Thomas W. Osborn
Encyclopedia
Thomas Ward Osborn was a Union Army
officer and United States Senator
representing Florida
.
, the son of John and Amelia Osborn. He and his family moved to North Wilna, New York
in 1842 where he worked on the family farm until 1854. In 1854, Osborn took college preparatory courses and, in 1860, he graduated from Madison University (now Colgate University
) of Hamilton, New York
.
After graduating, Osborn worked in a law office in Watertown, New York and was admitted to the New York
bar association
in 1861.
looming, Osborn did not practice law for long. After the First Battle of Bull Run
in 1861, he entered the Union Army
as lieutenant
. From his home Jefferson County, New York
, Osborn raised a company
for light artillery service which became known as Company (or Battery
) D, First Regiment
, New York Light Artillery.
Osborn's company served with the Army of the Potomac
earning high marks and he was promoted to captain, major
and colonel
. As major, Osborn served under Major General Oliver O. Howard
in the XI Corps
leading in exemplary fashion (although the XI Corps was routed in both the Battle of Chancellorsville
and Battle of Gettysburg
). Osborn commanded the corps' artillery brigade at Gettysburg, and he was involved in the defense of Cemetery Hill
on July 2, 1863, when the position was attacked by troops of Maj. Gen. Jubal Early.
Osborn transferred to the Western theater with Howard. He served as inspector general
when Howard became commander of the Army of the Tennessee
. He left a detailed account of Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's March to the Sea
.
for the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands
as part of Reconstruction in Florida in 1865 and 1866. He also practiced law while living in Tallahassee, Florida
.
Osborn was a member of the State constitutional convention which created The 1868 Florida Constitution. He then moved to Pensacola, Florida
and was elected to the Florida Senate
.
Shortly thereafter, Florida was reinstated to the U.S. Congress. While still only in his mid-30s, Osborn was elected to the United States Senate as a Republican
and served from 1868 to 1873.
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
in 1876, the first official world's fair
in the United States
.
In his retirement, Osborn engaged in law and literature in New York City
where he died in 1898. Thomas Osborn is interred at Hillside Cemetery in North Adams, Massachusetts
.
Thomas Ward Osborn (March 9, 1833 December 18, 1898) was a Union Army
officer and United States Senator
representing Florida
.
, the son of John and Amelia Osborn. He and his family moved to North Wilna, New York
in 1842 where he worked on the family farm until 1854. In 1854, Osborn took college preparatory courses and, in 1860, he graduated from Madison University (now Colgate University
) of Hamilton, New York
.
After graduating, Osborn worked in a law office in Watertown, New York and was admitted to the New York
bar association
in 1861.
looming, Osborn did not practice law for long. After the First Battle of Bull Run
in 1861, he entered the Union Army
as lieutenant
. From his home Jefferson County, New York
, Osborn raised a company
for light artillery service which became known as Company (or Battery
) D, First Regiment
, New York Light Artillery.
Osborn's company served with the Army of the Potomac
earning high marks and he was promoted to captain, major
and colonel
. As major, Osborn served under Major General Oliver O. Howard
in the XI Corps
leading in exemplary fashion (although the XI Corps was routed in both the Battle of Chancellorsville
and Battle of Gettysburg
). Osborn commanded the corps' artillery brigade at Gettysburg, and he was involved in the defense of Cemetery Hill
on July 2, 1863, when the position was attacked by troops of Maj. Gen. Jubal Early.
Osborn transferred to the Western theater with Howard. He served as inspector general
when Howard became commander of the Army of the Tennessee
. He left a detailed account of Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's March to the Sea
.
for the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands
as part of Reconstruction in Florida in 1865 and 1866. He also practiced law while living in Tallahassee, Florida
.
Osborn was a member of the State constitutional convention which created The 1868 Florida Constitution. He then moved to Pensacola, Florida
and was elected to the Florida Senate
.
Shortly thereafter, Florida was reinstated to the U.S. Congress. While still only in his mid-30s, Osborn was elected to the United States Senate as a Republican
and served from 1868 to 1873.
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
in 1876, the first official world's fair
in the United States
.
In his retirement, Osborn engaged in law and literature in New York City
where he died in 1898. Thomas Osborn is interred at Hillside Cemetery in North Adams, Massachusetts
.
Thomas Ward Osborn (March 9, 1833 December 18, 1898) was a Union Army
officer and United States Senator
representing Florida
.
, the son of John and Amelia Osborn. He and his family moved to North Wilna, New York
in 1842 where he worked on the family farm until 1854. In 1854, Osborn took college preparatory courses and, in 1860, he graduated from Madison University (now Colgate University
) of Hamilton, New York
.
