by Dan McPherson

General James Birdseye McPherson

Fallen Star of the Union

Major General James B. McPherson Grant wept when he learned of his death. Sherman said that if he had lived, he could have been president. He was once one of the best known and most widely acclaimed Union generals of the Civil War, but today the name of James Birdseye McPherson is mentioned only in passing by those who write the history of that great conflict. This is somewhat hard to fathom, for although his star didn’t shine long, it did shine brightly.

James Birdseye McPherson was born November 14, 1828 in Hamer’s Corners Ohio, which was renamed Clyde in 1852. One or both of his grandparents may have been born in Scotland, but renamed Clyde in 1852. One or both of his grandparents may have been born in Scotland, but there are conflicting accounts about who came from where. Some sources say his grandfather was born in Scotland, moved to Ireland and married before coming to the United States. Other sources indicate it may have been the other way around. His parents, William and Cynthia, were born in New York State and emigrated to Ohio in 1824. The oldest of their four children was named forJames Birdseye, one of the men who helped William McPherson set-up the town which became known as Hamer’s Corners.

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James McPherson started school at the age of four, helped with chores on the family farm and watched with keen interest the periodic training drills of the local militia. His father, who had prospered buying and selling land, was hard hit by the panic of 1837. He became depressed, moody and eventually became an invalid unable to support his family. This placed the burden on James, as the oldest son, to try and help bring some money into the household. At the age of 13 he hired on to help in the general store run by Robert Smith in nearby Stemtown. He lived with the Smith family during the week and returned home to visit on weekends. While in Stemtown, he made the acquaintance of a young lawyer named Rutherford B. Hayes, who in Stemtown, he made the acquaintance of a young lawyer named Rutherford B. Hayes, who had opened a practice in nearby Lower Sandusky.

With the Smith’s guidance, McPherson also developed deep interests in reading, music and art. He soon became known for his pen and ink drawings, which he gave away to family and friends. In 1847, William McPherson passed away. In the fall of the next year, James entered Norwalk Academy, located 20 miles east of Hamer’s Corners. It was the farthest he had trav-eled in his young life. His studies at Norwalk were aimed towards gaining admission to West Point, which happened, but not without some anxiety. The Congressman sponsoring his ad-mission died suddenly, and it took the efforts of some friends to find his cadet warrant for admission among the late Congressman’s papers. Finally, in May of 1849, James McPherson left Ohio for West Point.

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Fort Alcatraz

The Academy at that time was commanded by Colonel Robert E. Lee. McPherson’s room-mate was John Hood and his classmates included Phil Sheridan, John Schofield and George Washington Custis Lee, son of Colonel Lee and grandson of Martha Custis Washington. McPherson rose through the ranks at West Point, holding several positions of responsibility. He also found himself attracted for the first time to the field of engineering. On July 1, 1853 he graduated from West Point, first in his class. Lieutenant McPherson remained at West Point the year after his graduation to serve as an as-sistant instructor in practical engineering. It was the first time in the Academy’s history that a graduate was immediately given a teaching assignment. In August of 1854 he was assigned to New York City to assist in the fortifying of New York Harbor and other strategic points along the Atlantic and the Hudson River. That work was finished three years later, and McPherson left New York in December of 1857 to take on a new assignment in California. His job there was to supervise the fortification of San Francisco Harbor and Alcatraz Island.

After sailing by way of the Isthmus of Panama, McPherson arrived in San Francisco in Janu-ary of 1858. Among the officers assigned to help him was his West Point classmate, G.W. Custis Lee. The first order of business was to construct the fortifications on Alcatraz, which took more than a year to complete. As the officer in charge of the fortifications project, he was also much in demand as a speaker, as a participant in civic affairs and as a tour guide to citizens wishing to view the progress of the fortifications. It was in the course of fulfilling those social obligations that McPherson was to meet the woman he loved.

