John M. Corse
Encyclopedia
John Murray Corse was an American politician and soldier who served as a general in the Union Army
in the American Civil War
.
, but moved at the age of seven with his family to Burlington
in the Iowa Territory
. His father. John Lockwood Corse, served six terms as the mayor of that town and established a prosperous book and stationery business. Young Corse became a partner in the family business.
He was appointed to the United States Military Academy
and studied there for two years. Leaving West Point in 1855, Corse chose not to stay in the military, but instead attended a law school in Albany, New York
, and passed his bar exam. He later returned to Iowa and was nominated for as the new state's lieutenant governor
by the Iowa Democratic Party
. In 1860, he unsuccessfully ran for secretary of state
.
as its Major
in 1861 and initially served under Maj. Gen.
John C. Fremont
. He then served on the staff of Maj. Gen. John Pope
early the following year during the Battle of Island Number Ten
and associated engagements. He returned to field duty with his regiment and fought in the Siege of Corinth
, being promoted to lieutenant colonel
. He was promoted to brigadier general
of volunteers on August 11, 1863, in recognition of his service at the Siege of Vicksburg. Assigned command of the 4th Brigade, 4th Division, XV Corps
, in the Federal Army of the Tennessee
, Corse participated in the Chattanooga Campaign
. After recuperating from an injury suffered at Missionary Ridge
, Corse returned to active duty as the inspector general on Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman
's staff. In July 1864, he returned to field duty in command of a division
in XVI Corps
.
General Corse is perhaps best known for his role in the Battle of Allatoona in October 1864. On Sherman's orders, Corse went with 2,100 men to secure Allatoona Pass to prevent Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood
from severing Union communications. The small band of Union soldiers fought determinedly against the 7,000 troops under Hood's command. During the bloody battle, Corse "lost one third of his men and one third of his ear" but secured the pass on October 5, the date on which he was later appointed a brevet
major general. In the midst of the fighting, General Corse received the famous message from General Sherman, "Hold on, I am coming!" Newspapers later amended the text to "Hold the fort, for I am coming." Corse was badly wounded during the stubborn defense, losing a cheekbone and one ear, but recovered to resume his front-line combat duties.
Corse later participated in Sherman's March to the Sea
and the Siege of Savannah
. In the final months of the Civil War, he led his division during the Carolinas Campaign
. At the end of the war he was appointed brevet major general for his Allatoona service.
in the regular army and instead mustered out of the volunteer service in April 1866. He soon returned to Iowa, where he built railroads and bridges. With the political patronage
system of the period, he was named the regional Collector of Internal Revenue, with his office in Chicago
. Corse later moved to Massachusetts
and was chairman of the state's Democratic committee. He was then appointed Postmaster of Boston
. He was married to the grandniece of former U.S. President Franklin Pierce
.
Corse died on his 58th birthday in Winchester, Massachusetts
. His body was transported to Burlington, Iowa, and interred in Aspen Grove Cemetery, the large red brick, and limestone mausoleum is plainly visible from the rear entrance of the cemetery, and is one of the cemetery's landmarks.
A bronze equestrian statue of General Corse by sculptor Carl Rohl-Smith
stands in Crapo Park
in Burlington; the statue was recently restored at a cost of $100,000.
An elementary school within the Burlington School District bears both his, and his father's, names.
A bridge over the Iowa River at state Highway 6 in Iowa City, Iowa has been named the John Corse Memorial Bridge.
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...
in 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...
.
Early life and career
Corse was born in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, but moved at the age of seven with his family to Burlington
Burlington, Iowa
Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
in the Iowa Territory
Iowa Territory
The Territory of Iowa was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1838, until December 28, 1846, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Iowa.-History:...
. His father. John Lockwood Corse, served six terms as the mayor of that town and established a prosperous book and stationery business. Young Corse became a partner in the family business.
He was appointed to the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
and studied there for two years. Leaving West Point in 1855, Corse chose not to stay in the military, but instead attended a law school in Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, and passed his bar exam. He later returned to Iowa and was nominated for as the new state's lieutenant governor
Lieutenant Governor of Iowa
This is a List of Lieutenant Governors of the U.S. state of Iowa, 1858 to present. In Iowa, the Lieutenant Governor and the governor run together on the same ticket. Before the 1998 Election, the law was changed from the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor running separately....
by the Iowa Democratic Party
Iowa Democratic Party
The Iowa Democratic Party is the local branch of the Democratic Party in the state of Iowa.-Current elected officials:Iowa Democrats are in control of the Iowa Senate, one of the state's United States Senate seats, and three out of the state's five United States House of Representatives seats. ...
. In 1860, he unsuccessfully ran for secretary of state
Iowa Secretary of State
The Iowa Secretary of State is a constitutional officer of the U.S. state of Iowa and is elected every four years. The Office of the Secretary of State is divided into four divisions: Elections and Voter Registration, Business Services, Administrative Services, and Communications and Publications...
.
