maj. Gen. Meade arrived
Defended Culp's Hill
Ordered by Gen. Meade to send the XII Corps to defend the attack by Gen. Longstreet on the Union left flank. Slocum left one brigade to hold out against a massive attack and saved Culp's Hill for the Union
Autumn 1863: Transferred with his Corps to the Western Theater
Upon learning he would be assigned under Gen. Hooker, wrote Pres. Lincoln and stated he would rather resign than serve under Gen. Hooker. Pres. Lincoln's response was to assign Slocum to protect Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad
Summer 1864: Commander, District of Vicksburg and the XVIII Corps Department of Tennessee
Gen. Sherman appointed Slocum to lead the new XX Corps, which was formed by merging the XI and XII Corps. Slocum's previous soldiers from the XII Corps cheered upon his return
September 2, 1864: Atlanta falls and the XX Corps are the first to enter the city
Occupation commander of Atlanta for the first ten weeks
Gen. Sherman placed Slocum in command of the newly created Army of Georgia, composed of the XIV and XX Corps
November 16, 1864: Beginning of the March to the Sea
Gen. Slocum commanded the left Wing of the march
November 22, 1864: Captured Georgia capital Milledgeville
December 21, 1864: Captured Savannah, Georgia
Carolina's Campaign
March 16, 1865: Battle of Averasboro
March 19-21, 1865, Battle of Bentonville
April -September 1865: Commander, Department of the Mississippi
September 28, 1865L Resigned from the U.S. Army and went back to New York
March 4, 1869-March 3, 1873: Democratic Congressman from New York
March 3, 1883-March 4, 1885: At large Congressman from New York
Boatner, Mark M. III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: David McKay, 1967. p 765
Henry Warner Slocum. 23 February 2020. Web. 23 April 2020.
Melton, Brian C. Sherman's Forgotten General: Henry W. Slocum. Columbia: Univ. of Missouri Press, 2007.
Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Blue Lives of the Union Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State, 1964. p 451-453