Gordon Granger

Gordon Granger
Gordon Granger, photo taken duringAmerican Civil War
Born	(1821-11-06)November 6, 1821 Joy, New York,US
Died	January 10, 1876(1876-01-10)(aged 54) Santa Fe, New Mexico,US
Place of burial	Le xing ton Cemetery,Le xing ton, Kentucky,US
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army(Union Army)
Years of service	1845–1876
Rank	Major general
Commands	Army of Kentucky IV Corps XIII Corps Department of Texas District of New Mexico
Battles/wars	Mexican–American War Battle of Contreras Battle of Churubusco Battle of Chapultepec American Civil War Battle of Wilson's Creek Battle of New Madrid Siege of Corinth Battle of Chickamauga Battle of Missionary Ridge Battle of Mobile Bay Battle of Fort Blakeley

Gordon Granger(November 6, 1821 – January 10, 1876) was a career U.S. Army officer, and aUniongeneral during theAmerican Civil War,where he distinguished himself at theBattle of Chickamauga.

Granger is best remembered for his part in theBattle of Chickamaugaand theBattle of Chattanoogaand for issuingGeneral Order No. 3on June 19, 1865, inGalveston, Texas,further informing residents of, and enforcing,Abraham Lincoln'sEmancipation Proclamationwhich set all Confederate states' slaves free on January 1, 1863. June 19 is now commemorated by the federal holiday ofJuneteenthsince 2021.

Early life

Pre-military life

Granger was born inJoy,Wayne County, New York,in 1821 to Gaius Granger and Catherine Taylorbeing one of three children in his family. His mother died on April 17, 1825, one month after giving birth to a daughter.His father married again in November 1826 to Sara (Salley) Emery and the two would have 10 children. He spent his early years with his paternal grandparents (Elihu and Apema or Apama Granger) inPhelps, New York.While attending high school he developed health issues which carried on throughout his lifeHe was a teacher inNorth Rose, New Yorkprior to entering theUnited States Military Academy.

Early military career

Granger was appointed to the academy in 1841 when he was 19 years old. While there he metJohn Popewho later became one of his mentors. It is possible that his grudge withUlysses S. Grantstarted when he was there with Grant holding the grudge more than Granger.He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1845 placed thirty-fifth in a class of forty-one cadets.He was commissioned abrevetsecond lieutenantand assigned to the Second Infantry Regiment stationed inDetroit,Michigan.In July 1846 he transferred to the newly constitutedRegiment of Mounted RiflemenatJefferson Barracks, Missouri.

Mexican–American War

During theMexican–American War,Granger fought inWinfield Scott'sarmy. He took part in theSiege of Veracruz,theBattle of Cerro Gordo,theBattle of Contreras,theBattle of Churubusco,and theBattle for Mexico City.Granger received two citations for gallantry and in May 1847 received his regular commission as a second lieutenant. After the war, he served on thewestern frontierin Oregon and then Texas. In 1853 he became a first lieutenant.

Civil War

When theCivil Warstarted, Granger was on sick leave. He was temporarily assigned to the staff of GeneralGeorge B. McClellanin Ohio. After recovering, he transferred back to theRegiment of Mounted Riflemenwhere he was promoted to captain in May 1861. As an adjutant of GeneralSamuel D. Sturgishe saw action at theBattle of Dug Springsand observed the Union defeat atWilson's Creekin August 1861 in Missouri, serving as a staff officer to GeneralNathaniel Lyon.Granger was cited for gallantry at Wilson's Creek, became a brevet major and was made a commander of theSt. Louis Arsenal.

In November 1861, Granger assumed command of the2nd Michigan Cavalry Regimentat Benton Barracks in St. Louis, becoming a colonel of volunteers. One of the Union veterans wrote in a memoir that Granger's "military genius soon asserted itself by many severe lessons to the volunteer officers and men of this regiment. He brought them up to the full standard of regulars within a period of three months," and "though a gruff appearing man, had succeeded in winning the respect of his regiment by his strict attention to all the details of making a well disciplined body of soldiers out of a mass of awkward men from every walk of life."

