William Grose
Encyclopedia
William Grose was a lawyer, politician, author, and brigadier general
in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. He served in many of the important campaigns and battles of the Western Theater
, earning a reputation for being "always seen where the bullets flew thickest."
, to a family with strong military ties. His father had served in the United States Army
under William Henry Harrison
against the British Army
in the War of 1812
and his grandfather Jacob Grose had been killed in the American Revolution
. In the spring of 1813, Grose's family moved to Fayette County, Indiana
, and then to Henry County
in 1829. He worked as a youth as a farm laborer and in a local brickyard.
Grose studied law in New Castle, Indiana
, where he lived the rest of his life. He passed the bar exam in 1842 and established a successful law practice and unsuccessfully ran for the United States Congress
in 1852 as a Democrat
. Switching political parties, in 1856 he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention
, supporting John C. Fremont
's unsuccessful candidacy for President of the United States
. He was elected in 1860 as a judge of the local common pleas court.
of the 36th Indiana Infantry
in October 1861, a regiment
he recruited and trained. He led the regiment during the Battle of Shiloh
, where his horse was shot from under him and he was slightly wounded in the shoulder. Shortly afterwards, he replaced the wounded Brig. Gen. Jacob Ammen
in command of a brigade
of infantry
in the Army of the Cumberland
under Maj. Gen.
Don Carlos Buell
. He participated in numerous campaigns and battles, including the pursuit of Braxton Bragg
's army in the Kentucky Campaign, having another horse killed at the Battle of Stones River
.
In 1863, he fought in the Tullahoma Campaign
and the Battle of Chickamauga
, where he was wounded in the neck. He and his men performed well during the Chattanooga Campaign in late 1863, taking part in the assault on Lookout Mountain
and received praise in the official reports of the battle.
The following year, Grose led his brigade in the Atlanta Campaign
under William T. Sherman. During the Siege of Atlanta in July 1864, he was commissioned a brigadier general
of U.S. Volunteers. He commanded a brigade in Maj. Gen. Nathan Kimball
's division
in Maj. Gen. Thomas J. Wood
's IV Corps
. Grose accompanied the Army of the Tennessee
northward in pursuit of John Bell Hood
and fought in the Franklin-Nashville Campaign
, where Hood's army was virtually destroyed. He was brevetted
as a major general
in August 1865, while serving on administrative duty on a court-martial
of a fellow officer.
for a year, and then resigned in January 1866. He returned to New Castle, Indiana, and resumed his law practice. President
Andrew Johnson
appointed him as the collector of internal revenue taxes for his region, a post he held until 1874.
Interested in social improvement, Grose took a position on the Indiana commission that oversaw the construction of mental hospital
s. In 1878, he was narrowly defeated in a bid for a Congressional seat. In 1887, Grose returned to politics, successfully campaigning for a seat in the Indiana State Senate. In 1891, he authored the regimental history of the 36th Indiana Infantry and actively participated in its veterans reunions.
Grose died at the age of 87 in his home in New Castle, Indiana
, and was buried in South Mound Cemetery.
The Gen. William Grose House
in New Castle is the home of the Henry County Historical Society and open to the public.
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 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 served in many of the important campaigns and battles of 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:...
, earning a reputation for being "always seen where the bullets flew thickest."
Early life and career
Grose was born in Dayton, OhioDayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, to a family with strong military ties. His father had served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
under William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
against the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
and his grandfather Jacob Grose had been killed in the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. In the spring of 1813, Grose's family moved to Fayette County, Indiana
Fayette County, Indiana
-2010 Census Data:As of the census of 2010, there were 24,277 people and 9,719 households residing in the county. The population density was 113 people per square mile . There were 10,898 housing units at an average density of 51 per square mile...
, and then to Henry County
Henry County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 48,508 people, 19,486 households, and 13,971 families residing in the county. The population density was 124 people per square mile . There were 20,592 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile...
in 1829. He worked as a youth as a farm laborer and in a local brickyard.
Grose studied law in New Castle, Indiana
New Castle, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,780 people, 7,462 households, and 4,805 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,987.5 people per square mile . There were 8,042 housing units at an average density of 1,351.3 per square mile...
, where he lived the rest of his life. He passed the bar exam in 1842 and established a successful law practice and unsuccessfully ran for the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
in 1852 as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. Switching political parties, in 1856 he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
, supporting 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...
's unsuccessful candidacy for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. He was elected in 1860 as a judge of the local common pleas court.
