James W. Reilly
Encyclopedia
James William Reilly was a lawyer, politician, and soldier from the state of Ohio
who served as a general in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. He commanded a brigade
and then a division
in the Army of the Ohio
in several campaigns in the Western Theater
of operations.
. He was educated at Mount St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg, Maryland
, and later studied law. He passed his bar exam and established a successful practice in Wellsville, Ohio
, in Columbiana County
. In 1858, he entered politics, and was elected as a Republican
to the Ohio House of Representatives
, where he eventually supported the policies of President Abraham Lincoln
.
of the 104th Ohio Infantry
. After training at Camp Massillon
, he and his men were assigned to various garrisons and posts in Kentucky, where they operated against Edmund Kirby Smith
and John Hunt Morgan
. Reilly and the regiment moved to Covington, Kentucky
, on September 1, 1862, in preparation for the Defense of Cincinnati
against a threatened Confederate
invasion by troops under Kirby Smith. Reilly was then involved in the subsequent Skirmish at Fort Mitchell in northern Kentucky.
In the summer of 1863, Reilly's 104th OVI was assigned to Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside
's Army of the Ohio
during its campaign in East Tennessee
, including operations around the Cumberland Gap
. They marched to Knoxville
and joined the XXIII Corps
. In the autumn of 1863, Reilly commanded a brigade
of infantry
in the XXIII Corps during the Siege of Knoxville. The following year, he led his brigade with competence during the Atlanta Campaign
.
On July 30, 1864, Reilly was promoted to brigadier general
of volunteers. Assigned command of the 3rd Division, XXIII Corps previously commanded by Jacob D. Cox, he performed well during the Franklin-Nashville Campaign
. During the Battle of Franklin
, his troops initially broke in disarray under a heavy Confederate
assault, but General Reilly managed to rally them and repulse the attack, capturing more than 1,000 prisoners and seizing 22 Confederate battle flags.
Reilly and his men were assigned in 1865 to the forces of Maj. Gen. John Schofield
and participated in the Carolinas Campaign
. He resigned from the army on April 20, 1865, and returned to Ohio.
He died in Wellsville at the age of 77 and was buried in its St. Elizabeth's Cemetery.
Upon death, his estate was awarded to the State of Ohio. There is a stadium and grade school in Salem, Ohio that was funded from part of his estate and bear his name to this date.
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...
who served 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...
. 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...
and then 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 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:...
in several campaigns in the Western Theater
Western Theater of the American Civil War
This article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.-Theater of operations:...
of operations.
Early life and career
Reilly was born May 20, 1828, in Akron, OhioAkron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
. He was educated at Mount St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg, Maryland
Emmitsburg, Maryland
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,290 people, 811 households, and 553 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,992.9 people per square mile . There were 862 housing units at an average density of 750.2 per square mile...
, and later studied law. He passed his bar exam and established a successful practice in Wellsville, Ohio
Wellsville, Ohio
Wellsville is a village in Columbiana County, Ohio, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 4,133 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, in Columbiana County
Columbiana County, Ohio
Columbiana County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of 2010, the population was 107,841. It is named for Christopher Columbus and the county seat is Lisbon....
. In 1858, he entered politics, and was elected 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 Ohio House of Representatives
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
, where he eventually supported the policies of President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
.
Civil War service
In August 1862, Reilly joined the military, accepting an appointment as the 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 104th Ohio Infantry
104th Ohio Infantry
The 104th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union army during the American Civil War. It played a conspicuous role at the Battle of Franklin during the 1864 Franklin-Nashville Campaign, where six members later received the Medal of Honor, most for capturing enemy...
. After training at Camp Massillon
Massillon, Ohio
Massillon is a city located in Stark County in the U.S. state of Ohio, approximately 8 miles to the west of Canton, Ohio, 20 miles south of Akron, Ohio, and 50 miles south of Cleveland, Ohio. The population was 32,149 at the 2010 census....