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Gen. James McPherson as a young man

It was spring of 1859, Senator and Mrs. William Gwin were throwing a party. Among those in attendance were the 32-year-old First Lieutenant James McPherson and Miss Emily Hoffman of Baltimore. She had come to San Francisco to assist her sister, who was trying to raise a family of eight children. The couple were paired for several dances and found they had much in common, including fluency in French and an appreciation for opera and other forms of music. Their courtship continued for several months and marriage appeared to be imminent. But events were to intervene. McPherson was one of many who kept a close eye on the political situation as the election of 1860 approached. In his letters to friends, he expressed disgust over politicians who were trying to stir up divisiveness between North and South. He mentioned Salmon Chase in par-ticular. McPherson also firmly stated his view that the Union must be preserved, and that he felt a compromise between North and South was necessary to do that. One idea he put forth was for the government to buy the slaves and set them free, with their former owners then al-lowed to hire them back at a cost which would be about the same as they had paid to support the slaves.

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Compromise didn’t come however, and when the Southern states began to secede from the Union, McPherson wrote to the Department of Engineers in Washington to offer his services to the government. That offer was accepted, and McPherson was soon made a captain in the Corps of Engineers and ordered to report to Washington. The division between North and South was to also spill over to McPherson’s private life. The division between North and South was to also spill over to McPherson’s private life. Emily’s family in Baltimore were rabid supporters of the South, and her mother forbade her to marry a Union officer. The young couple spent many hours discussing their situation and wondering what to do. They finally agreed to leave things as they were in the hopes Emily’s mother would change her mind. McPherson left San Francisco on August 1, 1861, and after arriving in Washington was orMcPherson left San Francisco on August 1, 1861, and after arriving in Washington was or-dered to proceed to Boston. He was to be in charge of the forts in Boston Harbor and to re-cruit a regiment of miners, sappers and engineers. The recruiting went slowly, and McPherson soon became frustrated, both from the desire to see action and over the separation from Emily. In November, he wrote to General Henry Halleck, Military Commander of the Depart-ment of Missouri, and asked to be assigned to active duty. Halleck ordered him to report at once to St. Louis to join his staff as aide-de-camp. He arrived on December 1 with the rank of lieutenant colonel, and immediately was assigned to make inspection tours of Missouri, to es-tablish recruiting stations and to try and determine the strength of the Confederate General Sterling Price.

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General Ulysses S. Grantin the field

One of the officers serving under Halleck was General Ulysses S. Grant, who had made a name for himself by capturing Belmont on the Mississippi River. That caused Halleck to put Grant in charge of the movement south to open the Mississippi, Tennessee and Cumberland rivers, and he transferred Colonel James McPherson to Grant’s staff to serve as chief engi-neer. The first objectives of the campaign were to Capture Forts Henry and Donelson. On February 6, 1862 Fort Henry was captured by the Union troops. The next day, McPherson was one of three colonels ordered to take a company of troops on a gunboat and destroy the Memphis and Bowling Green Railroad bridge on the Tennessee River. Having accomplished Memphis and Bowling Green Railroad bridge on the Tennessee River. Having accomplished that, they set out for Fort Donelson, which was 12 miles to the east on the Cumberland River. McPherson and his troops reconnoitered the area between Donelson and Fort Henry, and used the information to make troop placements. The battle for Fort Donelson lasted eight days before the Confederate commander finally surrendered on February 16. While others were celebrating the victory, which was one of the most significant for the Union at this point in the war, McPherson was back in St. Louis. Overexposure and overexertion had caused him to come down with a throat ailment, which required three weeks of treatment. The campaign did cause McPherson to gain Grant’s favor though. Grant made special mention of McPher-son in his report to General Halleck, which resulted in McPherson being nominated for brevet son in his report to General Halleck, which resulted in McPherson being nominated for brevet major of engineers.

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Major General Henry HalleckMcPherson returned to Grant in early March, bringing with him instructions for the move-ment up the Tennessee River. The next major battle was Shiloh, where McPherson repeated his job of reconnoitering the territory and recommending troop placements. But Grant’s troops were out of position when the rebels launched their attack on April 6. Casualties were high, and McPherson spent much of the night helping care for the wounded. The second day of the battle brought a close call. Grant, McPherson and a Major Hawkins were inspecting the battlefield when a volley of rebel gunfire suddenly opened upon them from the edge of the woods.the woods. McPherson’s horse was hit just in back of the saddle and dropped dead within a few minutes. Grant’s sword was hit by a musket ball and nearly broken in two. All three men escaped un-harmed, though.

