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Born in 1826, in what is now known as Murphysboro, Illinois, Logan was the son of Dr. and Mrs. John Logan, a prominent family in the area. John A. Logan was raised in a home that was a political, educational, and social center of the day. In addition to his father’s political activities, his uncle, Alexander M. Jenkins, was a Democratic state legislator and lieutenant governor. Logan’s pioneer education was supplemented with private tutors and two years at Shiloh Academy in Randolph County, Illinois. At Shiloh, Logan earned high marks in oratory. The family farm featured a good stable and a race track. As a boy, Logan excelled at horse racing.
In 1847 Logan volunteered for the Mexican War. He was stationed at Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he served as adjutant of the post. After the war he was elected Jackson County Clerk, but soon resigned to earn a law degree at Louisville University.
John A. Logan entered politics as a Douglas Democrat, was elected county clerk in 1849, served in the State House of Representatives from 1853 to 1854 and in 1857; and for a time, during the interval, was prosecuting attorney of the Third Judicial District of Illinois. In 1858 and 1860, he was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. House of Representatives. When the Civil War began, Logan was beginning his second term as a congressman.
In 1861, with the war in its early stages, Logan left his political career in order to establish the 31st Illinois Infantry in which he was commissioned as a colonel. He was nicknamed Black Jack by his men because of his black eyes and dark skinned complexion. During the war, Logan fought in eight major campaigns. At Fort Donelson Logan and the 31st were part of a three-and-a-half mile Union line around the fort. When the Union right collapsed after three hours, the 31st remained on the field and fought alone on two fronts for nearly an hour. Logan was shot through the left shoulder; with the wound bandaged by doctors, he returned to battle streaming blood. Then a Confederate ball smashed his holstered pistol and drove splinters into his side, nearly breaking his ribs. Logan was shot once more through his right thigh. With his regiment out of ammunition and himself severely weakened by the loss of blood, Logan and his regiment left the field. By nightfall, Fort Donelson fell—the first major Union victory of the Civil War. The 31st lost 303 of 606 men. Journalists renamed them “Logan’s Dirty-First Regiment” and they are the celebrities of the Northern press. Logan was originally reported dead, but survives his many wounds.
On March 13, 1863,he was commissioned major general and led the 3rd Division of McPherson's 17th Corps. His first battle over which would be that of Raymond. During the opening moments of the battle, the Union Army, surprised by the suddenness and fierceness of the Rebel attack, almost broke and ran. It was General Logan who, riding his horse up and down the front line, managed to control the attack and prevent his men from breaking.
As the fighting erupted along Fourteen Mile Creek, General Logan guided his horse toward the front of the Union line, barking commands to his division: "For God's sake men, don't disgrace your country: see how they're holding them." With bullets hissing through the air and the creek turning red with blood, the startled Yankees had only one thought in mind - break and run.
One of the men who wanted to run was Osborn Oldroyd, who was fighting on the front line with the 20th Ohio. "The regiment to the right of us was giving way," he later wrote, "but just as the line was wavering and about to be hopelessly broken, Logan dashed up, and with the shriek of an eagle turned them back to their places, which they regained and held. Had it not been for Logan's timely intervention, who was continually riding up and down the line, firing the men with his own enthusiasm, our line would undoubtedly have been broken at some point."
The fact that General Logan had urged his division to victory came as no surprise to Oldroyd, a young soldier from Ohio who held the general in high esteem. Just the night before, while camping at the Roach Plantation, Oldroyd had made an entry into his diary praising his commander: "Logan is brave and does not seem to know what defeat means. We feel that he will bring us out of every fight victorious. I want no better or braver officer to fight under."
By July of 1863, Logan's popularity in the north was second only to that of U. S. Grant.
No one could have been more pleased with Logan's success than his wife, Mary. A steady flow of letters affirmed her devotion. The letters also reflected the pride she took in her husband's achievements. Acknowledging his newfound national popularity, Mary wrote from her home in Carbondale, Illinois, saying, "Everything is Grant and Logan." On July 4, 1863, Grant honored General Logan by inviting his division to lead the Union advance into Vicksbur
Vicksburg. Never was Logan so proud. The next day, still on an emotional high, he wrote to his wife saying, "The victory is the greatest triumph of modern times…My division has immortalized itself in the eyes of the whole army."
Logan showed his skill again during the Battle of Atlanta. When General McPherson was killed during the fighting, Logan quickly assumed command of the Army of the Tennessee. Riding among the men to reform his lines, Logan grabbed the flag, raised it high and shouted “McPherson and revenge boys!” The blue lines firmed. Chanting “Black Jack! Black Jack!” the Army of the Tennessee advanced against a hail of Rebel fire and retook all lost ground.
By the end of the war Logan’s troops were stationed outside the city of Raleigh, North Carolina. When word of Lincoln’s assassination arrived), the soldiers formed an angry mob bent on destroying the city. Logan rode into their midst and, in front of their cannons, proclaimed that they will have to fire through him. The cr
The crowd dispersed, and after the war Raleigh honored Logan for saving the city. Logan was made commander of the Army of the Tennessee again and led them into Washington, D.C.
After the war, Logan returned to U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican. There he was one of the leaders in the effort to impeach President Johnson. Logan also helped found the Grand Army of the Republic. As its commander in 1868, he issued General Order No. 11 which established the first Memorial Day. He was elected to the Senate twice and, in 1884, was James G. Blaine’s vice-presidential running mate on the Republican ticket. They lost, but Logan’s popularity with veterans contributed to the narrowness of the defeat.
