Alexander Wilkin
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Alexander Wilkin (December 1, 1819 – July 14, 1864) was a soldier during the
Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War (Spanish language, Spanish: ''guerra de Estados Unidos-México, guerra mexicano-estadounidense''), also known in the United States as the Mexican War, and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, ...
and 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 ...
. Wilkin also played a role in the development of the
Minnesota Territory The Territory of Minnesota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1849, until May 11, 1858, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Minnesota and the w ...
, having been its second territorial secretary from 1851 till 1853. In 1861, he was deployed in the Civil War, where he would die at the
Battle of Tupelo The Battle of Tupelo, also known as the Battle of Harrisburg, was a battle of the American Civil War fought July 14–15, 1864, near Tupelo, Mississippi. The Union victory over Confederate forces in north Mississippi ensured the safety of She ...
.


Life

Wilkin was born on December 1, 1819, in
Goshen, New York Goshen is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 14,571 at the 2020 census.US Census Bureau, 2020 Census Report Goshen, Orange County, New York QuickFacts https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/goshentownorangecountyne ...
. His father
Samuel J. Wilkin Samuel Jones Wilkin (December 17, 1793 – March 11, 1866) was a U.S. representative from New York, son of James W. Wilkin. Born in Goshen, New York, Wilkin graduated from Princeton College in 1812. He studied law. He was admitted to the bar i ...
as well as his grandfather
James W. Wilkin James Whitney Wilkin (March19, 1762February23, 1845) was an American lawyer and politician from New York (state), New York. Life Wilkin was born in Wallkill, Ulster County, New York, Wallkill, New York (then in Orange County, but now in Ulster Co ...
were politicians. Alexander studied law at
Yale Yale University is a private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and one of the nine colonial colleges ch ...
and became an attorney. In 1847, he joined the
Tenth United States Army The Tenth United States Army was the last army level command established during the Pacific War during World War II, and included divisions from both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps. History The headquarters of the Tenth Army was formed ...
and became a captain. The army was deployed to Northern Mexico. Wilkin saw little action during his deployment, but gained a reputation as a serious soldier, and a man not to trifle with. However, on January 20, 1848, he shot and killed Joshua W. Collett in a duel. Despite his later regrets, he quoted that he "never felt cooler in his life". On March 6, 1848, he resigned his post and moved to
Saint Paul Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, he is generally ...
,
Minnesota Territory The Territory of Minnesota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1849, until May 11, 1858, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Minnesota and the w ...
, in 1849. Two years later, President
Millard Fillmore Millard Fillmore (January 7, 1800 – March 8, 1874) was the 13th president of the United States, serving from 1850 to 1853. He was the last president to be a member of the Whig Party while in the White House, and the last to be neither a De ...
gave him the office of territorial secretary of the
Minnesota Territory The Territory of Minnesota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1849, until May 11, 1858, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Minnesota and the w ...
. The office was given to him presumably as a political favor (Wilkin was a Whig), and he served the office until 1853. While living in St. Paul, Wilkin invested in land, railroads, and newspapers. He worked as a lawyer and insurance agent. He also created the St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company, the forerunner of what would become
Travelers Insurance The Travelers Companies, Inc., commonly known as Travelers, is an American multinational insurance company. It is the second-largest writer of U.S. commercial property casualty insurance, and the sixth-largest writer of U.S. personal insurance t ...
. When the Civil War began in April 1861, he was elected head of the "Pioneer Guard", the name of a St. Paul–based militia unit. On July 21, 1861, Wilkin fought in the ill-fated Battle of Bull Run, in which the Union forces were defeated. For his bravery during the battle Wilkin was made a captain in the regular army. Before he could report, he received a promotion to major with the
2nd Minnesota Volunteer Infantry The 2nd Minnesota Infantry Regiment was a United States Volunteers, Minnesota USV infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment went on to campaign in the south and especially distinguish itself at the ...
. This new regiment, based in
Lebanon, Kentucky Lebanon is a home rule-class city and the county seat of Marion County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 6,274 at the 2020 census, up from 5,539 in 2010. Lebanon is located in central Kentucky, southeast of Louisville. A na ...
, fought in the
Battle of Mill Springs The Battle of Mill Springs, also known as the Battle of Fishing Creek in the Confederate States of America, Confederacy, and the Battle of Logan's Cross Roads or Battle of Somerset in the Union (American Civil War), Union, was fought in Wayne Coun ...
on January 18, 1862. When Wilkin's regiment was asked to intervene in a siege in
Corinth, Mississippi Corinth is a city in and the county seat of Alcorn County, Mississippi, Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,622 at the 2020 census. Its ZIP codes are 38834 and 38835. It lies on the state line with Tennessee. His ...
, where he served with General Tecumseh Sherman. Shortly afterward, the
9th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 9th Minnesota Infantry Regiment was a Minnesota United States Volunteers, USV infantry regiment that served in the Union Army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. Service The 9th Minnesota Infantry Regiment was organized into ...
elected him colonel, and on December 26, 1862, he commanded nearly 250 soldiers at the execution of 38 Dakota men in
Mankato, Minnesota Mankato ( ) is a city in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, Blue Earth, Nicollet County, Minnesota, Nicollet, and Le Sueur County, Minnesota, Le Sueur counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is the county seat of Blue Earth County, Minnesota. The ...
. He then established his headquarters as well as a military training school in St. Peter. In October 1863, the Ninth Minnesota were sent to
Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...
. The following May, the regiment marched to
Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...
, and raised an army tasked with eliminating the threat that
Nathan Bedford Forrest Nathan Bedford Forrest (July 13, 1821October 29, 1877) was an List of slave traders of the United States, American slave trader, active in the lower Mississippi River valley, who served as a General officers in the Confederate States Army, Con ...
's cavalry was posing to the area. On June 10, 1864, Wilkin fought at the
Battle of Brice's Crossroads The Battle of Brice's Cross Roads, also known as the Battle of Tishomingo Creek or the Battle of Guntown, was fought on Friday, June 10, 1864, near Baldwyn, Mississippi, then part of the Confederate States of America. A Federal expedition fro ...
which earned him praise for his bravery despite the Confederate victory. On July 14, 1864, he would face the battle that would come to be his last. Another expeditionary force decided to operate against Forrest. This force, operated by Wilkin, headed to
Tupelo, Mississippi Tupelo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1860, the population was 37,923 at the United States Census, 2020, 2020 census. It is the List of municipalities in Mississippi, 7th-most populous ...
, where he was shot to death while speaking to another soldier. Initially he was buried near where he fell, but his family recovered his remains and buried them in Goshen, where he had been born. His father, Samuel Wilkin, outlived him by 20 months before dying in 1866. In 1868,
Wilkin County, Minnesota Wilkin County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of Wilkin County was 6,506. Its county seat is Breckenridge, Minnesota, Breckenridge. The county ...
, was formed as a way to honor the leader.History-Wilkin County, Minnesota
A statue of him was erected in the state capitol in 1910.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilkin, Alexander 1819 births 1864 deaths American military personnel of the Mexican–American War People of Minnesota in the American Civil War People of New York (state) in the American Civil War Politicians from Saint Paul, Minnesota People from Goshen, New York Yale Law School alumni Businesspeople from Minnesota Minnesota lawyers New York (state) lawyers Minnesota Whigs 19th-century American politicians New York (state) Whigs Minnesota Territory officials Union army colonels Politicians killed in the American Civil War 19th-century American businesspeople 19th-century American lawyers