John Milton Thayer
Encyclopedia
John Milton Thayer was a general in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
and a postbellum United States Senator from Nebraska
, as well as governor of Wyoming Territory and governor of Nebraska
.
, Norfolk County, Massachusetts
. He attended and then taught in rural schools, and later studied law at Brown University
and established a practice in Worcester, Massachusetts
. He served as a lieutenant
in the local militia
company before deciding to move with his family to the West
.
Arriving in Nebraska in 1854, he quickly affiliated himself with the Republican Party
and thereafter actively participated in politics, as well as owning a large farm near Omaha
. He became the major general
of the territory militia and gained a reputation as an Indian fighter in his encounters with the local Pawnee.
Thayer served as delegate to the Convention which organized the Republican Party in the Nebraska Territory
and was elected to the Nebraska Territorial Legislature
in 1860-61.
Simon Cameron
asking that he be allowed to raise a Nebraska regiment in response to President Abraham Lincoln
's call for volunteers. He resigned his legislative seat in June 1861 to become Colonel
of the 1st Nebraska Infantry, and spent the entire war fighting in the Western Theater
. He commanded a brigade
under Lew Wallace
in the battles of Fort Donelson
and Shiloh
. Promoted to brigadier general
in October 1862, he led a brigade in the XV Corps
. He saw action at the battles of Chickasaw Bayou
and Fort Hindman
and the siege of Vicksburg.
Thayer then was assigned to the cavalry
and commanded the District of the Frontier with his headquarters in Fort Smith, Arkansas
. He participated in the Camden Expedition
and other actions in the region, seeing considerable action at the Battle of Prairie D'Ane
. He commanded the rearguard of Frederick Steele
's force at the battle of Jenkins' Ferry
, battling Confederate
troops under Sterling Price
for over four hours before forcing Price to disengage. His delaying action enabled Steele to successfully extricate his army to safety.
In February 1865, Thayer was relieved of command of Fort Smith and sent to the smaller post at St. Charles, Arkansas
, with a regiment of Kansas
cavalry and a single artillery battery. However, with the omnibus promotions of leading generals at the close of the war, Thayer was brevetted
major general
of volunteers in 1865.
as a state, he was elected as one of its first two United States senators. he served in the Senate until 1871, when he was unsuccessful in winning reelection. President Ulysses S. Grant
appointed Thayer Governor of the Territory of Wyoming in February 1875 and he took the oath of office March 1, 1875. His service ended on May 29, 1878, and he returned to Nebraska to resumed his law practice.
Thayer served two full terms as Governor of Nebraska
(1887 1891) and part of a third term, (May 5, 1891 February 8, 1892). He contested the results of the 1890 election, in which he lost to James E. Boyd; Boyd was initially installed as Governor, but Thayer again became Governor until the election was ruled in favor of Boyd. He then retired from public life to follow literary pursuits.
John M. Thayer died in Lincoln, Nebraska
, and was buried in Wyuka Cemetery
. Thayer County, Nebraska
, is named for him. A bust of Thayer is on the grounds of the Vicksburg National Military Park
in Mississippi
.
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 postbellum United States Senator from Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, as well as governor of Wyoming Territory and governor of Nebraska
Governor of Nebraska
The Governor of Nebraska holds the "supreme executive power" of the State of Nebraska as provided by the fourth article of the Nebraska Constitution. The current Governor is Dave Heineman, a Republican, who assumed office on January 20, 2005 upon the resignation of Mike Johanns . He won a full...
.
Early life and career
John M. Thayer was born in BellinghamBellingham, Massachusetts
Bellingham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,332 at the 2010 census. The town sits on the southwestern fringe of Metropolitan Boston, along the rapidly growing "outer belt" that is Route 495...
, Norfolk County, Massachusetts
Norfolk County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Adams National Historical Park* Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area * Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site* John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site-Demographics:...
. He attended and then taught in rural schools, and later studied law at Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
and established a practice in Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. He served as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the local militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
company before deciding to move with his family to the West
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
.
Arriving in Nebraska in 1854, he quickly affiliated himself with the Republican Party
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...
and thereafter actively participated in politics, as well as owning a large farm near Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
. He became the 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 the territory militia and gained a reputation as an Indian fighter in his encounters with the local Pawnee.
Thayer served as delegate to the Convention which organized the Republican Party in the Nebraska Territory
Nebraska Territory
The Territory of Nebraska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until March 1, 1867, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Nebraska. The Nebraska Territory was created by the Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854...
and was elected to the Nebraska Territorial Legislature
Nebraska Territorial Legislature
The Nebraska Territorial Legislature was held from January 16, 1855 until 1865 in Omaha City, Nebraska Territory.- Slavery :In 1854 the Kansas-Nebraska Act created the Nebraska Territory, overturning the Missouri Compromise by allowing legislatures of the Nebraska and Kansas territories to...
in 1860-61.
Civil War
With the outbreak of the Civil War, Thayer wrote a letter to Secretary of WarUnited States Secretary of War
The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
Simon Cameron
Simon Cameron
Simon Cameron was an American politician who served as United States Secretary of War for Abraham Lincoln at the start of the American Civil War. After making his fortune in railways and banking, he turned to a life of politics. He became a U.S. senator in 1845 for the state of Pennsylvania,...
asking that he be allowed to raise a Nebraska regiment in response to 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...
's call for volunteers. He resigned his legislative seat in June 1861 to become 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...
of the 1st Nebraska Infantry, and spent the entire war fighting 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:...