After the battle had ended with the rebels retreating to Corinth, Grant again praised McPher-son in his report to Halleck, saying he “deserves more than passing notice for his activity and courage.” Grant himself received little praise for Shiloh, and Halleck personally took com-mand of the forces. McPherson was retained as chief engineer.

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After capturing Corinth in May of 1862, Halleck was transferred to Washington to become Army Chief of Staff and Grant was placed in command of the Army of the Tennessee. He recommended that McPherson be promoted to Brigadier-General of Volunteers and Military Superintendent of Railroads. The promotion came through on June 4, 1862. The Union Army took control of Memphis later that month, and McPherson spent much of The Union Army took control of Memphis later that month, and McPherson spent much of the summer repairing railroads and looking for the most strategic locations to place troops for the defense of Memphis. The long awaited attack came in early October. The cutting of tele-graph communications alerted Union officers that the rebels were moving against them. McPherson took command of some troops and moved to reinforce General William Rose-crans at Corinth. The advance of the fresh troops caused the rebels to retreat, with McPherson’s men in close pursuit. A rebel party returned a short time later under a flag of truce and asked permission to bury the dead and tend to the wounded. McPherson’s reply, “Fighting is going on and I do not propose to suspend it unless ordered to do so by the com-mand General.” McPherson attacked the enemy and captured a baggage train and a large quantity of materials and sent the rebel troops into retreat. His first handling of troops in combat earned him a promotion to major general. The promotion was a popular one with the men who served under him. One week after it was announced, the employees of the Military railroads of the Department of Tennessee presented him with a horse, saddle, bridle and sword. Later that evening, about 150 officers and employees of the railroads gathered for speeches and other ceremonies of congratulation. McPherson was reported to be deeply moved by the display of affection.

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The next major push for the Army of the Tennessee was into Mississippi, with Vicksburg the ultimate objective. An initial attempt was made in November and December, with McPherson in command of the Army’s left wing. The surrender of the army supply depots at Holly Springs on December 20 forced a withdrawal. Later that month, Grant was authorized to divide his army into five corps. McPherson was Later that month, Grant was authorized to divide his army into five corps. McPherson was given command of the 17th. The next push towards Vicksburg was set for late February of 1863, and a letter from McPherson dated February 10 was read to his troops:

“Our marching orders have come, and it is for us to respond with promptness and alacrity. We move to capture the stronghold of the Rebels in the valley of the Mississippi. That our success is certain I have not the slightest doubt if you bring to the performance of the work the same zeal, ability and patriotic devotion to your country which have marked your course thus far.“I know that I do not speak to the heroes of Fort Donelson, Shiloh and Corinth in vain. The “I know that I do not speak to the heroes of Fort Donelson, Shiloh and Corinth in vain. The record of your past services, glorious as it is, is but a pledge of the future. We go forward to strike a blow against this most unjustifiable rebellion; we go to plant our flag upon the ram-parts of Vicksburg. I know that I but echo your sentiments when I say that each and everyone of you desires to battle earnestly until this great work is accomplished.”

Major General James B. McPhersonwas featured on the $2 TreasuryCoin Note issued in 1890.

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On February 23, McPherson’s troops began arriving at Lake Providence, Louisiana, across the river from Vicksburg. They immediately found themselves in a difficult spot, though. The winter had been marked by heavy rainfall and high waters on the Missis-sippi and its tributaries. Vicksburg stood on high ground, and was surrounded by lakes and swamps. The only place the army could attack was from the south, but finding a water passage that was a safe distance from the shore batteries proved difficult. McPher-son tried unsuccessfully for three weeks to cut a new channel through the waters of Lake Providence, Bayou Macon and the Red River. These failures were a source of amusement for the Confederates and a source of great frustration in the North. Grant was starting to feel the pressure as he came under in-creasing criticism from Northern newspapers, including some who suggested he be re-placed as commander. Grant finally decided to go ahead with a plan he had been con-sidering. He was going to march the army south on the Louisiana side, cross the Missis-sippi below the rebel defenses, and march north on the east side of the river, hoping that Union gunboats could penetrate the Vicksburg defenses and that the army could find adequate supplies in the countryside. With the exception of Sherman, the generals all thought it was worth a try.