John A. Logan died suddenly on December 26, 1886, in Washington, D.C. His death was due to long-standing complications from his Fort Donelson wounds. His body was laid in state under the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol for one day. At the time of his death, Logan was only the seventh person t
to be laid in state there, and he is one of only twenty-nine people to receive that honor to date. His funeral was held in the Senate chambers. Logan is buried in the United States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
In 1847 Logan volunteered for the Mexican War. He was stationed at Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he served as adjutant of the post. After the war he was elected Jackson County Clerk, but soon resigned to earn a law degree at Louisville University.
John A. Logan entered politics as a Douglas Democrat, was elected county clerk in 1849, served in the State House of Representatives from 1853 to 1854 and in 1857; and for a time, during the interval, was prosecuting attorney of the Third Judicial District of Illinois. In 1858 and 1860, he was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. House of Representatives. When the Civil War began, Logan was beginning his second term as a congressman.
In 1861, with the war in its early stages, Logan left his political career in order to establish the 31st Illinois Infantry in which he was commissioned as a colonel. He was nicknamed Black Jack by his men because of his black eyes and dark skinned complexion. During the war, Logan fought in eight major campaigns. At Fort Donelson Logan and the 31st were part of a three-and-a-half mile Union line around the fort. When the Union right collapsed after three hours, the 31st remained on the field and fought alone on two fronts for nearly an hour. Logan was shot through the left shoulder; with the wound bandaged by doctors, he returned to battle streaming blood. Then a Confederate ball smashed his holstered pistol and drove splinters into his side, nearly breaking his ribs. Logan was shot once more through his right thigh. With his regiment out of ammunition and himself severely weakened by the loss of blood, Logan and his regiment left the field. By nightfall, Fort Donelson fell—the first major Union victory of the Civil War. The 31st lost 303 of 606 men. Journalists renamed them “Logan’s Dirty-First Regiment” and they are the celebrities of the Northern press. Logan was originally reported dead, but survives his many wounds.
On March 13, 1863,he was commissioned major general and led the 3rd Division of McPherson's 17th Corps. His first battle over which would be that of Raymond. During the opening moments of the battle, the Union Army, surprised by the suddenness and fierceness of the Rebel attack, almost broke and ran. It was General Logan who, riding his horse up and down the front line, managed to control the attack and prevent his men from breaking.
As the fighting erupted along Fourteen Mile Creek, General Logan guided his horse toward the front of the Union line, barking commands to his division: "For God's sake men, don't disgrace your country: see how they're holding them." With bullets hissing through the air and the creek turning red with blood, the startled Yankees had only one thought in mind - break and run.
One of the men who wanted to run was Osborn Oldroyd, who was fighting on the front line with the 20th Ohio. "The regiment to the right of us was giving way," he later wrote, "but just as the line was wavering and about to be hopelessly broken, Logan dashed up, and with the shriek of an eagle turned them back to their places, which they regained and held. Had it not been for Logan's timely intervention, who was continually riding up and down the line, firing the men with his own enthusiasm, our line would undoubtedly have been broken at some point."
The fact that General Logan had urged his division to victory came as no surprise to Oldroyd, a young soldier from Ohio who held the general in high esteem. Just the night before, while camping at the Roach Plantation, Oldroyd had made an entry into his diary praising his commander: "Logan is brave and does not seem to know what defeat means. We feel that he will bring us out of every fight victorious. I want no better or braver officer to fight under."
By July of 1863, Logan's popularity in the north was second only to that of U. S. Grant.
No one could have been more pleased with Logan's success than his wife, Mary. A steady flow of letters affirmed her devotion. The letters also reflected the pride she took in her husband's achievements. Acknowledging his newfound national popularity, Mary wrote from her home in Carbondale, Illinois, saying, "Everything is Grant and Logan." On July 4, 1863, Grant honored General Logan by inviting his division to lead the Union advance into Vicksbur
Vicksburg. Never was Logan so proud. The next day, still on an emotional high, he wrote to his wife saying, "The victory is the greatest triumph of modern times…My division has immortalized itself in the eyes of the whole army."
Logan showed his skill again during the Battle of Atlanta. When General McPherson was killed during the fighting, Logan quickly assumed command of the Army of the Tennessee. Riding among the men to reform his lines, Logan grabbed the flag, raised it high and shouted “McPherson and revenge boys!” The blue lines firmed. Chanting “Black Jack! Black Jack!” the Army of the Tennessee advanced against a hail of Rebel fire and retook all lost ground.
By the end of the war Logan’s troops were stationed outside the city of Raleigh, North Carolina. When word of Lincoln’s assassination arrived), the soldiers formed an angry mob bent on destroying the city. Logan rode into their midst and, in front of their cannons, proclaimed that they will have to fire through him. The cr
The crowd dispersed, and after the war Raleigh honored Logan for saving the city. Logan was made commander of the Army of the Tennessee again and led them into Washington, D.C.
After the war, Logan returned to U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican. There he was one of the leaders in the effort to impeach President Johnson. Logan also helped found the Grand Army of the Republic. As its commander in 1868, he issued General Order No. 11 which established the first Memorial Day. He was elected to the Senate twice and, in 1884, was James G. Blaine’s vice-presidential running mate on the Republican ticket. They lost, but Logan’s popularity with veterans contributed to the narrowness of the defeat.
John A. Logan died suddenly on December 26, 1886, in Washington, D.C. His death was due to long-standing complications from his Fort Donelson wounds. His body was laid in state under the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol for one day. At the time of his death, Logan was only the seventh person t
to be laid in state there, and he is one of only twenty-nine people to receive that honor to date. His funeral was held in the Senate chambers. Logan is buried in the United States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.