George D. Wagner
Encyclopedia
George Day Wagner was an Indiana
politician, farmer, and soldier, serving as a general in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. His controversial actions at the Battle of Franklin in 1864 overshadowed his positive performance earlier in the war.
. When he was four years old, Wagner's family moved to Warren County, Indiana
, where he was educated in the common schools. He became a prosperous farmer, and was elected in 1856 as a Republican
to the Indiana House of Representatives
. Two years later, he was elected to the State Senate
. He was selected as the president of the Indiana State Agricultural Society, a post he held when the Civil War began in April 1861 with the bombardment of Fort Sumter
in South Carolina
.
of the 15th Indiana Infantry
and initially served in western Virginia. He commanded a brigade
in the Army of the Ohio
during the Battle of Shiloh
in April 1862. He subsequently participated in the Battle of Perryville
and commanded a division
in the Army of the Cumberland
at the Battle of Stones River
at the end of the year.
In April 1863, he was promoted to brigadier general
, backdated to November 29, 1862. Wagner commanded the division during Maj. Gen.
William S. Rosecrans's occupation of Chattanooga, Tennessee
, in September 1863 and again at the Battle of Chickamauga
. His men suffered heavy losses in an assault on Missionary Ridge
during the Chattanooga Campaign
. Wagner was again active in the 1864 Atlanta Campaign
, commanding a brigade in the IV Corps and a division during the Franklin-Nashville Campaign
.
His military career was ruined at the Battle of Franklin. He diverged from the orders of his superior, Brig. Gen.
Jacob D. Cox, to withdraw his outnumbered force from an exposed forward position. Instead, he chose to stand firm and face the impending assault. Two of his brigades were routed, and running toward the primary defensive line, intermixed with the attacking Confederates. As a result, the main Union force held its fire for fear of killing friendly troops, allowing the Confederate assault column to penetrate the Union center. Federal reinforcements finally stabilized the position, but Wagner's controversial course of action drew significant criticism and questioning. As a result of the debacle, Wagner asked to be relieved of duty, citing concerns for his wife's health. Wagner was returned to Indiana to await orders. He briefly served in St. Louis, Missouri
, toward the end of the war. He was mustered out of the service in August 1865.
, in 1866. He once again became president of the state Agricultural Society and was influential in helping publicize modern agricultural practices and procedures.
Wagner died unexpectedly in Indianapolis, Indiana
. He was buried at Armstrong Cemetery in Green Hill, Indiana
, not far from the farm where he was raised.
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
politician, farmer, and soldier, serving as a general 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...
. His controversial actions at the Battle of Franklin in 1864 overshadowed his positive performance earlier in the war.
Early life and career
Wagner was born in rural Ross County, OhioRoss County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 73,345 people, 27,136 households, and 19,185 families residing in the county. The population density was 106 people per square mile . There were 29,461 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile...
. When he was four years old, Wagner's family moved to Warren County, Indiana
Warren County, Indiana
Warren County lies in western Indiana between the Illinois border and the Wabash River in the United States. Before the arrival of non-indigenous settlers in the early 19th century, the area was inhabited by several Native American tribes. The county was officially established in 1827 and...
, where he was educated in the common schools. He became a prosperous farmer, and was elected in 1856 as a Republican
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...
to the Indiana House of Representatives
Indiana House of Representatives
The Indiana House of Representatives is the lower house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The House is composed of 100 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. House members serve two-year terms without term limits...
. Two years later, he was elected to the State Senate
Indiana Senate
The Indiana Senate is the upper house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The Senate is composed of 50 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. Senators serve four-year terms without term limits...
. He was selected as the president of the Indiana State Agricultural Society, a post he held when the Civil War began in April 1861 with the bombardment of Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter is a Third System masonry coastal fortification located in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. The fort is best known as the site upon which the shots initiating the American Civil War were fired, at the Battle of Fort Sumter.- Construction :...
in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
.