The plan went into operation the night of April 16, under conditions that must have had a lasting impression on all who lived through it. As the troops began marching, the rebels set houses ablaze for miles to illuminate the targets they were shooting at.

Portrait of McPherson that appeared in Harper’s Weekly, Aug. 1, 1863

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At the same time, the gunboats began their effort to break through the shore batteries. The batteries opened fire, and the gunboats fired back. Some of the gunboats were wrapped in cotton bales and took on a ghostly appearance as the sky was lighted by cannon fire and by the flames of the burning houses. In all this, only one boat was lost and the flotilla arrived at Bruinsburg, south of Vicksburg. That allowed supply boats to pass safely, and the army was able to start its march on Vicksburg with four days rations. After that, the countryside would have to supply their needs.

Before the attack on Vicksburg was to be made, though, it was decided to capture Jackson, the Before the attack on Vicksburg was to be made, though, it was decided to capture Jackson, the capitol of Mississippi. One of McPherson’s divisions, commanded by General John Logan im-mediately moved against Port Gibson and scattered the enemy from their position. As the rebel soldiers fled they burned the bridge over Bayou Pierre. McPherson brought up the rest of his troops, had the bridge rebuilt and continued the pursuit. He overtook the rebels at Ray-mond and defeated them, then went on the next day to destroy some railroad cars and bridges at Clinton. McPherson reached Jackson on May 14. After giving his troops a brief rest, he commenced an attack on the Confederate troops com-manded by General Joseph E. Johnston. The rebel commander had been expecting reinforce-ments from General J.C. Pemberton, who commanded the forces at Vicksburg. But Pember-ton was more concerned about saving Vicksburg than saving Johnston, and he disobeyed the command. The fight lasted for three hours before Johnston, lacking the extra troops he had counted on, was forced to retreat across the Pearl River.

The Capture of Vicksburg illustratedby Theo. R. Davis for

Harper’s Weekly, Aug. 1, 1863

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The flag of the 17th was raised over the dome of Mississippi’s capitol building, and Grant spent the night in the room where Johnston had slept the night before. Before retiring for the evening, Grant met with Sherman and McPherson to discuss some intercepted Confederate dispatches showing that Johnston planned to join his forces with Pemberton’s. McPherson was ordered to march back on the Clinton road and join General John McClernand’s 13th Army Corps. Sherman’s 15th was to remain one day to destroy railroads, arsenals, factories and anything else that would be useful to the enemy. Then he was to follow McPherson.

McPherson began the march towards Vicksburg on May 15, and the next day encountered McPherson began the march towards Vicksburg on May 15, and the next day encountered Pemberton, who was this time obeying Johnston’s order to join him. He found his line of march cut-off by McPherson’s front on Champion Hill. A battle was waged there which ended when Logan’s division threatened the enemy’s rear. The Union forces lost 2,000 killed and wounded but took an equal number of enemy prisoners.

McPherson then advanced to the Big Black River, had two bridges built and marched his McPherson then advanced to the Big Black River, had two bridges built and marched his troops across them to the fortifications of Vicksburg. He held the center of the Jackson-Vicksburg road, with Sherman on the right and McClernand on the left. Pemberton, who had fled back to Vicksburg with his remaining forces after the battle at Champion Hill, shut him-self and his troops inside the city. Grant’s first two assaults on the Confederate position were repulsed, so he decided to settle in for a siege. Saps and trenches were dug under the rebel forts, and McPherson directed the placing of the big guns that swept the enemy’s defenses on both flanks. Vicksburg was bombarded day and night by the siege guns and by gunboats on

General John A. McClernandCourtesy of Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, LC-B8172-2220 DLC

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the river. Residents of the city tried to protect themselves by digging caves in the high bluff. Soldiers and civilians alike also had to endure a shortage of food and bad sanitary conditions.