, he and his men were assigned to various garrisons and posts in Kentucky, where they operated against Edmund Kirby Smith
Edmund Kirby Smith
Edmund Kirby Smith was a career United States Army officer and educator. He served as a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, notable for his command of the Trans-Mississippi Department of the Confederacy after the fall of Vicksburg.After the conflict ended Smith...
and John Hunt Morgan
John Hunt Morgan
John Hunt Morgan was a Confederate general and cavalry officer in the American Civil War.Morgan is best known for Morgan's Raid when, in 1863, he and his men rode over 1,000 miles covering a region from Tennessee, up through Kentucky, into Indiana and on to southern Ohio...
. Reilly and the regiment moved to Covington, Kentucky
Covington, Kentucky
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile . There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile...
, on September 1, 1862, in preparation for the Defense of Cincinnati
Defense of Cincinnati
The Defense of Cincinnati occurred during what is now referred to as the Confederate Heartland Offensive of American Civil War from September 1 through September 13, 1862, when Cincinnati, Ohio, was threatened by Confederate forces....
against a threatened Confederate
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...
invasion by troops under Kirby Smith. Reilly was then involved in the subsequent Skirmish at Fort Mitchell in northern Kentucky.
In the summer of 1863, Reilly's 104th OVI was assigned to Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Everett Burnside was an American soldier, railroad executive, inventor, industrialist, and politician from Rhode Island, serving as governor and a U.S. Senator...
's 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 its campaign in East Tennessee
East Tennessee
East Tennessee is a name given to approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee, one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. East Tennessee consists of 33 counties, 30 located within the Eastern Time Zone and three counties in the Central Time Zone, namely...
, including operations around the Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap is a pass through the Cumberland Mountains region of the Appalachian Mountains, also known as the Cumberland Water Gap, at the juncture of the U.S. states of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia...
. They marched to Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
and joined the XXIII Corps
XXIII Corps (ACW)
XXIII Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in the Western Theater as part of the Army of the Ohio.The corps was organized in April 1863 by order of the departmental commander, Ambrose E. Burnside...
. In the autumn of 1863, Reilly 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...
of infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
in the XXIII Corps during the Siege of Knoxville. The following year, he led his brigade with competence during the 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...
.
On July 30, 1864, Reilly 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...
of volunteers. Assigned command of the 3rd Division, XXIII Corps previously commanded by Jacob D. Cox, he performed well 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....
. During the Battle of Franklin
Battle of Franklin
Battle of Franklin may refer to three battles of the American Civil War:* Battle of Franklin , a major battle fought November 30, 1864, at Franklin, Tennessee as part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign...
, his troops initially broke in disarray under a heavy Confederate
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...
assault, but General Reilly managed to rally them and repulse the attack, capturing more than 1,000 prisoners and seizing 22 Confederate battle flags.
Reilly and his men were assigned in 1865 to the forces of Maj. Gen. John Schofield
John Schofield
John McAllister Schofield was an American soldier who held major commands during the American Civil War. He later served as U.S. Secretary of War and Commanding General of the United States Army.-Early life:...
and participated in the Carolinas Campaign
Carolinas Campaign
The Carolinas Campaign was the final campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. In January 1865, Union Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman advanced north from Savannah, Georgia, through the Carolinas, with the intention of linking up with Union forces in Virginia. The defeat of ...
. He resigned from the army on April 20, 1865, and returned to Ohio.
Postbellum career
Reilly resumed his legal career in Wellsville and became active in community affairs. He remained a force in local politics and helped support numerous Republican candidates. In 1873, he was a delegate to the Ohio state constitutional convention from Columbiana County.He died in Wellsville at the age of 77 and was buried in its St. Elizabeth's Cemetery.
Upon death, his estate was awarded to the State of Ohio. There is a stadium and grade school in Salem, Ohio that was funded from part of his estate and bear his name to this date.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals
External links
- Reilly photo gallery at generalsandbrevets.com Retrieved 2008-11-25
- Salem Ohio History link on Reilly