Civil War service
In June of that year, Wagner enlisted in the state volunteer troops as colonelColonel (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 15th Indiana Infantry
15th Regiment Indiana Infantry
The 15th Regiment Indiana Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 15th Indiana Infantry was organized at Lafayette, Indiana for a one year enlistment in May 1861...
and initially served in western Virginia. He commanded a brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
in the Army of the Ohio
Army of the Ohio
The Army of the Ohio was the name of two Union armies in the American Civil War. The first army became the Army of the Cumberland and the second army was created in 1863.-History:...
during the Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...
in April 1862. He subsequently participated in the Battle of Perryville
Battle of Perryville
The Battle of Perryville, also known as the Battle of Chaplin Hills, was fought on October 8, 1862, in the Chaplin Hills west of Perryville, Kentucky, as the culmination of the Confederate Heartland Offensive during the American Civil War. Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg's Army of Mississippi won a...
and commanded a division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
in the Army of the Cumberland
Army of the Cumberland
The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio.-History:...
at the Battle of Stones River
Battle of Stones River
The Battle of Stones River or Second Battle of Murfreesboro , was fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee, as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War...
at the end of the year.
In April 1863, he was promoted to 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...
, backdated to November 29, 1862. Wagner commanded the division during Maj. Gen.
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
William S. Rosecrans's occupation of Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
, in September 1863 and again at the Battle of Chickamauga
Battle of Chickamauga
The Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863, marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign...
. His men suffered heavy losses in an assault on Missionary Ridge
Battle of Missionary Ridge
The Battle of Missionary Ridge was fought November 25, 1863, as part of the Chattanooga Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the Union victory in the Battle of Lookout Mountain on November 24, Union forces under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant assaulted Missionary Ridge and defeated the...
during the Chattanooga Campaign
Chattanooga Campaign
The Chattanooga Campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in October and November 1863, during the American Civil War. Following the defeat of Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans's Union Army of the Cumberland at the Battle of Chickamauga in September, the Confederate Army of Tennessee under Gen...
. Wagner was again active in the 1864 Atlanta Campaign
Atlanta Campaign
The Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May...
, commanding a brigade in the IV Corps and a division during the Franklin-Nashville Campaign
Franklin-Nashville Campaign
The Franklin-Nashville Campaign, also known as Hood's Tennessee Campaign, was a series of battles in the Western Theater, conducted from September 18 to December 27, 1864, in Alabama, Tennessee, and northwestern Georgia during the American Civil War. The Confederate Army of Tennessee under Lt....
.
His military career was ruined at the Battle of Franklin. He diverged from the orders of his superior, Brig. Gen.
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...
Jacob D. Cox, to withdraw his outnumbered force from an exposed forward position. Instead, he chose to stand firm and face the impending assault. Two of his brigades were routed, and running toward the primary defensive line, intermixed with the attacking Confederates. As a result, the main Union force held its fire for fear of killing friendly troops, allowing the Confederate assault column to penetrate the Union center. Federal reinforcements finally stabilized the position, but Wagner's controversial course of action drew significant criticism and questioning. As a result of the debacle, Wagner asked to be relieved of duty, citing concerns for his wife's health. Wagner was returned to Indiana to await orders. He briefly served in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, toward the end of the war. He was mustered out of the service in August 1865.
Postbellum career
Less than a year after the war ended, Wagner's wife died from her infirmities. He established a legal practice in Williamsport, IndianaWilliamsport, Indiana
Williamsport is a town in Washington Township, Warren County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,898 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Warren County and is the largest of the four incorporated towns in the county...
, in 1866. He once again became president of the state Agricultural Society and was influential in helping publicize modern agricultural practices and procedures.
Wagner died unexpectedly in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. He was buried at Armstrong Cemetery in Green Hill, Indiana
Green Hill, Indiana
Green Hill is a small unincorporated town in Medina Township, Warren County, Indiana. Founded in the year of 1832 under a different name, and established under its current name in 1869.- History :...
, not far from the farm where he was raised.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals
- List of Ohio's American Civil War generals
- Ohio in the American Civil War