During the siege of Vicksburg, McPherson tried something new. He ordered his engineers to During the siege of Vicksburg, McPherson tried something new. He ordered his engineers to construct a mine under Fort Hill. By June 24, 2,200 pounds of powder were in place and it was decided to detonate it the next afternoon. Grant and Sherman came to watch the first use of this new weapon. A few moments after the fuse was lighted, the fort broke into fragments and seemed to disappear in the black smoke. Thousands of Union troops opened fire, and a column of a hundred men rushed the fort. Hand to hand combat combined with artillery sup-port finally secured the position. The fort was only partially destroyed though, and it was de-cided that an insufficient amount of explosive had been used. A second mine was placed under the remainder of the fort on July 1, and this time it was destroyed. On July 2, Pemberton asked Grant for an armistice to consider terms of surrender. The meet-ing took place the next day, lasting an hour and a half. Terms of unconditional surrender were offered by Grant and accepted by Pemberton. The Confederate garrison was to be treated as prisoners of war and later paroled. Grant told McPherson the 17th would have the honor of being the first to enter the city. The surrender took place on July 4, and McPherson’s corps led the Union march into Vicksburg, followed by Grant and his staff. The procession made its way to the courthouse, where a unit of McPherson’s command placed the Stars and Stripes on the building’s cupola.the building’s cupola.

The Capture of Vicksburg – interviewbetween Generals Grant and Pembertonto settle the terms of surrender.Illustrated by Theo. R. Davis for Harper’s Weekly, Aug. 1, 1863

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Shortly after the surrender, Grant sent two letters to the War Department. One praised Sher-man, the other McPherson. He recommended both men be promoted to brigadier generalship in the regular army. In his letter recommending McPherson, Grant said:

“He has been with me in every battle since the commencement of the rebellion except Belmont. At Henry, Donelson, Pittsburg Landing, and the siege of Corinth, as a staff officer and engineer his services were conspicuous and highly meritorious. At the second battle of Corinth, his skill as a sol-dier was displayed in successfully carrying reinforcements to the besieged garrison when the enemy was between him and the point to be reached. “ln the advance through central Mississippi, General McPherson commanded one wing of the army with all the ability possible to show, he having the lead in the advance and the rear in retiring. “In the campaign and siege terminating in the fall of Vicksburg, General McPherson has borne a conspicuous part. . . In the assault of the 23rd of May on the fortifications Vicksburg and during the entire siege, General McPherson and his command took unfading laurels. He is one of the ablest engineers and most skillful Generals ...”He is one of the ablest engineers and most skillful Generals ...”

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The nomination for promotion to Brigadier General was made, but confirmation was slow in coming. After the surrender, McPherson was made commander of the Vicksburg area and immediately began appointing committees to put things in order and restore living conditions. One of the committees visited citizens of the town with the purpose of finding the most needy persons and issuing them provisions. Reports of his humane administration lien in Vicksburg caused some in the North to suspect him of undue sympathy for the rebels. When he learned of this, McPherson replied, “I have done nothing to justify the suspicions of rebel sympathy, save what the dictates of humanity suggest. When the time comes that to be a solsympathy, save what the dictates of humanity suggest. When the time comes that to be a sol-dier a man has to overlook the claims of humanity, then I do not want to be a soldier.” The promotion soon came through, as did another honor. It was the Gold Medal of Honor awarded by the Board of Honor, composed of fellow soldiers in Grant’s army. Grant was sent east in March of 1864 to take command of the Army of the Potomac. Sher-man succeeded Grant as commander of the western armies, and McPherson took Sherman's place as head of the Army of the Tennessee. In a letter to Sherman, Grant expressed his feel-ings towards his two top subordinates:

“But what I want is to express my thanks to you and McPherson as the men to whom, above all others, I feel indebted for whatever I have had of success. How far your advice and suggestions have been of assistance, you know. How far your execution of whatever has been given to you to do, en-titles you to the reward I am receiving, you cannot know as well as I do. I feel all the gratitude this letter would express, giving it the most flattering construction. “The word YOU, I use in the plural, intending it for McPherson, also, and I shall sowrite him.”

