Jacob Gartner Lauman (January 20, 1813 – February 9, 1867) was an American businessman from

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

and a controversial

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

in the Union Army 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 ...

. He commanded an

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...

in the

Army of the Tennessee The Army of the Tennessee was a Union Army, Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. A 2005 study of the army states that it "was present at most of the great battles that became turning points ...

in several campaigns in the Western Theater, and then led a division during the 1863

Vicksburg Campaign The Vicksburg campaigns were a series of maneuvers and battles in the Western Theater of the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi ...

, where his inadequate performance in the Siege of Jackson led to his being sent home for the rest of the war without a subsequent command.

Early life and career

Lauman was born in

Taneytown, Maryland Taneytown ( , locally also ) is a city in Carroll County, Maryland, Carroll County, Maryland, United States. The population was 7,234 at the 2020 census. Taneytown was founded in 1754. Of the city, George Washington once wrote, "Tan-nee town is b ...

. He grew up in

York, Pennsylvania York is a city in York County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. Located in South Central Pennsylvania, the city's population was 44,800 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in ...

, and was educated at the York County Academy. In 1844, he moved to

Burlington, Iowa Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of, Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 23,982 in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in 2000 United States Census, 2000. Burlington ...

, and became a successful businessman engaged in commerce.

Civil War service

Following the outbreak of the Civil War, Lauman was actively engaged in recruiting volunteers to join several new military companies he was raising. He received a commission from the

Governor of Iowa A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the type of political region or polity, a ''governor'' ma ...

, Samuel J. Kirkwood, as the

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

of the 7th Iowa Infantry on July 11, 1861.Eicher, p. 340. He first saw action in the Western Theater and served under Maj. Gen.

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was the 18th president of the United States, serving from 1869 to 1877. In 1865, as Commanding General of the United States Army, commanding general, Grant led the Uni ...

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 ...

. Lauman was severely wounded in his left thigh during the

Battle of Belmont The Battle of Belmont was fought on November 7, 1861, in Mississippi County, Missouri. It was the first combat test in the American Civil War for Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, the future Union Army general in chief and eventual U.S. president ...

on November 7. His 7th Iowa was distinguished for gallant conduct during the fighting, and it suffered greater loss than any other regiment taking part in the engagement, amounting to more than 400 killed, wounded and missing.Gue, ''History of Iowa'' He returned to his regiment in time for the next campaign, but then was given brigade command. He was appointed to lead the 4th Brigade, 2nd Division during Grant's attack on

Fort Donelson Fort Donelson was a fortress built early in 1862 by the Confederacy during the American Civil War to control the Cumberland River, which led to the heart of Tennessee, and thereby the Confederacy. The fort was named after Confederate general Da ...

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

, and was among the first troops to storm and enter the

Confederate A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

works. In recognition of his service at Fort Donelson, he was promoted to brigadier general in the Union Army on March 21, 1862. Subsequently, Lauman commanded a brigade in Maj. Gen.

Stephen A. Hurlbut Stephen Augustus Hurlbut (November 29, 1815 – March 27, 1882) was an attorney and politician, who commanded the U.S. Army of the Gulf in the American Civil War. Afterward, he continued to serve as a politician and also as a diplomat. Although ...

's division at the

Battle of Shiloh The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the American Civil War fought on April 6–7, 1862. The fighting took place in southwestern Tennessee, which was part of the war's Western Theater of the ...

on April 6–7, 1862. Lauman commanded his

in the

Battle of Hatchie's Bridge The Battle of Hatchie's Bridge, also known as Battle of Davis Bridge or Matamora, was fought on October 5, 1862, in Hardeman County and McNairy County, Tennessee McNairy County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the ...

in rural

, an action on October 6, 1862. Maj. Gen. Edward O.C. Ord led a detachment of the Army of West Tennessee on an expedition aimed at destroying Confederate Maj. Gen.

Earl Van Dorn Earl Van Dorn (September 17, 1820May 7, 1863) was an American Major General who started his military career as a United States Army officer and became famous for successfully leading two defenses of a Native American settlement from the Comanch ...

's Army of West Tennessee as it retreated from

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 ...

. In 1863, Lauman led the 4th Division of the XVI Corps during the

Siege of Vicksburg The siege of Vicksburg (May 18 – July 4, 1863) was the final major military action in the Vicksburg campaign of the American Civil War. In a series of maneuvers, Union Major General Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee crossed th ...

. He was relieved of duty by the order of Maj. Gen.

William T. Sherman William is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle Ages and into the modern era. It is ...

shortly after the capture of

Jackson, Mississippi Jackson is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Mississippi, most populous city of the U.S. state of Mississippi. The city sits on the Pearl River (Mississippi–Louisiana), Pearl River and is locate ...

, on July 16, 1863. He failed to properly execute orders on how to deploy his troops from his immediate superior, Ord, who accused him of wanton disregard for the orders that led to a heavy loss in casualties. Lauman subsequently returned to Iowa to await his next assignment. Orders were never forthcoming, and Lauman sat out the rest of the war. However, in the omnibus promotions following the war, he received a brevet promotion to major general in the Union Army, dating from March 13, 1865. He formally mustered out of the volunteer service on August 24.

Postbellum

Lauman resumed his commercial ventures, but he suffered ill health from his lingering Belmont wound. He tried without success to clear his name, blaming his failure on a misunderstanding. Lauman died in Burlington, Iowa, in February 1867. He was buried in Aspen Grove Cemetery in Burlington.

In memory

* A bronze bust of Jacob Gartner Lauman, sculpted by H. Hinson Perry, stands on the Vicksburg Battlefield on Wisconsin Avenue in the city of Vicksburg itself.National Park Service website for the Vicksburg National Military Park; photo of Lauman's bust
/ref> File:Jacob Gartner Lauman 2.JPG, Jacob Lauman in his brigadier general's uniform; photo taken after 1862 promotion File:21-32-096-lauman.jpg, Bust of Lauman at

Vicksburg National Military Park Vicksburg National Military Park preserves the site of the American Civil War Battle of Vicksburg, waged from March 29 to July 4, 1863. The park, located in Vicksburg, Mississippi, flanking the Mississippi River, also commemorates the greater ...

Notes

References

* Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J., ''Civil War High Commands'', Stanford University Press, 2001, . * Gue, B.F., ''History of Iowa From the Earliest Times To The Beginning of the Twentieth Century'', Volume IV, Iowa Biography, 1903. Attribution *

External links

*
Civil War Interactive Biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lauman, Jacob Gartner 1813 births 1867 deaths People from Taneytown, Maryland Union army generals People of Iowa in the American Civil War People from York County, Pennsylvania People from Burlington, Iowa Military personnel from Pennsylvania