James H. Ledlie
| James Hewett Ledlie | |
|---|---|
Brig. Gen. James Ledlie
|
|
| Born |
April 14, 1832 Utica, New York |
| Died | August 15, 1882 (aged 50) New Brighton, Staten Island, New York |
| Place of burial | Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, New York |
| Allegiance |
United States of America Union |
| Service/branch |
United States Army Union Army |
| Rank |
 Brigadier General
|
| Battles/wars | |
James Hewett Ledlie (April 14, 1832 – August 15, 1882) was a civil engineer for American railroads and a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He is best known for his dereliction of duty at the Battle of the Crater during the Siege of Petersburg.
Ledlie was born in Utica, New York. His obituary in the New York Times claimed he graduated from Union College, Schenectady, New York, but the college has no record of his attendance there. He worked as a civil engineer on the Erie Canal and in railroad construction.
Shortly after the start of the Civil War, Ledlie was appointed major of the 19th New York Infantry, which was subsequently renamed the 3rd New York Artillery regiment. The history of this regiment was marred by a mutiny at the expiration of its original term of service. Ledlie was promoted to colonel, in December 1861, and was promoted to brigadier general in command of the Artillery Brigade of the Department of North Carolina in December 1862. (His appointment expired in March 1863 for lack of Senate confirmation, but he was reappointed in October 1863 and later confirmed.) For the next year and a half, he served primarily in garrison positions with North Carolina coastal artillery emplacements and in the Department of Virginia and North Carolina.
Just after the start of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign in 1864, Ledlie transferred to the Army of the Potomac, commanding a brigade in Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside's IX Corps. He assumed command of the 1st Division on June 9. It was in this command that his brief military career was ruined.
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Wikipedia