General William T. Sherman

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In the fall of 1863, Emily Hoffman returned to Baltimore. She had managed to soften her mother’s opposition to James, and the couple planned to be married as soon as he could get time enough away from his duties to travel to her. The opportunity finally came in March of 1864, when McPherson was granted a 20 day furlough. He left Vicksburg, intending to pay a visit to Clyde on his way to Baltimore. But he only got as far as Cairo, Illinois. There he found two telegrams awaiting him. One notified him of his promotion. The other ordered him to proceed at once to Huntsville, Alabama to plan for the campaign against Atlanta. Even the promotion wasn’t enough to overcome his bitter disappointment at being kept apart from promotion wasn’t enough to overcome his bitter disappointment at being kept apart from Emily, who he hadn’t seen for more than two years. But knowing he had no choice, he obeyed his orders. When he arrived at Huntsville, McPherson immediately fell into planning for the campaign, which would get underway as soon as the weather was good enough. The sacrifice McPherson had made in coming back was brought to Sherman’s attention, and he wrote to Emily:

MY DEAR YOUNG LADYIt has come to my knowledge that you are affianced to a close friend and associate of mine, Major General McPherson, and from that, weighing mighty matters of state but lightly in the realms of love, you feel that he gives too much time to his country and too little to you. His rise in the profession has been rapid, steady and well earned. Each step in his progress, howHis rise in the profession has been rapid, steady and well earned. Each step in his progress, how-ever, has imposed on him fresh duties that, as a man and a soldier, and still more as a patriot, he could not avoid. I did hope, as we returned from Meridian when his Corps was entitled to go home on furlough, that he, too, could steal a month to obey the promptings of his heart; to hasten to Bal-timore and I so instructed; but by the changes incident to General Grant's elevation, McPherson succeeded to the command of a separate Army and Department and could not leave .... I know McPherson well, as a young man and as a handsome and noble soldier; actuated by motives as

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By the end of April, McPherson’s army was headquartered at Chattanooga, with orders to pro-ceed to Resaca, Georgia via Snake Creek Gap. It was here that McPherson was to make his biggest blunder of the war. Johnston’s army had taken a position on a ridge flanking a critical railroad supply line about 25 miles south of Chattanooga. Sherman decided to send the Army of the Cumberland and the Army of the Ohio to the left to fix Johnston’s attention on the ridge. McPherson was to take the Army of the Tennessee on a wide swing to the right and hit the railroad at Resaca, which was 15 miles in the Confederate rear. Johnston’s cavalry made what should have been a fatal mistake by leaving Snake Creek Gap unguarded when McPherson reached it on May 9. But McPherson was intimidated when he found Resaca protected by strong earthworks and he overestimated the strength of the Confederate forces, which amounted to only about two brioverestimated the strength of the Confederate forces, which amounted to only about two bri-gades. As a result he fought tentatively and pulled back without reaching the railroad. By this time, Johnston was alerted to what was happening and retreated with his entire army to Resaca on the night of May 12-13. The knockout punch planned by Sherman was now im-possible. “Well Mac,” he told McPherson, “you missed the opportunity of your life.” In his memoirs, Sherman was frank but not overly harsh in his assessment of what happened:

pure as those of Washington. And I know that in giving my testimony to his high and noble char-acter, I will not offend the girl he loves. Be patient, and I know that when the happy day comes for him to stand by your side, identical in heart and human existence, you will regard him with a high respect and honor that will convert simple love into something sublime and beautiful.