. 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...
under Lew Wallace
Lew Wallace
Lewis "Lew" Wallace was an American lawyer, Union general in the American Civil War, territorial governor and statesman, politician and author...
in the battles of Fort Donelson
Battle of Fort Donelson
The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from February 11 to February 16, 1862, in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The capture of the fort by Union forces opened the Cumberland River as an avenue for the invasion of the South. The success elevated Brig. Gen. Ulysses S...
and 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...
. 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...
in October 1862, he led a brigade in the 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. ...
. He saw action at the battles of Chickasaw Bayou
Battle of Chickasaw Bayou
The Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, also called Walnut Hills, fought December 26–29, 1862, was the opening engagement of the Vicksburg Campaign during the American Civil War. Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton repulsed an advance by Union Maj. Gen. William T...
and Fort Hindman
Battle of Fort Hindman
The Battle of Fort Hindman, or the Battle of Arkansas Post, was fought January 9–11, 1863, near the mouth of the Arkansas River at Arkansas Post, Arkansas, as part of the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War.-Background:...
and the siege of Vicksburg.
Thayer then was assigned to the cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
and commanded the District of the Frontier with his headquarters in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
. He participated in the Camden Expedition
Camden Expedition
The Camden Expedition was a military campaign in southern and central Arkansas during the American Civil War. It involved Union forces stationed at Little Rock and Fort Smith under the command of Major General Frederick Steele...
and other actions in the region, seeing considerable action at the Battle of Prairie D'Ane
Battle of Prairie D'Ane
The Battle of Prairie D'Ane was fought April 9–13, 1864, in Nevada County, Arkansas as part of the Camden Expedition of the American Civil War.-Opposing forces:...
. He commanded the rearguard of Frederick Steele
Frederick Steele
Frederick Steele was a career military officer in the United States Army, serving as a major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was most noted for his successful campaign to retake much of secessionist Arkansas for the Union cause.-Early life:Steele was born in Delhi, New...
's force at the battle of Jenkins' Ferry
Battle of Jenkins' Ferry
The Battle of Jenkins' Ferry was fought April 30, 1864, in Grant County, Arkansas during the American Civil War. It was the climactic battle of the Camden Expedition, which was a part of the Union Army’s failed Red River Campaign. Each side sustained a large number of casualties, especially...
, battling 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...
troops under Sterling Price
Sterling Price
Sterling Price was a lawyer, planter, and politician from the U.S. state of Missouri, who served as the 11th Governor of the state from 1853 to 1857. He also served as a United States Army brigadier general during the Mexican-American War, and a Confederate Army major general in the American Civil...
for over four hours before forcing Price to disengage. His delaying action enabled Steele to successfully extricate his army to safety.
In February 1865, Thayer was relieved of command of Fort Smith and sent to the smaller post at St. Charles, Arkansas
St. Charles, Arkansas
St. Charles is a town in Arkansas County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 261 at the 2000 census. It is best known for the Battle of Saint Charles having been fought there on the White River, and the St. Charles Lynchings of 1904. - History :...
, with a regiment of Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
cavalry and a single artillery battery. However, with the omnibus promotions of leading generals at the close of the war, Thayer was brevetted
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
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 in 1865.
Postbellum career
After the Civil War, Thayer was a member of the State constitutional convention in 1866. Upon the admission of Nebraska into the UnionUnion (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
as a state, he was elected as one of its first two United States senators. he served in the Senate until 1871, when he was unsuccessful in winning reelection. President Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
appointed Thayer Governor of the Territory of Wyoming in February 1875 and he took the oath of office March 1, 1875. His service ended on May 29, 1878, and he returned to Nebraska to resumed his law practice.
Thayer served two full terms as Governor of Nebraska
Governor of Nebraska
The Governor of Nebraska holds the "supreme executive power" of the State of Nebraska as provided by the fourth article of the Nebraska Constitution. The current Governor is Dave Heineman, a Republican, who assumed office on January 20, 2005 upon the resignation of Mike Johanns . He won a full...
(1887 1891) and part of a third term, (May 5, 1891 February 8, 1892). He contested the results of the 1890 election, in which he lost to James E. Boyd; Boyd was initially installed as Governor, but Thayer again became Governor until the election was ruled in favor of Boyd. He then retired from public life to follow literary pursuits.
John M. Thayer died in Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
, and was buried in Wyuka Cemetery
Wyuka Cemetery
Wyuka Cemetery is the largest cemetery in Lincoln, Nebraska. In 1890, Lincoln's Bnai Jeshurun Congregation, a Reform congregation, began using a section of Wyuka.-External links:*...
. Thayer County, Nebraska
Thayer County, Nebraska
-History:Thayer County was formed in 1872. It was named after the General and Governor John Milton Thayer.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 6,055 people, 2,541 households, and 1,689 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were...
, is named for him. A bust of Thayer is on the grounds of the Vicksburg National Military Park
Vicksburg National Military Park
Vicksburg National Military Park preserves the site of the American Civil War Battle of Vicksburg, waged from May 18 to July 4, 1863. The park, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Delta, Louisiana, also commemorates the greater Vicksburg Campaign, which preceded the battle. Reconstructed forts and...
in Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals
External links
Retrieved on 2008-02-12- John Milton Thayer at RootsWeb.com
- Governor Thayer's papers at the Nebraska State Historical SocietyNebraska State Historical SocietyThe Nebraska State Historical Society is a Nebraska state agency, founded in 1878 to "encourage historical research and inquiry, spread historical information .....