Major-General John Sedgwick to Major Samuel Breck, January 27, 1864

Headquarters 6th Army Corps,

Near Brandy Stat1on,

January 27, 1864.

Major Samuel Breck,

Assistant Adjutant-General,

Washington.

Major:

In reply to circular from War Department, Adjutant-General's Office, dated January 7, I have the honour to state that on the fourth day of March, 1861, I was Major of the 1st Cavalry, stationed at Fort Wise, on the upper Arkansas. Was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel and Colonel same regiment April 25. Received orders from headquarters Department of the West, June 20, to repair to Fort Leavenworth and there await further orders. After reaching Fort Leavenworth and waiting several days, the Department of the West having been broken up, I repaired to Washington and reported to the headquarters of the army. July 18, was ordered to report to Brigadier-General Mansfield, and was by him assigned to inspecting duty. On the 18th of August I was assigned to the command of a brigade then stationed near Alexandria. Appointed Brigadier-General August 31. During this and subsequent month was a member of a court of inquiry that investigated the accusations against Colonel Miles. The court met at Alexandria about the 15th of August, and continued meeting there and in camp until its last two sittings, which were in Washington: Major-General W. B. Franklin, President; Brigadier-General Charles Griffin, Recorder.

February 20, 1862, was relieved from command of brigade and assigned to the division of Brigadier-General Stone, stationed at Poolesville, Maryland.

February 25 was ordered to report with the division at Harper's Ferry to Major-General Banks.

The latter part of March received orders to proceed with my division to Washington; embarked immediately for Old Point, forming part of the Army of the Potomac; was with it until its evacuation of the Peninsula. Was slightly wounded at Glendale, June 29; appointed Major-General July 4, 1862; severely wounded at Antietam, September 17; reported for duty December 22, and was assigned to the command of the 9th Army Corps by the General commanding the Army of the Potomac; was relieved February 5, 1863, and assigned to the command of the 6th Army Corps. Have served with that corps since. Have been on no courts martial; have had no leave of absence.

I was actively engaged in the following battles:

In Command of Division, 2nd Corps.

Fair Oaks,

Peach Orchard,

Savage's Station,

Glendale, or Charles City Road,

Antietam,

Commanding the 6th Corps.

2nd Fredericksburg, May 3, 1863,

Salem Heights, May 3, 4, 1863,

Gettysburg, July 2, 3, 4, 1863,

Commanding 6th and 5th Corps.

Rappahannock Station,

The following is a list of staff-officers, on my personal staff, all of whom are now serving, with the exception of Captain Church Howe, who resigned April 10, 1863:

E. B. Beaumont, 1st Lieutenant 4th Cavalry, U.S.A., appointed A.D.C. August 27, 1861, relieved August 7, 1862, and assigned to duty as A.D.C. to General Halleck; reappointed A.D.C. May 9, 1863.

Church Howe, Captain 15th Massachusetts Volunteers, appointed A.D.C. March, 1862, resigned April 10, 1863.

Charles A. Whittier, 1st Lieutenant 20th Massachusetts Volunteers, appointed A.D.C. August 30, 1862.

R. F. Halsted, Captain 42nd New York Volunteers, appointed A.D.C. December 26, 1862.

Arthur McClellan, Captain and A.D.C., assigned to duty August 7, 1863.

Very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

John Sedgwick,

Major-General.

SOURCE: George William Curtis, Correspondence of John Sedgwick, Major-General, Volume 2, p. 171-4

Major John Sedgwick to his Sister, November 30, 1860

Fort Wise, Big Timbers,

November 30, 1860.

My dear sister:

A mail will leave here in the morning, in which I will start this note, but there are some doubts whether it will succeed in getting through; the snow is very deep, and it is very cold, and for nearly two hundred miles there is not a stick of wood. We have to-day heard, by way of Denver, the result of the election. It seems to have been all on one side. The news was brought by a messenger, and I suppose cannot be accurately relied on. He says Douglas has not carried a State. I can scarcely conceive this to be true. Hurrah for Lincoln! I say. It is not likely that our next mail will bring us the result, as our latest dates are up to October 19. I shall send to Fort Larned in a few days for a mail, where I expect to hear more than is agreeable. I am still living in a tent, which is rather cold at night, and the weather is such that we can do but little work on our quarters. A few pleasant days would enable us to finish them.

It has been a long time since I have heard from you. I do not recollect the last date, but it was in August or early in September. I hope the next mail will bring two or three letters. I have never mentioned the subject of our seat in the church. I wish you to keep the one our father and mother always occupied. It is for yourself and Philo's family, whenever they choose to take it. Also the seat in the Hollow Church. This I would pay for as a matter of charity.

Write often, and believe me, as ever,

Your affectionate brother,

John Sedgwick

SOURCE: George William Curtis, Correspondence of John Sedgwick, Major-General, Volume 2, p. 28-9

Major John Sedgwick to his Sister, November 17, 1860

Fort Wise, Big Timbers,

November 17, 1860.

My dear sister:

We have to-day been astonished by the receipt of another mail, and with the prospect of still another in about two weeks' time. I was disappointed in not receiving any letter from you. I am afraid that my complaining of our wanting mail facilities will discourage you from writing. When spring opens I hope, as emigration sets in, we shall have a mail at least weekly. We have had a delightful fall, dry, warm, and pleasant. To-day there is a drizzling rain, the first that we have had since reaching the post, over two months since. This is the character of all falls in this vicinity, although north and east of us they have had severe snowstorms and much cold weather. Our soldiers' quarters, and all the buildings except officers' quarters, are so far completed that they can be occupied, and two weeks more would enable us to finish all. This has relieved me very much, for I anticipated many difficulties which we have overcome, and am now at ease in regard to the comfort of the men for the winter. The last mail brought a complimentary letter from the Secretary of War, extolling our energy and perseverance. I had particularly written to Washington “that if Providence had not favoured us more than the Department there would have been intense suffering here this winter.”

The hostile Indians sent in a runner some time since, asking to come in and have a talk. I granted it, and last Sunday six or eight of the chiefs came in, suing for peace. I sent their talk to Washington, recommending that terms be granted them; what the result will be cannot be known for several weeks. I do not know what excitement can be got up now that the Prince is gone and the election over. The subject of politics loses all its savour before getting out here. It is never mentioned except when the papers come in, and then a short topic. All concede Lincoln's election, and think any change will improve upon the present one.

We have several daily papers within two hundred miles of us which get much later news than we do. I see them occasionally. With much love to Philo's family.

I am your affectionate brother,

John Sedgwick.

SOURCE: George William Curtis, Correspondence of John Sedgwick, Major-General, Volume 2, p. 26-7

NEW YORK, March 27 [1862].

Santa Fe advices of the 10^th inst. state that the Texans had taken Santa Fe.

Maj. Donelson, commander of that department, reached Kansas City of the 25^th en route for Washington, to urge forward reinforcements for Forts Craig and Union.

All the Government property had been sent to Ft. Union.  All American families had fled thither.

Four hundred troops at Ft. Wise are ordered to reinforce Ft. Union, which will make a strong defense.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, March 29, 1862, p. 2