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Civil War Soldiers - McPherson
| McPherson, James B., major-general,
U.S. Army, was born in Sandusky county, Ohio, Nov. 14, 1828; entered
West Point from his native state, in 1849, and graduated at the head
of his class, June 30, 1853, being at once appointed brevet second
lieutenant of engineers and assistant instructor of practical
engineering at the academy, a compliment never before awarded to so
young an officer. He was next appointed assistant engineer on the
defences of New York harbor, and on the improvement of the navigation
of the Hudson river, having previously been made full second
lieutenant of engineers. In Jan., 1857, he was placed in charge of the
construction of Fort Delaware, and subsequently of the erection of
fortifications on Alcatraz island, San Francisco bay, Cal., and was
also connected with the survey of the Pacific coast. In Dec, 1858, he
was promoted to first lieutenant, and in 1861 was ordered from the
Pacific coast to take charge of the fortifications of Boston harbor.
The same year he was made captain, and upon the appointment of
Maj.-Gen. Halleck to the command of the Department of the West in
November, he was chosen aide-de-camp to that general, and at the same
time was promoted as lieutenant-colonel. In the expeditions against
Forts Henry and Donelson he was chief engineer of the Army of the
Tennessee, and subsequently was at Shiloh and as colonel on Gen.
Halleck's staff held the chief engineering charge of the approaches to
Corinth which ended in its evacuation. On May 15, 1862, he was made
brigadier-general of volunteers, and appointed general superintendent
of military railroads in the district of West Tennessee the following
June. In Sept., 1862, Gen. McPherson held a position on the staff of
Gen. Grant and for his gallantry at Corinth was promoted to be
major-general, dating from Oct. 8, rising to that position in the
short space of nine years, and by merit alone. From that time till the
close of the siege of Vicksburg, during which he commanded the center
of the Federal army, his career was one course of triumph. Upon
Grant's recommendation Gen. McPherson was immediately confirmed a
brigadier- general in the regular army, dating from Aug. 1, 1863, and
soon after conducted a column into Mississippi and repulsed the enemy
at Canton. In the memorable expedition to Meridian he was second in
command to Gen. Sherman, and during the Atlanta campaign his command
was the Department of the Tennessee, including the entire 15th, 16th,
and 17th corps. He distinguished himself at Resaca, Dallas, Allatoona,
Kolb's farm, and Kennesaw mountain. In superintending the advance of
his skirmish line in the battle before Atlanta, on July 22, 1864, he
had ridden from left to right, and was returning when he was suddenly
confronted by a party of the enemy's skirmishers, and received a shot
in the breast, causing almost instant death.
Source: The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal
States 1861-1865, Volume 8 Biographical, 1908
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