Some More On Fort Sedgwick

From Fort Wiki.

FORT SEDGWICK

1864-1871

U.S. Army post established in 1864 as the Post at Julesburg Station by Col. Christopher H. McNally, 3rd Volunteer Infantry in Sedgwick County, Colorado.  Renamed September 27, 1865, for Major General John Sedgwick., who was killed May 9, 1864, at the Battle of Spotsylvania.

Abandoned in 1871.  Also known as Camp Rankin and Fort Rankin.  (I have been unable to find out who Rankin was.)

Established May 17, 1864, as the Post at Julesburg  It was located at a strategic point where there were several river crossings.  It was also  on a branch of the Overland Trail, which was used by settlers heading west as protection from Indian attacks.

The South Platte River was about a quarter mile away.

The post was abandoned May 31, 1871, after the cessation of Indian hostilities in the area.  It was transferred to the Department of the Interior on July 22, 1884.

It is on private property.  There is one marker near Ovid and one roadside marker near the location of the post hospital alongside CR-28 in Sedgwick County, Colorado.

--Old Secesh

Fort Sedgwick, Colorado

Fort Sedgwick is also known as the Post at Julesburg, Camp Rankin and Fort Rankin.  The last two were the original names.  The town of Sedgwick (pop. 146) is named after the fort, which was named after Union General John Sedgwick.  Nearby Julesburg's population is 1,225 and was named after  Jules Beni, who had a somewhat checkered life.

John Sedgwick (1813-1864) was wounded three times in the war and killed by a Confederate sharpshooter at the Battle of Spotsylvania on May 9, 1864, shortly after uttering the words, "They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance."

In 1864, there had been an increasing number of skirmishes between Indians and white settlers.  As a result, military base Camp Rankin was established near Julesburg with a couple sod huts.  It was renamed for General Sedgwick.

It was used after the Civil War as well.

Nothing remains of the fort today.   The original fort flagpole is now in front of the Julesburg Library and  the town also has the Fort Sedgwick Museum.

--Old Secesh

Who Shot General John Sedgwick?-- Part 3: "They Couldn't Hit An Elephant At This Distance"

This account is from Union general Martin T. McMahon, the Chief of Staff of Sedgwick's Sixth Corps.

General Martin had just given the order to move troops when "the enemy opened a sprinkling fire, partly from sharpshooters.  As the bullets whistled by, some of the men dodges.  The General said laughlingly, 'What!  What! men, dodging this way for single bullets!

"What will you do when they open fire along the whole line?  I am ashamed of you.  They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance.

Famous Last Words.  --Old Secesh

Who Shot General Sedgwick?-- Part 2: Was It Charles D. Grace?

"One of the most interesting incidents relating to the Battle of Spotsylvania (I've seen it spelled with double ts and a single t) Court House is the death of Union General John Sedgwick on May 9, 1864.  His apparent disdain for enemy bullets and his last remarks provided an ironic end yo a brilliant career."

Two other Federal officers of rank were also shot on May 9th, about the same place and same time.  They were Col. Frederick T. Locke, a staff officer, and General William H. Morris, one of Sedgwick's subordinates.  Both recovered, though Morris was quite badly hurt.

At least a half dozen Confederates have been named as the one who fired the fatal shot: Charles D. grace, 4th Georgia; Thomas Burgess, 15th South Carolina; Benjamin M. Powell, 1st South Carolina; Reuben Garnett Willis, 13th Virginia; Waller Holladay, Charlottesville Artillery (Va.); and an unnamed skirmisher identified by the 6th Vermont and killed soon after.

--Old Secesh

Who Shot General Sedgewick?-- Part 1

From the December 1995, Blue & Gray magazine.

The Woodstock (Illinois) Public Library was getting rid of some of their old magazines, so I picked this one up as it featured the North Carolina Battle of Bentonville, fought near Goldsboro, N.C., where I was born.  The magazine also had the article"The Man Who Shot John Sedgwick" by Roger S. Durham.

One man who most believe was the shooter was Charles D. Grace of the 4th Georgia Infantry Regiment.  That regiment number sounded recently familiar to me and then I read that Grace was from LaGrange, Georgia, where the female military unit, the Nancy Harts were from.

I have been writing a lot about Nancy Hart, the American revolution heroine, in my Cooter's History Blog lately.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT Discussion Group-- Part 2: Jubal Early's West Point Class of 1837

From Cullom's Register of West Point Graduates.

Jubal Early was in the USMA's Class of 1837 where he graduated #18 out of 50.

Some of his classmates were killed in the Second Seminole War and Mexican War.  the class was very divided in the Civil War.  The best-known class members from the Civil War:

Union  John Sedgwick and Joseph Hooker

Confederate:  Braxton Bragg and John C. Pemberton.

Others:

Union:
Alexander B. Dyer,
E. Parker Scammon,
Lewis G. Arnold,
Thomas Williams (Killed at Vicksburg),
Bennett H. Hill
William H. French
Joshua H. Bates
Samuel Woods

Confederate

William W. Mackall
Robert T. Jones  (Killed)
Arthur M. Rutledge
Arnold Elzey
William H.T. Walker (Killed at Atlanta)

--Old Secesh

Ten Notable Civil War Coincidences-- Part 1

The March 4th List Universe had "Ten Notable Coincidences of the American Civil War.

I knew some of them, but not others.

10. PRESIDENTS-- Two future presidents of the United States, Rutherford Hayes and William McKinley served in the23rd Ohio Volunteers.

9. FAMOUS LAST WORDS-- The Union Army's 6th Corps commander, Major General John Sedgwick tried to rally his men who were ducking because of sniper fire at the opening of the Battle of Spotsylvania, May 8, 1864. he had just started to say, "They couldn't hit an elephant from this distance, when a bullet shot to the head killed him instantly.

8. THE FALLING SWORD-- General Jackson's sword was propped up against a tree when it fell over on its own. Some believed it was an ominous sign. Later that day, he was wounded by his own men and later died from it. This helped foster the story of the falling sword.

More Coincidences to Come. --Old B-Runner