Richard J. Oglesby

Richard James Oglesby (July 25, 1824  April 24, 1899) was an American soldier and Republican politician from Illinois. He served in the United States Army during the Mexican–American War of 1846–47, and after the war became a prospector during the California Gold Rush and was elected to the Illinois General Assembly. During the American Civil War, Oglesby volunteered for the Union Army and rose to the rank of major general, serving in the Western Theater; he left the army when he was elected Governor of Illinois in 1864, and would serve three non-consecutive terms in that office (from 1865 to 1869, for ten days in 1873, and from 1885 to 1889). He also served as a United States Senator from Illinois from 1873 to 1879.

Richard James Oglesby
c. 1875
14th Governor of Illinois
In office
January 16, 1865  January 11, 1869
LieutenantWilliam Bross
Preceded byRichard Yates
Succeeded byJohn M. Palmer
In office
January 13, 1873  January 23, 1873
LieutenantJohn Lourie Beveridge
Preceded byJohn M. Palmer
Succeeded byJohn Lourie Beveridge
In office
January 30, 1885  January 14, 1889
LieutenantJohn Smith
Preceded byJohn Marshall Hamilton
Succeeded byJoseph W. Fifer
United States Senator
from Illinois
In office
March 4, 1873  March 3, 1879
Preceded byLyman Trumbull
Succeeded byJohn A. Logan
Member of the Illinois Senate
In office
1860
Personal details
Born(1824-07-25)July 25, 1824
Oldham County, Kentucky
DiedApril 24, 1899(1899-04-24) (aged 74)
Elkhart, Illinois
Political partyRepublican
Alma materUniversity of Louisville
Signature
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Union Army
Years of service1846–1847
1861–1864
Rank Major General
Battles/warsMexican–American War, American Civil War

The town of Oglesby, Illinois, is named in his honor.

Early years

Oglesby was born in Floydsburg, Oldham County, Kentucky.[1] He was orphaned and moved to live with his uncle in Decatur, Illinois, in 1832, where he later worked as a farmhand, ropemaker, and carpenter.

Mexican–American War

With the outbreak of the Mexican–American War, he enlisted as a 1st Lieutenant in Company C, 4th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment [2] taking part in the battles of Veracruz and Cerro Gordo "where his regiment almost captured Mexican President General Santa Anna, but they had to settle for his cork leg, carriage and $20,000 in gold".[3]

He might have participated in what may have been the first baseball game ever played outside the U.S., at the end of April 1847, a few days after the Battle of Cerro Gordo, "with the wooden leg captured (by the Fourth Illinois regiment) from General Santa Anna".[4]

He was mustered out of the volunteer service in May 1847.

1848–1860

He studied at Louisville Law School in 1848, but traveled to California for the gold rush in 1849, where he tried his hand at gold mining. After two years of traveling in Europe, he returned to Illinois in 1851,[5] joined the Republican Party at its formation, ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Congress in 1858, and was elected to the Illinois Senate in 1860. In 1859 Oglesby married Decatur native Anna White. They had four children; Richard, Elizabeth, Robert, and Olive.

Civil War

Oglesby as a major general in the Union Army, circa 1862–63

At the start of the Civil War, Oglesby was appointed colonel of the 8th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment on April 25, 1861, and was soon given command of the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, District of Cairo, Department of the Missouri, serving under the command of Ulysses S. Grant. He was a well liked commander known to his troops as "Uncle Dick". He commanded his brigade at the battles of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson and soon after was promoted to brigadier general (March 21, 1862). He commanded the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, Army of the Tennessee, during the Siege of Corinth. He was severely wounded in his chest and back at the Battle of Corinth in October 1862.

Oglesby was promoted to major general on November 29, and after a period of recovery, commanded the Left Wing of the XVI Corps, Army of the Tennessee, in western Tennessee and northern Mississippi from April to July 1863. He resigned his commission on May 26, 1864, to run for governor on the Republican ticket.

He was present in the room at the Petersen House when President Abraham Lincoln died on April 15, 1865.

Illinois politics

Oglesby Mansion on William Street in Decatur, Illinois where Oglesby and his wife Emma lived from 1874 to 1882

Oglesby was elected by a large majority and served as the Governor of Illinois between 1865 and 1869. During his tenure as governor, he advocated improving the quality of care of the mentally ill and for other groups of disabled citizens. He signed legislation expanding the State Hospital system from one campus to three.[6] After his term ended, he practiced law until 1872, when he agreed to a scheme in which Oglesby ran again for governor, but turned the office over to the lieutenant governor immediately after inauguration in return for a seat in the U.S. Senate. He served as a Senator from 1873 until 1879. In 1884, he was reelected governor for a third time, becoming the first man in Illinois history to serve three times as governor. At the end of his third term as governor, he tried unsuccessfully to be reelected to his Senate seat. He spent his remaining years in retirement and died at his "Oglehurst" estate in Elkhart, Illinois. He is buried there in Elkhart Cemetery. There is a statue of Richard J. Oglesby in Lincoln Park, Chicago.

His son, John G. Oglesby, was a two time Lieutenant Governor of Illinois.

See also

Notes

  1. "Richard J. Oglesby". Portrait and Biographical Album of Champaign County, Illinois. Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1887. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
  2. Lincoln's Rail-Splitter by Mark Plummer 2001
  3. The Oglesby Mansion in Decatur, Illinois
  4. Terry's Guide to Mexico, 1909, page=506, repeated in following editions thru at least 1947
  5. Eicher, p. 408.
  6. Briska, William (1997). The History of Elgin Mental Health Center: Evolution of a State Hospital. Crossroads Communications. p. 12. ISBN 0-916445-45-3.

References

  • Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher. Civil War High Commands. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
  • Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1964. ISBN 0-8071-0822-7.

Further reading

Party political offices
Preceded by
Richard Yates
Republican nominee for Governor of Illinois
1864
Succeeded by
John M. Palmer
Preceded by
John M. Palmer
Republican nominee for Governor of Illinois
1872
Succeeded by
Shelby Moore Cullom
Preceded by
Shelby Moore Cullom
Republican nominee for Governor of Illinois
1884
Succeeded by
Joseph W. Fifer
Political offices
Preceded by
Richard Yates
Governor of Illinois
1865–1869
Succeeded by
John M. Palmer
Preceded by
John M. Palmer
Governor of Illinois
1873
Succeeded by
John Lourie Beveridge
Preceded by
John Marshall Hamilton
Governor of Illinois
1885–1889
Succeeded by
Joseph W. Fifer
U.S. Senate
Preceded by
Lyman Trumbull
U.S. senator (Class 3) from Illinois
1873–1879
Served alongside: John A. Logan, David Davis
Succeeded by
John A. Logan
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