Jackson County IL Archives Biographies.....Logan, John A February 9, 1826 - December 26, 1886 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Karima Allison quest@insightbb.com July 9, 2006, 5:39 pm Author: COL. E. A. WELL Murphysboro Daily Independent on May 24, 1930. COL. E. A. WELL'S OWN STORY OF GEN. JOHN A. LOGAN'S LIFE Col. E. A. WELLS, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the City National Bank of Murphysboro, and a life-long friend of the LOGAN family in Jackson County, has prepared an intimate story of the life of General John A. LOGAN. Col. WELLS' story of LOGAN's life follows: John A. LOGAN was born Feb. 9, 1826, in a two story log house on the LOGAN farm where the city of Murphysboro now stands. His father, Dr. John LOGAN, emigrated from Ireland to Illinois. His father was a prominent doctor of southern Illinois and a member of the Illinois legislature. Logan county, Illinois, was named for him. His mother, Elizabeth JENKINS, was a native of North Carolina and a sister of Ex-Gov A. M. JENKINS of Illinois. When a boy he organized a company of boys to fight the Indians and was its commander and drill master. Years later many of his boyhood comrades followed him to victory through some of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. He attended the country school of that day. As he approached manhood his father sent him to Shiloh Academy, which was located a Shiloh Hill, Randolph county, Illinois, one of the earliest educational institutions in Illinois. Later he attended Louisville, Ky. University, from which he was graduated with honor. In 1846 he enlisted as a private among the Illinois volunteers for the Mexican War. He was soon elected lieutenant and at the close of the war was adjutant of the regiment. At the close of the war he returned home and took up the study of law in the office of his uncle, Ex-Gov JENKINS. In 1849 he was elected clerk of Jackson Co., but resigned before his term expired and entered the law school at Louisville, Ky., where he graduated and soon commenced the practice of law. In 1852 he was elected to the Illinois Legislature. At the close of his term he was appointed prosecuting attorney of the 3rd Judicial Circuit comprising 16 counties in Southern Illinois. In 1855 he married Mary S. CUNNINGHAM at Shawneetown. In 1856 he was again elected to the Legislature. In 1858 he was elected to Congress by A 15,000 majority and in 1860 he was delegate to the National convention at Charleston, S.C. He was then re-elected to congress by an increased majority. In 1861 he fought at the battle of Bull Run as a private citizen. At the close of the session of Congress he returned to Marion, where he was then living, and made a great speech declaring for the Union and asking for volunteers. Sentiment was very much divided in southern Illinois. LOGAN's brother-in-law had raised a company and gone south to join the Southern Confederacy. Southern Illinois had been principally settled by southern people. To John A. LOGAN we can give all credit for preventing southern Illinois from joining the Confederacy. LOGAN raised the 31st Ill. Infantry and was commissioned Colonel and soon joined Gen. Grant at Cairo and fought in the battle of Belmont, Mo., where he twice cut his way through the Rebel lines. He next took part in the battles of Fort Henry and Fort Donaldson, where he was severely wounded in the shoulder and thigh. He was carried from the battle field. His wounds were so severe that for several weeks his life was despaired of. LOGAN was appointed Brig. General and marched his command on the evening of April 7, too late to participate in the battle of Shiloh. On Nov. 29, 1862, he was promoted to Major General. He participated in the Northern Mississippi campaign, toward Vicksburg, Miss., and in the battles of Raymond, Jackson, Fort Gibson, Big Black and Champion Hills, leading up to the great siege of Vicksburg, and took part in the charge on the breast-works on May 22. He blew up Fort Hill and was with Gen. Grant at the surrender of Gen. Pemberton. He entered Vicksburg on July 5, 1863 at the head of the army. On Nov., 1863, he was in command of the 15th Army Corps. He was with Sherman on his famous march to the sea. Gen. LOGAN took part in the battles of Resaca, Dalton, Big Kenesaw Mountain, Little Kenesaw Mountain, through Marietta and Decatur to the front of Atlanta. Gen. McPherson, commander of the army of the Tenn., was killed and Gen. LOGAN assumed command and won the great battle of Atlanta and became "the hero of the battle of Atlanta." LOGAN was superceded by Gen. Howard as commander of the Army of the Tenn., a great injustice to LOGAN. After the termination of the Atlanta campaign, LOGAN returned north to take part in the presidential campaign, by request of President Lincoln. He afterward joined his command at Savannah, Ga. In Jan. 1865, the long perilous and toilsome winter campaign of the Carolinas was commenced and resulted in the capture of the state capitols of North and South Carolina and on April 26, Gen. Joe Johnston surrendered near Raleigh, N.C. LOGAN, again in command of the army of the Tennessee, rode at the head of the army during the grand review at the National Capitol and created more applause than any other general in the review. This was the most imposing military spectacle ever witnessed upon the American continent. The war being over Gen. LOGAN was ordered to Louisville, Ky., where he mustered out his 60,000 soldiers and tendered his resignation. Nominated for minister to Mexico and confirmed by the Senate, he declined the appointment and afterwards was offered the post of minister to Japan, which he declined. In 1866, he was elected congressman-at-large. In 1868 he was a delegate to the national convention and placed Gen. Grant in nomination for president. In 1867 Gen. LOGAN was elected Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, reelected Congressman-at-large. On May 6, 1868, he issued his famous order No. 11, designating May 30th as Memorial Day, that has since become a national holiday. He was re-elected Commander-In-Chief of the G.A.R. In 1870 he was elected Commander-in-Chief for the third time and also, re-elected as congressman-at-large. In 1873, Gen. LOGAN was elected U.S. Senator, and was re-elected to that office in 1879. In 1880 he supported Grant for the presidency and with Senators Conkling of New York and Cameron of Pennsylvania led the Grant forces in the national convention at Chicago. After Grant's defeat, the opposition wanted a Grant man on the ticket with Garfield and the vice presidency was offered to LOGAN, but he declined the offer. In 1884, LOGAN was a candidate for President and received 61 votes in the national convention, and after Blaine's nomination for president, he was nominated for vice president. The ticket was defeated in the November election by the small margin of 1100 popular votes given to Cleveland and Hendricks in the state of New York. In 1885 after a battle in the legislature lasting 3 ½ months, he was elected U.S. Senator for the third time. He declined election for president pro tem of the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Vice President Hendricks. Took part in the campaign of 1886 and his last political speech was made in Murphysboro on Oct. 30. Gen. LOGAN died at his home in Washington, Dec. 26, 1886, surrounded by his family, distinguished generals and statesmen. Thus passed from earth the great spirit of LOGAN, the greatest native born citizen Illinois has ever produced. The greatest volunteer soldier of the Civil War and great orator and statesman, the idol of the volunteer soldier. The body of the dead general lay in state under the great White Dome of the Capitol and viewed by tens of thousands of people of all ages, sexes and colors, who thronged to the capitol to gaze upon the hero's face for the last time. The obsequies were held in the Senate Chamber and attended by Senators, representatives, the cabinet, diplomatic corps, and other dignitaries of the land. At the conclusion of the funeral oration the funeral procession proceeded to Rock Creek church yard and after services at the tomb and the sounding of Taps, the mortal remains of the great LOGAN were consigned to the vault to await the great Resurrection day. Additional Comments: Transcribed by Mary Riseling from her grandfather, Dr. C. E. Riseling's collection of old newspapers. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/jackson/bios/logan1067nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 8.8 Kb