With great respect, I amYour obedient servant,

W.T.Sherman

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had many noble qualities. He had on his boots outside his pantaloons, gauntlets on his hands, had on his major-general’s uniform, and wore a sword belt, but no sword.” At about noon, a sudden cannonade erupted on McPherson’s extreme left. Confederate At about noon, a sudden cannonade erupted on McPherson’s extreme left. Confederate forces were attacking the left flank. The only thing that saved the Union troops from being outmanned was that Dodge’s troops were swinging into the position McPherson had ear-lier ordered them to. McPherson, accompanied by his signal officer, rode off towards the 17th Corps’ position to get a better handle on the enemy’s position. He had gone only a short distance when a squad of Rebel horsemen burst through the woods and ordered him to halt. McPherson instead spurred his horse towards the Union line and was felled by a volley of gunfire. The aide was chased off and the General’s body was left in enemy hands. volley of gunfire. The aide was chased off and the General’s body was left in enemy hands. They took his watch, sword belt, field glasses and pocketbook, which contained orders from Sherman. (It was recovered a short time later.) Some men from the 17th who heard the shots and ran forward to help McPherson instead encountered his riderless horse.

On the morning of the 22nd, McPherson made a move that helped save the Army of the Tennessee from disaster. He brought the 16th Corps under the command of General Gren-ville Dodge out of reserve and used it to reinforce and extend the Army’s left flank. Word soon came to 15th Corps Com-mander, General John Logan that Hood was evacuating At-lanta. But before the order to march in pursuit could be given, gunfire arose, and shells burst within 20 feet of Logan and McPherson. Reports soon made it clear that Hood was moving to McPherson’s left. McPherson ordered a halt to the advance and rode off to tell Sherman of the changing conditions. The two met briefly, Sherman endorsed the change of plans, and McPherson returned to his troops. Sherman later wrote that McPherson was in high spirits and pleased at the progress of the battle so far. He also described McPherson’s appearance at the battle so far. He also described McPherson’s appearance at this last meeting between them. “McPherson was then in his prime (about thirty-four years old), over six feet high, and a very handsome man in every way, was universally liked, and

Battle of Resaca, GeorgiaHarper’s WeeklyJune 18, 1864

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Logan, meanwhile, now had his men ready to counterattack the Confederate forces. As the men advanced he rode along the lines, shouting, “McPherson and revenge.” Some of the men also took up the cry of “McPherson, McPherson,” while others shouted “Black Jack, Black Jack” in support of their new commander. The fierce assaults re-pulsed the Confederates, and the Union troops recaptured ground they had earlier lost. The battle lasted far into the night and ended with the Army of the Tennessee battered, but still holding its position.

McPherson’s body was removed from Marietta on July 23 and sent north for burial in Clyde. News of his death was sent to his relatives and also to Emily Hoffman in Balti-more. The telegram from the Secretary of War was addressed to Emily’s mother, who was to break the news to her daughter. However, the telegram arrived in the evening as the light was fading and Mrs. Hoffman, whose eyes hadn’t adjusted to the dimming light, asked her daughter to read it to her. Emily took the telegram into the hall to read it by the light of the hall lamp. A crashing sound was heard, and Mrs. Hoffman rushed out to find Emily on the floor in a dead faint.out to find Emily on the floor in a dead faint.

Word was sent to Sherman that McPherson had been killed or wounded. Sherman was stunned: “The suddenness of this terrible calamity would have overwhelmed me with grief, but the living demanded my whole thoughts.” Sherman quickly appointed Logan, as the senior corps commander, to take McPherson’s place. Logan was heard to vow that he “wouId have McPherson’s body if he sacrificed every man in the 15th Corps.” That wasn’t necessary though, as the remains were soon found and brought back to Union lines. Sherman had the body taken inside the house where he was headquartered and laid on a door which had been removed from its hinges. A doctor who examined it found the musket ball had passed near the heart, and concluded McPherson must have died within a few seconds of being hit. With fighting raging outside the head-quarters and concern the house would catch fire, Sherman ordered the body taken to Marietta for safekeeping.

