J. Warren Keifer
Encyclopedia
Joseph Warren Keifer was a brigadier general
in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
and a prominent U.S.
politician during the 1880s. He served in the United States House of Representatives
as a Republican from Ohio
from 1877 to 1885 and from 1905 to 1911. From 1881 to 1883, he was also Speaker of the House
.
. He attended school at Antioch College
then returned to his family's farm. While working as a farmer he devoted his spare time to studying law. He began his law practice in Springfield, Ohio
, January 12, 1858.
, a three-months regiment, being appointed major. He served in western Virginia
fighting in the battles of Rich Mountain
and Cheat Mountain
and afterward was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the regiment. When his term expired, he joined the 110th Ohio Infantry
and became its colonel
. He served in the Eastern Theater
leading his regiment at the second battle of Winchester. While the Union army was soundly defeated and most of it surrendered, Keifer's regiment was able to avoid capture. Following the battle of Gettysburg Keifer was assigned to brigade command in the III Corps and fought at the battle of Wapping Heights. After Robert E. Lee's army had retreated to safety in Virginia, Keifer and his regiment were dispatched to New York City to help suppress the draft riots.
Keifer returned to the Army of the Potomac in time for the Overland Campaign
. He was wounded in the arm at the battle of the Wilderness
, putting him out of action for a time. When he did return to active duty he was placed in command of the 2nd Brigade in James B. Ricketts
' 3rd Division of the VI Corps. He led his brigade at the battles of Winchester and Fisher's Hill
. During the battle of Cedar Creek
, VI Corps commander, Horatio G. Wright temporarily commanded the Army of the Shenandoah and Rickets temporarily in command of the corps. This put Keifer in command of the 3rd Division in Ricketts' absence. When Philip H. Sheridan heroically returned to command the army in the midst of the battle, returning Wright to corps command, Ricketts had already been wounded leaving Keifer in command of the division for the rest of the battle. For his service during the Shenandoah Valley campaign he was brevetted brigadier general of volunteers on October 19, 1864.
When the VI Corps returned to the Army of the Potomac General Truman Seymour
was placed in command of the 3rd Division and Keifer returned to command the 2nd Brigade, taking part in the breakthrough at Petersburg and the Appomattox Campaign
.
of Antioch College
. In 1876 he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention
and the next year went to Congress. From 1881 to 1883, he was Speaker of the House.
appointed Keifer major general
of volunteers on June 9, 1898. He commanded the 7th Army Corps and the American forces that marched into Havana after Spanish forces withdrew on Jan. 1, 1899.
He again ran and was elected to Congress and served from March 4, 1905-March 3, 1911.
Keifer is buried in the Ferncliff Cemetery in Springfield, Ohio.
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...
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...
and a prominent U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician during the 1880s. He served in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
as a Republican from Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
from 1877 to 1885 and from 1905 to 1911. From 1881 to 1883, he was also Speaker of the House
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
.
Early life
Keifer was born in Clark County, OhioClark County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 144,742 people, 56,648 households, and 39,370 families residing in the county. The population density was 362 people per square mile . There were 61,056 housing units at an average density of 153 per square mile...
. He attended school at Antioch College
Antioch College
Antioch College is a private, independent liberal arts college in Yellow Springs, Ohio, United States. It was the founder and the flagship institution of the six-campus Antioch University system. Founded in 1852 by the Christian Connection, the college began operating in 1853 with politician and...
then returned to his family's farm. While working as a farmer he devoted his spare time to studying law. He began his law practice in Springfield, Ohio
Springfield, Ohio
Springfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Clark County. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Mad River, Buck Creek and Beaver Creek, approximately west of Columbus and northeast of Dayton. Springfield is home to Wittenberg...
, January 12, 1858.
Civil War
He enlisted in the 3rd Ohio Infantry3rd Ohio Infantry
The 3rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in several important campaigns in the Western Theater in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama.-Three-months regiment:...
, a three-months regiment, being appointed major. He served in western Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
fighting in the battles of Rich Mountain
Battle of Rich Mountain
The Battle of Rich Mountain took place on July 11, 1861, in Randolph County, Virginia as part of the Operations in Western Virginia Campaign during the American Civil War.-Background:...
and Cheat Mountain
Battle of Cheat Mountain
The Battle of Cheat Mountain, also known as the Battle of Cheat Summit Fort, took place from September 12 to 15, 1861, in Pocahontas County and Randolph County, Virginia as part of the Western Virginia Campaign during the American Civil War. It was the first battle of the Civil War in which Robert...
and afterward was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the regiment. When his term expired, he joined the 110th Ohio Infantry
110th Ohio Infantry
The 110th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 110th Ohio Infantry was organized at Camp Piqua in Piqua, Ohio and mustered in for three years service on October 3, 1862 under the command of Colonel Joseph Warren Keifer.The...
and became its 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...
. He served in the Eastern Theater
Eastern Theater of the American Civil War
The Eastern Theater of the American Civil War included the states of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, and the coastal fortifications and seaports of North Carolina...
leading his regiment at the second battle of Winchester. While the Union army was soundly defeated and most of it surrendered, Keifer's regiment was able to avoid capture. Following the battle of Gettysburg Keifer was assigned to brigade command in the III Corps and fought at the battle of Wapping Heights. After Robert E. Lee's army had retreated to safety in Virginia, Keifer and his regiment were dispatched to New York City to help suppress the draft riots.
Keifer returned to the Army of the Potomac in time for the Overland Campaign
Overland Campaign
The Overland Campaign, also known as Grant's Overland Campaign and the Wilderness Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and June 1864, in the American Civil War. Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all Union armies, directed the actions of the Army of the...
. He was wounded in the arm at the battle of the Wilderness
Battle of the Wilderness
The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...
, putting him out of action for a time. When he did return to active duty he was placed in command of the 2nd Brigade in James B. Ricketts
James B. Ricketts
James Brewerton Ricketts was a career officer in the United States Army, serving as a Union Army general in the Eastern Theater during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
' 3rd Division of the VI Corps. He led his brigade at the battles of Winchester and Fisher's Hill
Battle of Fisher's Hill
The Battle of Fisher's Hill was fought September 21–22, 1864, as part of the Valley Campaigns of 1864 during the American Civil War. Fisher's Hill is located near Strasburg, Virginia....
. During the battle of Cedar Creek
Battle of Cedar Creek
The Battle of Cedar Creek, or Battle of Belle Grove, October 19, 1864, was one of the final, and most decisive, battles in the Valley Campaigns of 1864 during the American Civil War. The final Confederate invasion of the North, led by Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early, was effectively ended...
, VI Corps commander, Horatio G. Wright temporarily commanded the Army of the Shenandoah and Rickets temporarily in command of the corps. This put Keifer in command of the 3rd Division in Ricketts' absence. When Philip H. Sheridan heroically returned to command the army in the midst of the battle, returning Wright to corps command, Ricketts had already been wounded leaving Keifer in command of the division for the rest of the battle. For his service during the Shenandoah Valley campaign he was brevetted brigadier general of volunteers on October 19, 1864.
When the VI Corps returned to the Army of the Potomac General Truman Seymour
Truman Seymour
Truman Seymour was an a career soldier and an accomplished painter. He served in the Union Army during the American Civil War, rising to the rank of major general. He commanded the Union troops at the Battle of Olustee, the largest Civil War battle fought in Florida.-Early life and career:Seymour...
was placed in command of the 3rd Division and Keifer returned to command the 2nd Brigade, taking part in the breakthrough at Petersburg and the Appomattox Campaign
Appomattox Campaign
The Appomattox Campaign was a series of battles fought March 29 – April 9, 1865, in Virginia that culminated in the surrender of Confederate General Robert E...
.
Political career
Following the Civil War, Keifer returned to Springfield and resumed his law practice. From 1873 until his death, he served as a trusteeTrustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
of Antioch College
Antioch College
Antioch College is a private, independent liberal arts college in Yellow Springs, Ohio, United States. It was the founder and the flagship institution of the six-campus Antioch University system. Founded in 1852 by the Christian Connection, the college began operating in 1853 with politician and...
. In 1876 he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
and the next year went to Congress. From 1881 to 1883, he was Speaker of the House.
Spanish-American War
During the Spanish American War, President William McKinleyWilliam McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
appointed Keifer major general
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...
of volunteers on June 9, 1898. He commanded the 7th Army Corps and the American forces that marched into Havana after Spanish forces withdrew on Jan. 1, 1899.
Return to Politics
After returning to private life on May 12, 1899, he published Slavery and Four Years of War, in 1900. The book was both a commentary on the history of slavery in the United States as well as an autobiography of his experiences during the Civil War. He served as the first commander in chief of the Spanish American War Veterans from 1900 to 1901 and in 1903 and 1904 as the Ohio commander of the Loyal Legion.He again ran and was elected to Congress and served from March 4, 1905-March 3, 1911.
Later Life
After his political career, he again resumed his law practice and served as the President of the Lagonda National Bank in Springfield.Keifer is buried in the Ferncliff Cemetery in Springfield, Ohio.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals
- James M. MoodyJames M. MoodyJames Montraville Moody, a United States Representative from North Carolina; born near what is now Robbinsville, Graham County, N.C., February 12, 1858; moved with his parents to Haywood County; attended the common schools and Waynesville Academy, also Candler College, Buncombe County, N.C.;...
Further reading
- Pope, Thomas E. The Weary Boys: Colonel J. Warren Keifer and the 110th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Kent State University Press, 2002. ISBN 0873387295.