CIVIL WAR INDEX
Primary Source Material
on the Soldiers and the Battles
Home The Armies The Soldiers The Battles Civilians Articles
 
If this website has been useful to you, please consider making a Donation.

Your support will help keep this website free for everyone, and will allow us to do more research. Thank you for your support!

Civil War Soldiers - Sanborn

Sanborn, John B., brigadier-general, U.S. Army, was born at Epsom, N. H., on Dec. 5, 1826. His early education was acquired at the village school, and he fitted for college with a view to devoting himself to the profession of law. He entered Dartmouth, was graduated, and then pursued a law course, being admitted to the bar in July, 1854. He at once removed to Minnesota, settling in St. Paul in December of that year. He founded a law practice, and interested himself in the politics of his state, being elected in 1858 to the position of adjutant-general of the state. At the outbreak of the Civil war Gen. Sanborn was serving as quartermaster-general, and the duty of raising and equipping the volunteer soldiers to fill the quota for Minnesota fell upon him. Early in 1862 he accepted a commission as colonel of the 4th Minn. volunteers, and with the regiment went to the front. His first engagement was at the battle of Iuka on Sept. 19, when he commanded the 1st brigade of Gen. Hamilton's left wing of the army under Rosecrans. In the official report Gen. Sanborn was highly commended, and he was promoted to be a brigadier-general of volunteers, but the U. S. senate failed to confirm the commission. He participated in the battles of Grant which led to the fall of Vicksburg, and upon the surrender, July 4, 1863, he was selected to lead the advance guard into the city, and afterward to superintend the paroling and disbanding of the 31,600 Confederate soldiers captured. This honor was conferred by reason of his gallant conduct during the Vicksburg campaign, and especially for bravery and skill displayed at the capture of Jackson, Miss., on May 14. In November Gen. Sanborn assumed command of the district of southwest Missouri, where he opposed Gen. Price, and either at the head of a brigade or division of cavalry he fought in the battles of Jefferson City, Boonville, Independence, Big Blue, Osage, and Newtonia. After the Civil war ended he conducted a campaign against the Indians, in the summer and fall of 1865, and restored quiet on the border by treaties with hostile tribes. He was brevetted major-general of volunteers on Feb. 10, 1865, and was honorably mustered out of the service on April 30, 1866.

Source: The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States 1861-1865, Volume 8 Biographical, 1908
 


Whats New
Bibliography
About Us

Copyright 2013 by CivilWarIndex.com
A Division of Pier-Pleasure.com