John G. Mitchell (general)
Encyclopedia
John Grant Mitchell was an Ohio
lawyer and a general in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. He was active in several important campaigns and battles in the Western Theater
, including the Chickamauga
, Atlanta
, and Franklin-Nashville
and Carolinas
campaigns. He commanded a brigade
of veteran infantry
in many of these operations.
. He was educated in the common schools and then attended Kenyon College
in Gambier, Ohio
, as a young man. He graduated in 1859 and subsequently studied law in Columbus, Ohio
, with the firm Swan, Andrews, and Noble.
in the first battalion of the Ohio Reserves. On July 27, he was appointed as the first lieutenant and adjutant
of the 3rd Ohio Infantry
regiment
. On December 21, after reenlisting for three-years, he was advanced to captain and took command of his company. He participated in Ormsby M. Mitchel
's campaign in Tennessee
and Alabama
.
In the autumn of 1862, Mitchell helped raise and recruit what became the 113th Ohio Infantry
and was appointed as the regiment's lieutenant colonel
on September 2. On May 6, 1863, Mitchell continued his progression through the ranks, being elevated to colonel
and leading his regiment during the Tullahoma Campaign
. In September of that year, Mitchell took command of the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, of the Reserve Corps of the Army of the Cumberland
. The following month, he became part of the XIV Corps, with which he was associated with for much of the rest of the war.
During the Battle of Chickamauga
, Mitchell led a brigade under James B. Steedman
which arrived late on the second day and played a leading role in aiding George H. Thomas in holding onto his delaying position atop Horsehoe Ridge. At the Battle of Missionary Ridge
near Chattanooga, Tennessee
, Mitchell supported Maj. Gen.
William T. Sherman's assault column. Later he moved to Ambrose Burnside
's relief during the Siege of Knoxville. During the 1864 Atlanta Campaign
, Mitchell led the advance on the enemy positions in the Battle of Rocky Face Ridge
. His regiment suffered severely at the Battle of Resaca
and played a prominent role in the battles of Dallas
and New Hope Church
. His old 113th lost over a hundred men in the assault on Kennesaw Mountain
. Mitchell reported to Thomas and took command of the detached XIV Corps during the Battle of Nashville
and the subsequent pursuit of the retreating Confederate army of John Bell Hood
.
On January 12, 1865, on the recommendation of General Sherman, the 26-year-old Mitchell was promoted to brigadier general
of volunteers, becoming one of the youngest civilian-soldiers to attain that rank without benefit of preparative military training. He participated in one of the war's final major campaigns, the Carolinas Campaign
, in the late winter and early spring of 1865. He commanded his brigade at the battles of Averasborough
and Bentonville
, where his actions halted a major Confederate advance. He was present during the surrender of Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston
at Bennett Place
in April.
Mitchell then led his men in the Grand Review of the Armies
through the streets of Washington, D.C.
in early May. In the omnibus promotions following the war, Mitchell received a brevet
citation and promotion to major general
of volunteers backdated to March 13.
, to resume his legal career. In October 1862, he married Laura Platt, the daughter of Fanny Hayes Platt and niece of fellow Civil War general (and future Ohio Governor and U.S. President) Rutherford B. Hayes
. The couple eventually would have four children—three girls and a boy. Mitchell and Hayes remained good friends for the rest of their lives. Mitchell served as the Register in Bankruptcy, President of the Columbus City Council, and as the Ohio pension commissioner.
John G. Mitchell died in Columbus on the day after his 56th birthday. After a large and well attended funeral, he was interred in Green Lawn Cemetery. His personal and military papers are archived in the collection of the library of the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center
.
His only son, Grant Mitchell
, became a leading character actor in Hollywood, California, in the early 20th century.
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...
lawyer and 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 was active in several important campaigns and battles 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:...
, including the Chickamauga
Chickamauga Campaign
The Chickamauga Campaign was a series of battles fought in northwestern Georgia from August 21 to September 20, 1863, between the Union Army of the Cumberland and Confederate Army of Tennessee.-Background:...