In February 1862, on the orders of GeneralJohn Pope,the 2nd Michigan proceeded from St. Louis toCommerce, Missouri,where Pope assembled nearly 20,000 Union troops for an advance onNew Madrid, Missouri.Granger assumed command over the Third Cavalry Brigade consisting of the 2nd and the3rd Michigancavalry regiments. After the7th Illinoisjoined the brigade, it was reorganized into a cavalry division.

On March 26, 1862, Granger was promoted tobrigadier generalof volunteers and commanded the Cavalry Division,Army of the Mississippiduring theBattle of New Madridand theSiege of Corinth.He was promoted tomajor generalof volunteers on September 17, 1862, and took command of theArmy of Kentucky.He conducted cavalry operations in central Tennessee before his command was merged into theArmy of the Cumberland,becoming the Reserve Corps.

AdmiralDavid Farragutand General Gordon Granger

Granger is most famous for his actions commanding the Reserve Corps at the Battle of Chickamauga. There on September 20, 1863, the second day of the battle, he reinforced, without orders, Major GeneralGeorge H. Thomas'XIV Corpson Snodgrass Hill by orderingJames B. Steedmanto send two brigades under his command to help Thomas.Asked by Thomas if he could counterattack a Confederate force on the Union flank, Granger replied, "My men are fresh and they are just the fellows for that work. They are raw troops and don't know any better than to charge up there." This action staved off the Confederate attackers until dark, permitting the Federal forces to retreat in good order and thus helping Thomas to earn the sobriquet "Rock of Chickamauga".After the battle, Granger wrote in his report, "being well convinced, judging from the sound of battle, that the enemy were pushing him [Thomas], and fearing that would not be able to resist their combined attack, I determined to go to his assistance at once."

Granger's effective leadership at Chickamauga earned him command of the newly formedIV Corpsin theArmy of the Cumberlandcommanded by General Thomas, and he was promoted brevet lieutenant colonel of the U.S. Army. Under his command, the IV Corps force distinguished itself at the third Battle of Chattanooga. Two of the IV Corps' divisions, those commanded byThomas J. WoodandPhilip Sheridan,were in the middle of the four divisions that assaulted the heavily manned center of the Confederate lines onMissionary Ridge.Although they had no further orders after taking the rifle-pits at the base, Granger's men kept going up the steep ridge, with the two other divisions just slightly behind, and routed the Confederates on the crest. This breakthrough, in conjunction with Hooker's successful assault further to the right, forced theConfederates,underGeneralBraxton Bragg,to retreat in disorder. After Chattanooga, Granger took part in lifting thesiegeatKnoxville, Tennessee.Despite these successes, GeneralUlysses S. Grantdisliked Granger as the latter resisted an appeal by GeneralPhil Sheridanto pursue the retreating Confederate army after the battleand prevented him from gaining more prominent commands in the West or in theEastern Theater of the American Civil War.GeneralE. R. S. Canbylater offered Granger a command in theDepartment of the Gulfover Grant's objections, and he led a division that provided land support to the naval operations conducted by AdmiralDavid Farragutin theGulf of Mexico.Granger led the land forces that captured FortsGainesandMorganin conjunction with the Union naval operations during theBattle of Mobile Bay.Granger commanded theXIII Corpsduring theBattle of Fort Blakeley,which led to the fall of the city ofMobile, Alabama.

Postbellum

Time in Texas and Juneteenth

General Order No. 3,June 19, 1865

When the war ended, Granger was given command of theDistrict of Texason June 10, 1865.On June 19, 1865, in the city ofGalveston,one of the first orders of business was to post Granger'sGeneral Order No. 3which began with:

The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection therefore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer.

This set off joyous demonstrations by the freed people, originating the annualJuneteenthcelebration, which commemorates the abolition of slavery in Texas.

Granger would do several other activities while being in command of Texas. He would declare all laws passed by the Confederacy to be null, ensured all Confederate soldiers were paroled, anyone "having public property" which included cotton be given to the US Army and all cotton that was privately owned be given to the Army as compensation. He advised newly freed Blacks that they shouldn't congregate near towns and military posts without any employment and expecting welfare. Instead he suggested they should remain on their plantations to sign labor agreements with their former owners until theFreedmen's Bureaucould be established. Granger would serve in his role until August 6, 1865, when he was replaced by GeneralHoratio Wright.

