Henry Warner Slocum

Henry Warner Slocum
Portrait of General Henry W. Slocum by Mathew Brady, ca. 1861
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's at-large district
In office March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885
Preceded by	Lyman Tremain
Succeeded by	At-large district temporarily abolished John Fitzgibbons Elmer E. Studley
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 3rd district
In office March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1873
Preceded by	William E. Robinson
Succeeded by	Stewart L. Woodford
Personal details
Born	(1827-09-24)September 24, 1827 Delphi, New York
Died	April 14, 1894(1894-04-14) (aged 66) Brooklyn, New York
Political party	Democratic
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America Union
Service/branch	United States Army Union Army
Years of service	1852–1856; 1861–1865
Rank	Major General
Commands	27th New York Infantry Brigade Commander, Franklin's Division Divisional Commander, VI Corps XII Corps XIV Corps XX Corps Army of Georgia
Battles/wars	American Civil War First Battle of Bull Run Peninsula Campaign Siege of Yorktown Gaine's Mill Seven Days' Battles/Malvern Hill Second Battle of Bull Run Battle of South Mountain Battle of Antietam Battle of Chancellorsville Battle of Gettysburg Atlanta Campaign Battle of Bentonville

American Civil War

Henry Warner Slocum (September 24, 1827 – April 14, 1894), was a Union general during the American Civil War and later served in the United States House of Representatives from New York. During the war, he was one of the youngest major generals in the Army and fought numerous major battles in the Eastern Theater and in Georgia and the Carolinas. While commanding a regiment, a brigade, a division, and a corps in the Army of the Potomac, he saw action at Bull Run, the Peninsula, South Mountain, Antietam, Chancellorsville, and Harpers’ Ferry. At Gettysburg, he was the senior Union General in the Field. During the battle, he held the Union right from Culp’s Hill to across the Baltimore Pike. His successful defense of Culp’s Hill was crucial to the Union victory at Gettysburg. After the fall of Vicksburg, Slocum was appointed military commander of the district. Slocum participated in the Atlanta campaign and was the first commander to enter the city on September 2, 1864. He then served as occupation commander of Atlanta. Slocum was appointed the commander of the left wing of Sherman’s march through Georgia and the Carolinas, commanding the XIV and XX Divisions, comprising the Army of Georgia. During this campaign, he captured the capitol of Georgia, Milledgeville, and the seaport of Savannah. In the Carolinas campaign, Slocum’s army saw victories in the battles of Averasborough and Bentonville, North Carolina. The March to the Sea and the Carolinas campaign were crucial to the overall Union victory in the Civil War. After the surrender of Confederate forces, Slocum was given command of the Department of Mississippi. Slocum declined an appointment in the postwar Army. He was a successful political leader, businessman and railroad developer.

Slocum was born in Delphi, a hamlet in Onondaga County, New York. His father was Matthew B. Slocum, and his mother was Mary Ostrander. He attended the state school in Albany and the Cazenovia Seminary and worked as a teacher. He obtained an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1848, where he did well academically, graduating seventh of 43 in the class of 1852. He tutored his roommate, cadet Philip Sheridan, in mathematics. In his memoirs, Sheridan credited Slocum with helping him pass his examination and graduate from the academy. Slocum was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 1st U.S. Artillery on July 1, 1852. He served in the Seminole War in Florida and at Fort Moultrie in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. While stationed there, he went on leave to marry Clara Rice in 1854. They had four children. Slocum was promoted to first lieutenant on March 3, 1855. He resigned his commission October 31, 1856, and settled in Syracuse, New York.