, Atlanta
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...
, and Franklin-Nashville
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....
and Carolinas
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 ...
campaigns. 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...
of veteran 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 many of these operations.
Early life and career
Mitchell was born in Piqua, OhioPiqua, Ohio
Piqua is a city in Miami County, Ohio, United States. The population was 20,738 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area.Piqua was one of the cities that experienced severe flooding during the Great Dayton Flood of 1913....
. He was educated in the common schools and then attended Kenyon College
Kenyon College
Kenyon College is a private liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio, founded in 1824 by Bishop Philander Chase of The Episcopal Church, in parallel with the Bexley Hall seminary. It is the oldest private college in Ohio...
in Gambier, Ohio
Gambier, Ohio
Gambier is a village in Knox County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,871 at the 2000 census.Gambier is the home of Kenyon College and was named after one of Kenyon College's early benefactors, Lord Gambier....
, as a young man. He graduated in 1859 and subsequently studied law in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, with the firm Swan, Andrews, and Noble.
Civil War
Shortly after the outbreak of the Civil War in early 1861, Mitchell enlisted as a privatePrivate (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the first battalion of the Ohio Reserves. On July 27, he was appointed as the first lieutenant and adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
of the 3rd Ohio Infantry
3rd 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:...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
. On December 21, after reenlisting for three-years, he was advanced to captain and took command of his company. He participated in Ormsby M. Mitchel
Ormsby M. Mitchel
Ormsby MacKnight Mitchel was an American astronomer and major general in the American Civil War....
's campaign in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
.
In the autumn of 1862, Mitchell helped raise and recruit what became the 113th Ohio Infantry
113th Ohio Infantry
The 113th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 113th Ohio Infantry was organized at Camp Chase in Columbus, Zanesville, and Camp Dennison near Cincinnati, Ohio October 10 through December 12, 1862 and mustered in for three...
and was appointed as the regiment's lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
on September 2. On May 6, 1863, Mitchell continued his progression through the ranks, being elevated to 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...
and leading his regiment during the Tullahoma Campaign
Tullahoma Campaign
The Tullahoma Campaign or Middle Tennessee Campaign was fought between June 24 and July 3, 1863, during the American Civil War. The Union Army of the Cumberland, commanded by Maj. Gen. William S...
. In September of that year, Mitchell took command of the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, of the Reserve Corps of 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:...
. The following month, he became part of the XIV Corps, with which he was associated with for much of the rest of the war.
During 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...
, Mitchell led a brigade under James B. Steedman
James B. Steedman
James Blair Steedman was an American soldier, printer, and politician. He also served during the American Civil War as a general in the Union Army, most noted for his performances at the Battle of Chickamauga in 1863 and the Battle of Nashville in 1864.-Early life and career:Steedman was born in...
which arrived late on the second day and played a leading role in aiding George H. Thomas in holding onto his delaying position atop Horsehoe Ridge. At the Battle of 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...
near 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...
, Mitchell supported 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 T. Sherman's assault column. Later he moved to 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 relief during the Siege of Knoxville. During 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...
, Mitchell led the advance on the enemy positions in the Battle of Rocky Face Ridge
Battle of Rocky Face Ridge
The Battle of Rocky Face Ridge was fought May 7–13, 1864, in Whitfield County, Georgia, during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. The Union army was led by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman and the Confederate army by Gen. Joseph E. Johnston...
. His regiment suffered severely at the Battle of Resaca
Battle of Resaca
The Battle of Resaca was part of the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. The battle was waged in both Gordon and Whitfield counties, Georgia, from May 13 - 15, 1864. It ended inconclusively with the Confederate Army retreating. The engagement was fought between the Military Division of the...
and played a prominent role in the battles of Dallas
Battle of Dallas
The Battle of Dallas was a series of engagements during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. They occurred between May 26 and June 4, 1864, in and around Dallas, Georgia, between Lt. General William J. Hardee's Confederate corps and the Union defense line, held by the XV Corps under Maj....
and New Hope Church
Battle of New Hope Church
The Battle of New Hope Church was fought May 25–26, 1864, between the Union force of Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman and the Confederate Army of Tennessee under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War...