Civil War
Corse joined the 6th Iowa Infantry6th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 6th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 6th Iowa Infantry was organized at Burlington, Iowa and mustered into Federal forces on July 17, 1861....
as its Major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
in 1861 and initially served under 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...
John C. Fremont
John C. Frémont
John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
. He then served on the staff of Maj. Gen. John Pope
John Pope (military officer)
John Pope was a career United States Army officer and Union general in the American Civil War. He had a brief but successful career in the Western Theater, but he is best known for his defeat at the Second Battle of Bull Run in the East.Pope was a graduate of the United States Military Academy in...
early the following year during the Battle of Island Number Ten
Battle of Island Number Ten
The Battle of Island Number Ten was an engagement at the New Madrid or Kentucky Bend on the Mississippi River during the American Civil War, lasting from February 28 to April 8, 1862. The position, an island at the base of a tight double turn in the course of the river, was held by the Confederates...
and associated engagements. He returned to field duty with his regiment and fought in the Siege of Corinth
Siege of Corinth
The Siege of Corinth was an American Civil War battle fought from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi.-Background:...
, being promoted to 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...
. 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...
of volunteers on August 11, 1863, in recognition of his service at the Siege of Vicksburg. Assigned command of the 4th Brigade, 4th Division, XV Corps
XV Corps (ACW)
The XV Army Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in the Army of the Tennessee under Maj. Gens. Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman. It was commanded by Sherman in the Siege of Vicksburg and then by Maj. Gen. John A. Logan in Sherman's Atlanta Campaign. ...
, in the Federal Army of the Tennessee
Army of the Tennessee
The Army of the Tennessee was a Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. It should not be confused with the similarly named Army of Tennessee, a Confederate army named after the State of Tennessee....
, Corse participated in 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...
. After recuperating from an injury suffered at 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...
, Corse returned to active duty as the inspector general on Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
's staff. In July 1864, he returned to field duty in command of 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 XVI Corps
XVI Corps (ACW)
The XVI Army Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. The corps rarely fought as one unified unit, as its divisions were often scattered across the country.-Creation and Vicksburg:...
.
General Corse is perhaps best known for his role in the Battle of Allatoona in October 1864. On Sherman's orders, Corse went with 2,100 men to secure Allatoona Pass to prevent Confederate Gen. 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...
from severing Union communications. The small band of Union soldiers fought determinedly against the 7,000 troops under Hood's command. During the bloody battle, Corse "lost one third of his men and one third of his ear" but secured the pass on October 5, the date on which he was later appointed 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...
major general. In the midst of the fighting, General Corse received the famous message from General Sherman, "Hold on, I am coming!" Newspapers later amended the text to "Hold the fort, for I am coming." Corse was badly wounded during the stubborn defense, losing a cheekbone and one ear, but recovered to resume his front-line combat duties.
Corse later participated in Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea is the name commonly given to the Savannah Campaign conducted around Georgia from November 15, 1864 to December 21, 1864 by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army in the American Civil War...
and the Siege of Savannah
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
. In the final months of the Civil War, he led his division during 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 ...
. At the end of the war he was appointed brevet major general for his Allatoona service.
Postbellum career
Following the Civil War, Corse served in a variety of posts. He refused the offer of a commission as a lieutenant colonelLieutenant 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...
in the regular army and instead mustered out of the volunteer service in April 1866. He soon returned to Iowa, where he built railroads and bridges. With the political patronage
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
system of the period, he was named the regional Collector of Internal Revenue, with his office in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Corse later moved to Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and was chairman of the state's Democratic committee. He was then appointed Postmaster of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. He was married to the grandniece of former U.S. President Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
.
Corse died on his 58th birthday in Winchester, Massachusetts
Winchester, Massachusetts
Winchester is a town located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, eight miles north of Boston. With its agricultural roots having mostly disappeared, it is now an affluent suburb...
. His body was transported to Burlington, Iowa, and interred in Aspen Grove Cemetery, the large red brick, and limestone mausoleum is plainly visible from the rear entrance of the cemetery, and is one of the cemetery's landmarks.
A bronze equestrian statue of General Corse by sculptor Carl Rohl-Smith
Carl Rohl-Smith
Carl Rohl-Smith Danish-American sculptor, born in Copenhagen, Denmark, where he studied at the Academy of Copenhagen from 1865 to 1870. There after he traveled and studied in Berlin Italy and Vienna. By 1886 he had moved to the United States where he worked in New York, St. Louis and Chicago...
stands in Crapo Park
Crapo Park
Crapo Park is a city park with arboretum and botanical garden, located alongside the Mississippi River at Parkway Drive, Burlington, Iowa. Those who are not familiar with the park often mispronounce it as "Crap-O" Park while the correct pronunciation is Cray-po Park...
in Burlington; the statue was recently restored at a cost of $100,000.
An elementary school within the Burlington School District bears both his, and his father's, names.
A bridge over the Iowa River at state Highway 6 in Iowa City, Iowa has been named the John Corse Memorial Bridge.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals