Amasa Cobb
Encyclopedia
Amasa Cobb was a Republican
Wisconsin
politician and an officer in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
in 1842 and mined for lead. He served in the Mexican-American War as a private. After the war he studied law, passed the bar and set up practice in Mineral Point, Wisconsin
. He was a district attorney
from 1850 to 1854, then was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate
in 1855, serving until 1856. During his term, he was also the adjutant general
of Wisconsin from 1855 to 1858. He became a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
in 1860 and served as speaker in 1861.
At the outset of the Civil War in 1861, he joined the Union army as Colonel
of the 5th Wisconsin Infantry, serving in the Army of the Potomac
in several campaigns and battles. Most notably, Cobb succeeded BG Winfield S. Hancock in command of a brigade in second division VI Corps
at the Battle of Antietam
, after Hancock was transferred to commend of first division II Corps
. In the fall of 1862, he was elected to the 38th Congress from Wisconsin for a two-year term. His last action with 5th Wisconsin was the Battle of Fredericksburg
.
He resumed his military career on September 29, 1864, when he was named as Colonel of the newly raised 43rd Wisconsin Infantry. After arriving at Nashville, Tennessee
in October, Cobb and his regiment guarded the important supply and railroad depot at Johnsonville in Benton County, Tennessee on the Tennessee River
. On November 4, Cobb's men fought off an attack by John Bell Hood
's Confederates
led by MG Nathan Bedford Forrest
in the Battle of Johnsonville
. For the rest of the war, the regiment was positioned in various parts of Tennessee to guard railroads and supply routes, and Cobb briefly commanded a brigade under MG Robert H. Milroy
. Cobb was brevetted
as a brigadier general
on March 13, 1865, shortly before the end of the war. He and his men were mustered out of the service in mid-June in Nashville before returning to Wisconsin and civilian life.
Cobb was reelected to the 39th, 40th, and 41st Congresses, serving until 1871.
He moved to Lincoln, Nebraska
, where he started to practice law again. He was appointed mayor of Lincoln in 1873, and then became associate justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court
in 1878 to 1892. The last four years, from 1888 to 1892, he served as Nebraska's chief justice.
Amasa Cobb died in Los Angeles, California
.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
politician and an officer in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Biography
Born in Crawford County, Illinois, Cobb moved to the Wisconsin TerritoryWisconsin Territory
The Territory of Wisconsin was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 3, 1836, until May 29, 1848, when an eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Wisconsin...
in 1842 and mined for lead. He served in the Mexican-American War as a private. After the war he studied law, passed the bar and set up practice in Mineral Point, Wisconsin
Mineral Point, Wisconsin
Mineral Point is a city in Iowa County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,617 at the 2000 census. In 2008 the city's population had taken a decline and is currently only 2,462, but still the second most populous community in Iowa County...
. He was a district attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
from 1850 to 1854, then was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate
Wisconsin State Senate
The Wisconsin Senate, the powers of which are modeled after those of the U.S. Senate, is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature, smaller than the Wisconsin State Assembly...
in 1855, serving until 1856. During his term, he was also the adjutant general
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
of Wisconsin from 1855 to 1858. He became a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
Wisconsin State Assembly
The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin....
in 1860 and served as speaker in 1861.
At the outset of the Civil War in 1861, he joined the Union army as Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
of the 5th Wisconsin Infantry, serving in the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
in several campaigns and battles. Most notably, Cobb succeeded BG Winfield S. Hancock in command of a brigade in second division VI Corps
VI Corps (ACW)
The VI Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Formation:The corps was organized as the Sixth Provisional Corps on May 18, 1862, by uniting Maj. Gen. William B. Franklin's Division, which had just arrived on the Virginia Peninsula, with Maj. Gen. William F. Smith's...
at the Battle of Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
, after Hancock was transferred to commend of first division II Corps
II Corps (ACW)
There were five corps in the Union Army designated as II Corps during the American Civil War.* Army of the Cumberland, II Corps commanded by Thomas L. Crittenden , later renumbered XX Corps...
. In the fall of 1862, he was elected to the 38th Congress from Wisconsin for a two-year term. His last action with 5th Wisconsin was the Battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
.
He resumed his military career on September 29, 1864, when he was named as Colonel of the newly raised 43rd Wisconsin Infantry. After arriving at Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
in October, Cobb and his regiment guarded the important supply and railroad depot at Johnsonville in Benton County, Tennessee on the Tennessee River
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
. On November 4, Cobb's men fought off an attack by John Bell Hood
John Bell Hood
John Bell Hood was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Hood had a reputation for bravery and aggressiveness that sometimes bordered on recklessness...
's Confederates
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
led by MG Nathan Bedford Forrest
Nathan Bedford Forrest
Nathan Bedford Forrest was a lieutenant general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He is remembered both as a self-educated, innovative cavalry leader during the war and as a leading southern advocate in the postwar years...
in the Battle of Johnsonville
Battle of Johnsonville
The Battle of Johnsonville was fought November 4–5, 1864, in Benton County, Tennessee and Humphreys County, Tennessee, during the American Civil War. Confederate cavalry commander Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest culminated a 23-day raid through western Tennessee by attacking the Union supply...
. For the rest of the war, the regiment was positioned in various parts of Tennessee to guard railroads and supply routes, and Cobb briefly commanded a brigade under MG Robert H. Milroy
Robert H. Milroy
Robert Huston Milroy was a lawyer, judge, and a Union Army general in the American Civil War, most noted for his defeat at the Second Battle of Winchester in 1863.-Early life:...
. Cobb was brevetted
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
as a brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
on March 13, 1865, shortly before the end of the war. He and his men were mustered out of the service in mid-June in Nashville before returning to Wisconsin and civilian life.
Cobb was reelected to the 39th, 40th, and 41st Congresses, serving until 1871.
He moved to Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
, where he started to practice law again. He was appointed mayor of Lincoln in 1873, and then became associate justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court
Nebraska Supreme Court
The Nebraska Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Nebraska. The Court consists of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices. Each Justice is initially appointed by the Governor of Nebraska; using the Missouri Plan, each Justice is then subject to a retention vote for additional...
in 1878 to 1892. The last four years, from 1888 to 1892, he served as Nebraska's chief justice.
Amasa Cobb died in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals
Further reading
- Nelson, Meredith K., "Amasa Cobb." Nebraska Law Bulletin 14 (November 1935): pages 197-213.