Civil War
With the outbreak of the Civil War, Grose was appointed colonelColonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
of the 36th Indiana Infantry
36th Regiment Indiana Infantry
The 36th Regiment Indiana Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 36th Indiana Infantry was organized at Richmond, Indiana and mustered in for a three year enlistment on September 16, 1861 under the command of Colonel William...
in October 1861, a 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...
he recruited and trained. He led the regiment during the Battle of 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...
, where his horse was shot from under him and he was slightly wounded in the shoulder. Shortly afterwards, he replaced the wounded Brig. Gen. Jacob Ammen
Jacob Ammen
Jacob Ammen was a college professor, civil engineer, and a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. His younger brother, Daniel Ammen, was an admiral in the United States Navy.-Early life and career:...
in command of a brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
of infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
in the 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:...
under Maj. Gen.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Don Carlos Buell
Don Carlos Buell
Don Carlos Buell was a career United States Army officer who fought in the Seminole War, the Mexican-American War, and the American Civil War. Buell led Union armies in two great Civil War battles—Shiloh and Perryville. The nation was angry at his failure to defeat the outnumbered...
. He participated in numerous campaigns and battles, including the pursuit of Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg was a career United States Army officer, and then a general in the Confederate States Army—a principal commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and later the military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.Bragg, a native of North Carolina, was...
's army in the Kentucky Campaign, having another horse killed at the Battle of Stones River
Battle of Stones River
The Battle of Stones River or Second Battle of Murfreesboro , was fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee, as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War...
.
In 1863, he fought in 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...
and 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...
, where he was wounded in the neck. He and his men performed well during the Chattanooga Campaign in late 1863, taking part in the assault on Lookout Mountain
Battle of Lookout Mountain
The Battle of Lookout Mountain was fought November 24, 1863, as part of the Chattanooga Campaign of the American Civil War. Union forces under Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker assaulted Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga, Tennessee, and defeated Confederate forces commanded by Maj. Gen. Carter L. Stevenson....
and received praise in the official reports of the battle.
The following year, Grose led his brigade in the Atlanta Campaign
Atlanta Campaign
The Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May...
under William T. Sherman. During the Siege of Atlanta in July 1864, he was commissioned a 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 U.S. Volunteers. He commanded a brigade in Maj. Gen. Nathan Kimball
Nathan Kimball
Nathan Kimball was a physician, politician, postmaster, and military officer, serving as a general in the Union army during the American Civil War...
's 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 Maj. Gen. Thomas J. Wood
Thomas J. Wood
Thomas John Wood was a career United States Army officer and a Union general during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
's IV Corps
IV Corps (ACW)
There were two corps of the Union Army called IV Corps during the American Civil War. They were separate units, one serving with the Army of the Potomac and the Department of Virginia in the Eastern Theater, 1862–63, the other with the Army of the Cumberland in the Western Theater,...
. Grose accompanied 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....
northward in pursuit 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...
and fought in the Franklin-Nashville Campaign
Franklin-Nashville Campaign
The Franklin-Nashville Campaign, also known as Hood's Tennessee Campaign, was a series of battles in the Western Theater, conducted from September 18 to December 27, 1864, in Alabama, Tennessee, and northwestern Georgia during the American Civil War. The Confederate Army of Tennessee under Lt....
, where Hood's army was virtually destroyed. He 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...
as a 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...
in August 1865, while serving on administrative duty on a court-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
of a fellow officer.
Postbellum
Following the war, Grose remained in the Regular ArmyRegular Army
The Regular Army of the United States was and is the successor to the Continental Army as the country's permanent, professional military establishment. Even in modern times the professional core of the United States Army continues to be called the Regular Army...
for a year, and then resigned in January 1866. He returned to New Castle, Indiana, and resumed his law practice. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
appointed him as the collector of internal revenue taxes for his region, a post he held until 1874.
Interested in social improvement, Grose took a position on the Indiana commission that oversaw the construction of mental hospital
Mental Hospital
Mental hospital may refer to:*Psychiatric hospital*hospital in Nepal named Mental Hospital...
s. In 1878, he was narrowly defeated in a bid for a Congressional seat. In 1887, Grose returned to politics, successfully campaigning for a seat in the Indiana State Senate. In 1891, he authored the regimental history of the 36th Indiana Infantry and actively participated in its veterans reunions.
Grose died at the age of 87 in his home in New Castle, Indiana
New Castle, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,780 people, 7,462 households, and 4,805 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,987.5 people per square mile . There were 8,042 housing units at an average density of 1,351.3 per square mile...
, and was buried in South Mound Cemetery.
The Gen. William Grose House
Gen. William Grose House
The General William Grose House is located at 614 S. 14th St., New Castle, Indiana and is the home of the Henry County Historical Society.-History:...
in New Castle is the home of the Henry County Historical Society and open to the public.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals