Hiram Gregory Berry (August 27, 1824 – May 3, 1863) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

politician and general in the

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the primary field army of the Union army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the Battle of ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

Birth and early years

Hiram Gregory Berry was born on August 27, 1824, on his parents' farm in the Meadows of Thomaston (now the City of Rockland),

Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...

. He was the fourth child of Frances Gregory Berry and Jeremiah Berry. He had 3 brothers and one sister. Hiram G. Berry was born in Rockland,

, where he worked as a

carpenter Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. Carpenter ...

and a navigator. He served several terms in the

State Legislature A state legislature is a Legislature, legislative branch or body of a State (country subdivision), political subdivision in a Federalism, federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of ...

and subsequently became the mayor of Rockland. He also originated and commanded the "Rockland Guard," a volunteer

militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...

company, which held a reputation for drill and discipline. On April 21, 1852, Hiram co-founded the Rockland Steam Manufacturing Company along with I. K. Kimball, A. H. Kimball, and Joseph C. Libby. The company created doors, sashes, and blinds. Its buildings, however, caught fire in 1855 and were destroyed. After being elected on October 8, 1853, Berry was a director of the Lime Rock National Bank in Rockland. On October 19, 1857, after its president Knott Crockett died, he assumed presidency of the bank. He resigned from his position to enter the army on June 5, 1861.

Civil War service

At the beginning of the Civil War, he went to Augusta and offered his services to the Governor and was given orders to recruit a regiment.". He participated in the

First Battle of Manassas The First Battle of Bull Run, called the Battle of First Manassas
. by O.O. Howard Oliver Otis Howard (November 8, 1830 – October 26, 1909) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the Civil War. As a brigade commander in the Army of the Potomac, Howard lost his right arm while leading his men agains ...

. For his gallant service at Bull Run he was promoted to brigadier general in March 1862. Berry was reassigned to the command of the 3rd Brigade of Hamilton's Division (later Kearny's), 3rd Corps. The 3rd Brigade consisted of four regiments: the

2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 2nd Michigan Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service The 2nd Michigan Infantry was organized by Francis William Kellogg and others at Fort Wayne in Detroit, Michigan. ...

;

3rd Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 3rd Michigan Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Commanders * Colonel Daniel McConnell * Colonel Stephen Gardner Champlin * Colonel Byron Root Pierce See also * 3rd M ...

5th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 5th Michigan Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment from Michigan that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was mustered into federal service in August 1861 and served in the Eastern Theater of the American ...

and the

37th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 37th New York Infantry Regiment or the Irish Rifles was formed accepted by the State on May 25, 1861, and organized in New York City. The regiment mustered in the service of the United States on June 6 and 7, 1861 for two years of service to ...

. Berry's decisive action at the

Battle of Williamsburg The Battle of Williamsburg, also known as the Battle of Fort Magruder, took place on May 5, 1862, in York County, James City County, and Williamsburg, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the first pitc ...

benefited General Hooker. His brigade fought in the

Battle of Seven Pines The Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks or Fair Oaks Station, took place on May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. The Union's Army of the Po ...

and the

Seven Days Battles The Seven Days Battles were a series of seven battles over seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War. Confederate States Army, Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army ...

around Richmond. Berry was then promoted to Major-General on November 29, 1862. Berry was placed in command of the 2nd Division of the

III Corps III or iii may refer to: Companies * Information International, Inc., a computer technology company * Innovative Interfaces, Inc., a library-software company * 3i, formerly Investors in Industry, a British investment company Other uses * I ...

, succeeding Major General

Daniel Sickles Daniel Edgar Sickles (October 20, 1819May 3, 1914) was an American politician, American Civil War , Civil War veteran, and diplomat. He served in the United States House of Representatives , U.S. House of Representatives both before and after t ...

, who had ascended to corps command. Berry was killed by a sharpshooter's round at 7:26 am (Gould, Edward (1899), Major-General Hiram G. Berry, page 267) on May 3, 1863, during the

Battle of Chancellorsville The Battle of Chancellorsville, April 30 – May 6, 1863, was a major battle of the American Civil War (1861–1865), and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville campaign. Confederate General Robert E. Lee's risky decision to divide h ...

. Next in seniority was Brigadier General Gershom Mott, who was severely wounded; therefore, Joseph Warren Revere assumed command of Berry's Division, though Revere's poor decisions led to his

court-martial A court-martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the arme ...

Notes

References

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External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Berry, Hiram Gregory People of Maine in the American Civil War Union army generals Union military personnel killed in the American Civil War Members of the Maine House of Representatives People from Rockland, Maine 1824 births 1863 deaths Deaths by firearm in Virginia 19th-century members of the Maine Legislature