Further career

When Granger was done serving in Texas he commanded the Department of Kentucky from August 12, 1865, to January 15, 1866.After the Civil War, he continued his relationship with PresidentAndrew Johnsonwhich he had established when Johnson was Tennessee's military governor. Because of Granger's ties to Johnson, a Democrat, Grant thought that Granger was getting "out of tedious routine duties" by getting favors from Johnson. President Johnson did send him on assignments. His ties with Johnson led to his further alienation from Grant who was becoming aligned with theRadical Republicans.Granger andGeorge Armstrong Custerjoined once in September 1866 to organize a "soldiers' convention" in Cleveland to help Johnson's administration.

Granger was elected a First Class Companion of the New York Commandery of theMilitary Order of the Loyal Legion of the United Stateson May 2, 1866, a prestigious military society for officers of the Union Army and their descendants.

Granger remained in the Army after mustering out of the volunteer service. In July 1866, he was assigned as a colonel to the reconstituted25th Infantry Regiment.While there, he stayed on a leave of absence and spent a good portion of his time in New York City lobbying President Johnson for potential appointments. He reported back for duty on September 1, 1867.

He was reassigned as colonel of the15th Infantry Regiment,December 15, 1870 and commanded theDistrict of New Mexico,from April 29, 1871, to June 1, 1873.Cochisewho was the leader of theChiricahuantribe and his people went to New Mexico where he contacted Granger to discuss peace terms, which the two did in March 1872 atCañada Alamosa.However, peace did not come out of this as the Chiricahuas ended up going to theDragoon Mountainswhen learning that all Apaches were going to be sent toFort Tularosa.Peace was reached when Brigadier GeneralOliver O. Howardmet him in October that year.

Granger went on sick leave of absence to October 31, 1875; and then was again in command of the District of New Mexico, October 31, 1875, to January 10, 1876.

Granger died inSanta Fe, New Mexicoon January 10, 1876, where he was serving in command of the District of New Mexico.He is buried inLe xing ton CemeteryinKentucky.

Dates of rank

Insignia	Rank	Date	Component
	Brevet Second Lieutenant	July 1, 1845	2nd Infantry
	Brevet Second Lieutenant	July 17, 1846	Mounted Rifles
	Second Lieutenant	May 29, 1847	Mounted Rifles
	Brevet First Lieutenant	August 20, 1847	Regular Army
	Brevet Captain	September 13, 1847	Regular Army
	First Lieutenant	May 24, 1852	Mounted Rifles
	Captain	May 5, 1861	Mounted Rifles
	Brevet Major	August 10, 1861	Regular Army
	Colonel	September 2, 1861	2nd Michigan Cavalry
	Brigadier General	March 26, 1862	Volunteers
	Major General	September 17, 1862	Volunteers
	Brevet Lieutenant Colonel	September 20, 1863	Regular Army
	Brevet Colonel	November 20, 1863	Regular Army
	Brevet Brigadier General	March 13, 1865	Regular Army
	Brevet Major General	March 13, 1865	Regular Army
	Colonel	July 28, 1866	25th Infantry
	Colonel	December 20, 1870	15th Infantry

See also

• List of American Civil War generals (Union)

Further reading

• Dupuy, Trevor N., Curt Johnson, and David L. Bongard.TheHarper Encyclopedia of Military Biography.New York: HarperCollins, 1992.ISBN978-0-06-270015-5.
• Eicher, John H., andDavid J. Eicher.Civil War High Commands.Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2001.ISBN0-8047-3641-3.
• Conner, Robert C.General Gordon Granger: The Savior of Chickamauga and the Man Behind 'Juneteenth'.Philadelphia: Casemate, 2013.ISBN978-1-61200-185-2.

External links

• Media related toGordon Grangerat Wikimedia Commons
• Works by or aboutGordon GrangeratWikisource
• Quotations related toGordon Grangerat Wikiquote
• "Gordon Granger".Find a Grave.RetrievedAugust 18,2010.
• History of Juneteenth