After graduating, Osborn worked in a law office in Watertown, New York and was admitted to the New York
bar association
in 1861.
looming, Osborn did not practice law for long. After the First Battle of Bull Run
in 1861, he entered the Union Army
as lieutenant
. From his home Jefferson County, New York
, Osborn raised a company
for light artillery service which became known as Company (or Battery
) D, First Regiment
, New York Light Artillery.
Osborn's company served with the Army of the Potomac
earning high marks and he was promoted to captain, major
and colonel
. As major, Osborn served under Major General Oliver O. Howard
in the XI Corps
leading in exemplary fashion (although the XI Corps was routed in both the Battle of Chancellorsville
and Battle of Gettysburg
). Osborn commanded the corps' artillery brigade at Gettysburg, and he was involved in the defense of Cemetery Hill
on July 2, 1863, when the position was attacked by troops of Maj. Gen. Jubal Early.
Osborn transferred to the Western theater with Howard. He served as inspector general
when Howard became commander of the Army of the Tennessee
. He left a detailed account of Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's March to the Sea
.
for the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands
as part of Reconstruction in Florida in 1865 and 1866. He also practiced law while living in Tallahassee, Florida
.
Osborn was a member of the State constitutional convention which created The 1868 Florida Constitution. He then moved to Pensacola, Florida
and was elected to the Florida Senate
.
Shortly thereafter, Florida was reinstated to the U.S. Congress. While still only in his mid-30s, Osborn was elected to the United States Senate as a Republican
and served from 1868 to 1873.
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
in 1876, the first official world's fair
in the United States
.
In his retirement, Osborn engaged in law and literature in New York City
where he died in 1898. Thomas Osborn is interred at Hillside Cemetery in North Adams, Massachusetts
.
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...
officer and United States Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
representing Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
Early life
Thomas Osborn was born in Scotch Plains, New JerseyScotch Plains, New Jersey
Scotch Plains is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the township population increased to a record high of 23,510.-History:...
, the son of John and Amelia Osborn. He and his family moved to North Wilna, New York
Wilna, New York
Wilna is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 6,427 at the 2010 census.The Town of Wilna is in the eastern corner of the county and is east of Watertown.- History :...
in 1842 where he worked on the family farm until 1854. In 1854, Osborn took college preparatory courses and, in 1860, he graduated from Madison University (now Colgate University
Colgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
) of Hamilton, New York
Hamilton (town), New York
Hamilton is a town in Madison County, New York, United States. The population was 5,733 at the 2000 census. The town is named after American patriot Alexander Hamilton....
.
After graduating, Osborn worked in a law office in Watertown, New York and was admitted to the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
bar association
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in 1861.
Military service
With the American Civil WarAmerican 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...
looming, Osborn did not practice law for long. After the First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
in 1861, he entered 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...
as 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...
. From his home Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,229. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, and president at the time the county was created in 1805...
, Osborn raised a company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
for light artillery service which became known as Company (or Battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
) D, First 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...
, New York Light Artillery.
Osborn's company served with the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
earning high marks and he was promoted to captain, 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...
and 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...
. As major, Osborn served under Major General Oliver O. Howard
Oliver O. Howard
Oliver Otis Howard was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War...
in the XI Corps
XI Corps (ACW)
The XI Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War, best remembered for its involvement in the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg in 1863.-Formation and the Valley Campaign:...
leading in exemplary fashion (although the XI Corps was routed in both the Battle of Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign. It was fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville. Two related battles were fought nearby on...
and Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
). Osborn commanded the corps' artillery brigade at Gettysburg, and he was involved in the defense of Cemetery Hill
Cemetery Hill
Cemetery Hill is a Gettysburg Battlefield landform which had 1863 military engagements each day of the July 1–3 Battle of Gettysburg. The northernmost part of the Army of the Potomac defensive "fish-hook" line, the hill is gently sloped and provided a site for American Civil War artillery...
on July 2, 1863, when the position was attacked by troops of Maj. Gen. Jubal Early.
Osborn transferred to the Western theater with Howard. He served as inspector general
Inspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
when Howard became commander of the 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....
. He left a detailed account of Maj. Gen. William T. 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...
.
Reconstruction and politics
After Osborn's military service ended, he was appointed assistant commissionerCommissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
for the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands
The Freedmen's Bureau, was a U.S. federal government agency that aided distressed freedmen in 1865–1869, during the Reconstruction era of the United States....
as part of Reconstruction in Florida in 1865 and 1866. He also practiced law while living in Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
.
Osborn was a member of the State constitutional convention which created The 1868 Florida Constitution. He then moved to Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
and was elected to the Florida Senate
Florida Senate
The Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The Senate is composed of 40 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 470,032....
.
