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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

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