| If this website has been useful to you, please consider
making a Donation.
Your support will help keep this website free for everyone, and will allow us to do
more research. Thank you for your support! |
Civil War Soldiers - Birge
| Birge, Henry W., brigadier-general, U.S. Army, was
born in Hartford, Conn., about 1830. He was serving on the staff of
Gov. Buckingham of Connecticut when the Civil war broke out, and
organized the first regiment raised in that state. On May 22, 1861, he
was made major of the 4th Conn. volunteers, the first three-year
regiment organized in Connecticut, and served with his regiment in
Maryland and Virginia. He was promoted colonel of the 13th Conn.
regiment, Nov. 5, 1861, left in the following March to join Gen.
Butler's forces in New Orleans, and was afterwards placed in command
of the defenses there. In September he commanded a brigade under
Maj.-Gen. Beckwith, took an active part in the battle of Georgia
landing in October, accompanied Gen. Banks on the first Red River
campaign, and was present at the siege and surrender of Port Hudson,
July 8, 1863. On Oct. 6, 1863, he was promoted brigadier- general and
in 1864 commanded a brigade under Banks in the second Red River
campaign, served actively in several engagements and was then placed
in command of Baton Rouge, La. He was ordered north with the 2nd
division of the 19th corps in Aug., 1864, commanded a division under
Gen. Sheridan in the Shenandoah valley, and, early in 1865, was sent
to command the fortifications at Atlanta, Ga. At the recommendation of
Gen. Sheridan, he was, on Feb. 25, 1865, brevetted major-general of
volunteers for gallant action at the battle of Cedar creek. He
resigned his commission in Oct., 1865, and, on his return to
Connecticut, was awarded a vote of thanks by the state legislature.
Gen. Birge died June 1, 1888.
Source: The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal
States 1861-1865, Volume 8 Biographical, 1908
|
|
Whats New
Bibliography
About Us |