Shortly thereafter, Florida was reinstated to the U.S. Congress. While still only in his mid-30s, Osborn was elected to the United States Senate 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...
and served from 1868 to 1873.
Retirement
Osborn did not run for reelection in 1872. He served as the U.S. commissioner at the Centennial ExpositionCentennial Exposition
The Centennial International Exhibition of 1876, the first official World's Fair in the United States, was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 10 to November 10, 1876, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. It was officially...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
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...
in 1876, the first official world's fair
World's Fair
World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In his retirement, Osborn engaged in law and literature in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
where he died in 1898. Thomas Osborn is interred at Hillside Cemetery in North Adams, Massachusetts
North Adams, Massachusetts
North Adams is a city in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,708 as of the 2010 census, making it the least populous city in the state...
.
See also
- List of United States Senators from Florida
- United States congressional delegations from FloridaUnited States congressional delegations from FloridaThese are tables of congressional delegations from Florida to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives.Unlike many smaller states that generally have continuity in their districts when reapportioned every 10 years after the United States Census, Florida has seen a great...
External links
- Thomas W. Osborn biography excerpt from the John A. Haddock book
- Major Osborn's report from the Battle of Gettysburg
Thomas Ward Osborn (March 9, 1833 December 18, 1898) was a 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...
officer and United States Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
representing Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
Early life
Thomas Osborn was born in Scotch Plains, New JerseyScotch Plains, New Jersey
Scotch Plains is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the township population increased to a record high of 23,510.-History:...
, the son of John and Amelia Osborn. He and his family moved to North Wilna, New York
Wilna, New York
Wilna is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 6,427 at the 2010 census.The Town of Wilna is in the eastern corner of the county and is east of Watertown.- History :...
in 1842 where he worked on the family farm until 1854. In 1854, Osborn took college preparatory courses and, in 1860, he graduated from Madison University (now Colgate University
Colgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
) of Hamilton, New York
Hamilton (town), New York
Hamilton is a town in Madison County, New York, United States. The population was 5,733 at the 2000 census. The town is named after American patriot Alexander Hamilton....
.
After graduating, Osborn worked in a law office in Watertown, New York and was admitted to the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
bar association
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in 1861.
Military service
With the American Civil WarAmerican 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...
looming, Osborn did not practice law for long. After the First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
in 1861, he entered 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...
as 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...
. From his home Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,229. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, and president at the time the county was created in 1805...
, Osborn raised a company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
for light artillery service which became known as Company (or Battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
) D, First 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...
, New York Light Artillery.
Osborn's company served with the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
earning high marks and he was promoted to captain, 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...
and 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...
. As major, Osborn served under Major General Oliver O. Howard
Oliver O. Howard
Oliver Otis Howard was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War...
in the XI Corps
XI Corps (ACW)
The XI Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War, best remembered for its involvement in the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg in 1863.-Formation and the Valley Campaign:...
leading in exemplary fashion (although the XI Corps was routed in both the Battle of Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign. It was fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville. Two related battles were fought nearby on...
and Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
). Osborn commanded the corps' artillery brigade at Gettysburg, and he was involved in the defense of Cemetery Hill
Cemetery Hill
Cemetery Hill is a Gettysburg Battlefield landform which had 1863 military engagements each day of the July 1–3 Battle of Gettysburg. The northernmost part of the Army of the Potomac defensive "fish-hook" line, the hill is gently sloped and provided a site for American Civil War artillery...
on July 2, 1863, when the position was attacked by troops of Maj. Gen. Jubal Early.
Osborn transferred to the Western theater with Howard. He served as inspector general
Inspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
when Howard became commander of the 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....
. He left a detailed account of Maj. Gen. William T. 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...
.
Reconstruction and politics
After Osborn's military service ended, he was appointed assistant commissionerCommissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
for the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands
The Freedmen's Bureau, was a U.S. federal government agency that aided distressed freedmen in 1865–1869, during the Reconstruction era of the United States....
as part of Reconstruction in Florida in 1865 and 1866. He also practiced law while living in Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
.
Osborn was a member of the State constitutional convention which created The 1868 Florida Constitution. He then moved to Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
and was elected to the Florida Senate
Florida Senate
The Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The Senate is composed of 40 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 470,032....
.
Shortly thereafter, Florida was reinstated to the U.S. Congress. While still only in his mid-30s, Osborn was elected to the United States Senate 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...
and served from 1868 to 1873.
Retirement
Osborn did not run for reelection in 1872. He served as the U.S. commissioner at the Centennial ExpositionCentennial Exposition
The Centennial International Exhibition of 1876, the first official World's Fair in the United States, was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 10 to November 10, 1876, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. It was officially...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
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...
in 1876, the first official world's fair
World's Fair
World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In his retirement, Osborn engaged in law and literature in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
where he died in 1898. Thomas Osborn is interred at Hillside Cemetery in North Adams, Massachusetts
North Adams, Massachusetts
North Adams is a city in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,708 as of the 2010 census, making it the least populous city in the state...