. His old 113th lost over a hundred men in the assault on Kennesaw Mountain
Battle of Kennesaw Mountain
The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain was fought on June 27, 1864, during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the most significant frontal assault launched by Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman against the Confederate Army of Tennessee under Gen. Joseph E...
. Mitchell reported to Thomas and took command of the detached XIV Corps during the Battle of Nashville
Battle of Nashville
The Battle of Nashville was a two-day battle in the Franklin-Nashville Campaign that represented the end of large-scale fighting in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was fought at Nashville, Tennessee, on December 15–16, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Tennessee under...
and the subsequent pursuit of the retreating Confederate army of 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...
.
On January 12, 1865, on the recommendation of General Sherman, the 26-year-old Mitchell 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, becoming one of the youngest civilian-soldiers to attain that rank without benefit of preparative military training. He participated in one of the war's final major campaigns, 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 ...
, in the late winter and early spring of 1865. He commanded his brigade at the battles of Averasborough
Battle of Averasborough
The Battle of Averasborough or The Battle of Averasboro, fought March 16, 1865, in Harnett and Cumberland counties, North Carolina, as part of the Carolinas Campaign of the American Civil War, was a prelude to the climactic Battle of Bentonville, which began three days later.Union Maj. Gen. William...
and Bentonville
Battle of Bentonville
At 3 p.m., Confederate infantry from the Army of Tennessee launched an attack and drove the Union left flank back in confusion, nearly capturing Carlin in the process and overrunning the XIV Corps field hospital. Confederates under Maj. Gen. D.H. Hill filled the vacuum left by the retreating...
, where his actions halted a major Confederate advance. He was present during the surrender of Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph Eggleston Johnston was a career U.S. Army officer, serving with distinction in the Mexican-American War and Seminole Wars, and was also one of the most senior general officers in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
at Bennett Place
Bennett Place
Bennett Place, sometimes known as Bennett Farm, in Durham, North Carolina was the site of the largest surrender of Confederate soldiers ending the American Civil War, on April 26, 1865.-History:...
in April.
Mitchell then led his men in the Grand Review of the Armies
Grand Review of the Armies
The Grand Review of the Armies was a military procession and celebration in Washington, D.C., on May 23 and May 24, 1865, following the close of the American Civil War...
through the streets of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in early May. In the omnibus promotions following the war, Mitchell received a brevet
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...
citation and promotion to 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 backdated to March 13.
Postbellum career
Mitchell resigned from the Army on July 3, 1865, and returned home to Columbus, OhioColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, to resume his legal career. In October 1862, he married Laura Platt, the daughter of Fanny Hayes Platt and niece of fellow Civil War general (and future Ohio Governor and U.S. President) Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States . As president, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution...
. The couple eventually would have four children—three girls and a boy. Mitchell and Hayes remained good friends for the rest of their lives. Mitchell served as the Register in Bankruptcy, President of the Columbus City Council, and as the Ohio pension commissioner.
John G. Mitchell died in Columbus on the day after his 56th birthday. After a large and well attended funeral, he was interred in Green Lawn Cemetery. His personal and military papers are archived in the collection of the library of the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center
Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center
The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center is a complex comprising several buildings related to the life and presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes. Located in Fremont, Ohio, the center comprises the Rutherford B. Hayes Museum and Library and Spiegel Grove, an estate encompassing the Hayes home,...
.
His only son, Grant Mitchell
Grant Mitchell (actor)
Grant Mitchell was an American stage actor on Broadway and character actor in many Hollywood films of the 1930s and 1940s...
, became a leading character actor in Hollywood, California, in the early 20th century.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals
External links
- Photo gallery of Mitchell at generalsandbrevets.com