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The news also reached Grant, who was overseeing the Army of the Potomac’s ef-forts to lay siege to Petersburg, Virginia. One of Grant's aides, Lt. Colonel Horace Porter wrote that Grant was visibly affected at the news and dwelt upon it in his conversations for the next two or three days. Porter quotes Grant as saying, “McPherson was one of my earliest staff officers and seemed almost like one of my own family . . . I predicted from the start that he would make one of the most bril-liant officers in the service . . . McPherson was beloved by everybody in the service, both by those above him and by those below him.” The funeral took place on July 29 in Clyde, with a large crowd in attendance. After a ceremony involving full military honors, McPherson was buried on a plot of land a short distance from the log cabin in which he was born. An effort was made in 1876 to move the body to Washington, but was abandoned in the face of protests from the citizens of Clyde.

1876 also saw the dedication of a statue of the slain general in the nation’s capitol. The statue is located in an area known as McPherson Square, about three blocks from the White House. The dedication ceremonies were presided over by General Sherman and attended by President Grant and members of his cabinet, as well as by some of those who had served in the Army of the Tennessee. It is said that Emily Hoffman came to Washington once a month to sit and look at the statue. One of her nieces reports that she continued to dress in mourning until her death at the age of 57 in 1891. She visited Clyde on at least one occasion and visited her late fianceé’s of 57 in 1891. She visited Clyde on at least one occasion and visited her late fianceé’s mother.

A second statue of the General was unveiled in Clyde on the 17th anniversary of his death, July 22, 1881. The dedication ceremonies in this instance were presided over by former President Rutherford B. Hayes, and included speeches by Generals Sher-man and Logan. A telegram of greetings was sent by President Garfield, who was at-tempting a recovery from the assassin’s bullet that eventually claimed his life.

Statue of Gen. McPherson in Clyde, OH

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A third statue of the General was erected in the town named in his honor.McPherson, Kansas was founded in 1872, and a bronze statue, similar to the one in Washington, was erected in 1917. The General’s memory has also been honored by the United States Branch of the The General’s memory has also been honored by the United States Branch of the Clan Macpherson Association. The Association’s Ohio Chapter has named itself the General James Birdseye McPherson Chapter, and it played a major role in ceremo-nies honoring the 125th anniversary of the General’s death. Those ceremonies took place July 22, 1989 in Clyde and were attended by Clan Macpherson Association Na-tional Chairman Kevin Gillespie, along with descendants of the General’s family. The 87th Cleveland Pipes and Drums led the procession to the cemetery, along with members of the Ohio 8th and 5th Companies of the Civil War re-enactment groups. These demonstrations of remembrance by the General’s contemporaries and by later generations attest to the high reputation he won in his short life. It’s not that he didn’t have his critics; some Civil War historians have labeled him as being too cau-tious and overly willing to believe inflated estimates of enemy strength. lf he did indeed have those faults though, they are ones he shared with many other com-manders on both sides of that war. The overall assessment of McPherson is that he was a soldier of great ability and promise, one who was liked and respected by his peers and by the men who served under him. Perhaps the best testimonial comes from his commander and friend, General Ulysses Grant, who wrote of McPherson in his memoirs, “in his death the army lost one of its ablest, purest and best generals.”

Statue of Gen. McPherson in Washington, D.C.

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About the Author

A native of Iowa, Dan McPherson lives in Jefferson City, Missouri, where he is an attorney with the Missouri Attorney General’s Office. He received a journalism degree from the University of Missouri and a law degree from Drake University. Dan is actively involved in Scottish-American heritage activities and has been a fre-quent participant in the McPherson Scottish Festival in McPherson, Kansas. He has written and had published several articles on legal issues and on topics of interest to Scottish-Americans, particularly on prominent Americans who bear the surname Macpherson (in any of its various spellings) or one of the several surnames related to Macpherson (in any of its various spellings) or one of the several surnames related to the Macpherson Clan.

Dan McPherson

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General James Birdseye McPherson: Fallen Star of the Union by Dan McPhersonPublished by the McPherson Convention and Visitors Bureau • (800) 324-8022

Photo by Kathy Kajinami