.
See also
- List of United States Senators from Florida
- United States congressional delegations from FloridaUnited States congressional delegations from FloridaThese are tables of congressional delegations from Florida to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives.Unlike many smaller states that generally have continuity in their districts when reapportioned every 10 years after the United States Census, Florida has seen a great...
External links
- Thomas W. Osborn biography excerpt from the John A. Haddock book
- Major Osborn's report from the Battle of Gettysburg
Thomas Ward Osborn (March 9, 1833 December 18, 1898) was a 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...
officer and United States Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
representing Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
Early life
Thomas Osborn was born in Scotch Plains, New JerseyScotch Plains, New Jersey
Scotch Plains is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the township population increased to a record high of 23,510.-History:...
, the son of John and Amelia Osborn. He and his family moved to North Wilna, New York
Wilna, New York
Wilna is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 6,427 at the 2010 census.The Town of Wilna is in the eastern corner of the county and is east of Watertown.- History :...
in 1842 where he worked on the family farm until 1854. In 1854, Osborn took college preparatory courses and, in 1860, he graduated from Madison University (now Colgate University
Colgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
) of Hamilton, New York
Hamilton (town), New York
Hamilton is a town in Madison County, New York, United States. The population was 5,733 at the 2000 census. The town is named after American patriot Alexander Hamilton....
.
After graduating, Osborn worked in a law office in Watertown, New York and was admitted to the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
bar association
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in 1861.
Military service
With the American Civil WarAmerican 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...
looming, Osborn did not practice law for long. After the First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
in 1861, he entered 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...
as 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...
. From his home Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,229. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, and president at the time the county was created in 1805...
, Osborn raised a company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
for light artillery service which became known as Company (or Battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
) D, First 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...
, New York Light Artillery.
Osborn's company served with the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
earning high marks and he was promoted to captain, 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...
and 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...
. As major, Osborn served under Major General Oliver O. Howard
Oliver O. Howard
Oliver Otis Howard was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War...
in the XI Corps
XI Corps (ACW)
The XI Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War, best remembered for its involvement in the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg in 1863.-Formation and the Valley Campaign:...
leading in exemplary fashion (although the XI Corps was routed in both the Battle of Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign. It was fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville. Two related battles were fought nearby on...
and Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
). Osborn commanded the corps' artillery brigade at Gettysburg, and he was involved in the defense of Cemetery Hill
Cemetery Hill
Cemetery Hill is a Gettysburg Battlefield landform which had 1863 military engagements each day of the July 1–3 Battle of Gettysburg. The northernmost part of the Army of the Potomac defensive "fish-hook" line, the hill is gently sloped and provided a site for American Civil War artillery...
on July 2, 1863, when the position was attacked by troops of Maj. Gen. Jubal Early.
Osborn transferred to the Western theater with Howard. He served as inspector general
Inspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
when Howard became commander of the 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....
. He left a detailed account of Maj. Gen. William T. 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...
.
Reconstruction and politics
After Osborn's military service ended, he was appointed assistant commissionerCommissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
for the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands
The Freedmen's Bureau, was a U.S. federal government agency that aided distressed freedmen in 1865–1869, during the Reconstruction era of the United States....
as part of Reconstruction in Florida in 1865 and 1866. He also practiced law while living in Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
.
Osborn was a member of the State constitutional convention which created The 1868 Florida Constitution. He then moved to Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
and was elected to the Florida Senate
Florida Senate
The Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The Senate is composed of 40 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 470,032....
.
Shortly thereafter, Florida was reinstated to the U.S. Congress. While still only in his mid-30s, Osborn was elected to the United States Senate 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...
and served from 1868 to 1873.
Retirement
Osborn did not run for reelection in 1872. He served as the U.S. commissioner at the Centennial ExpositionCentennial Exposition
The Centennial International Exhibition of 1876, the first official World's Fair in the United States, was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 10 to November 10, 1876, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. It was officially...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
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...
in 1876, the first official world's fair
World's Fair
World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In his retirement, Osborn engaged in law and literature in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
where he died in 1898. Thomas Osborn is interred at Hillside Cemetery in North Adams, Massachusetts
North Adams, Massachusetts
North Adams is a city in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,708 as of the 2010 census, making it the least populous city in the state...
.
See also
- List of United States Senators from Florida
- United States congressional delegations from FloridaUnited States congressional delegations from FloridaThese are tables of congressional delegations from Florida to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives.Unlike many smaller states that generally have continuity in their districts when reapportioned every 10 years after the United States Census, Florida has seen a great...