Sanders Dewees Bruce (1825–1902) was a Union Army colonel 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 ...

and an expert on

horse breeding Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given Horse breed, breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired chara ...

. He authored the ''

American Stud Book The ''American Stud Book'' is the stud book for the Thoroughbred horse in the United States. It was founded by Sanders Bruce, with assistance from his brother B. G. Bruce in 1868.Montgomery ''Thoroughbred'' p. 162 In 1896, the Jockey Club bought ...

'' and ''The Horse-breeder's Guide and Handbook''.

Early life

Bruce was born on August 16, 1825, in

Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city coterminous with and the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the city's population was 322,570, making it the List of ...

. His father, John Bruce, was native to England and was believed to be a direct descendant of

Robert the Bruce Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (), was King of Scots from 1306 until his death in 1329. Robert led Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence against Kingdom of Eng ...

. His sister, Rebecca Bruce, married

John Hunt Morgan John Hunt Morgan (June 1, 1825September 4, 1864) was a Confederate general in the American Civil War. In April 1862, he raised the 2nd Kentucky Cavalry Regiment, fought at Shiloh, and then launched a costly raid in Kentucky, which encouraged Br ...

a future

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 ...

cavalry officer. Sanders Bruce was a graduate of

Transylvania University Transylvania University is a private university in Lexington, Kentucky, United States. It was founded in 1780 and is the oldest university in Kentucky. It offers 46 major programs, as well as dual-degree engineering programs, and is Higher educ ...

in 1846 and afterward went into the mercantile business. In response to

John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry was an effort by abolitionist John Brown, from October 16th to 18th, 1859, to initiate a slave revolt in Southern states by taking over the United States arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (since 1863, We ...

, state

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 ...

s were bolstered to deal with similar uprisings. Bruce was commissioned

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

of the Lexington Chasseurs in the Kentucky State Militia under the direction of

Simon B. Buckner Simon Bolivar Buckner ( ; April 1, 1823 – January 8, 1914) was an American soldier, Confederate military officer, and politician. He fought in the United States Army in the Mexican–American War. He later fought in the Confederate State ...

as Inspector General.

Civil War

Bruce chose to fight for the Union during the Civil War despite his ties to such future Confederates as Morgan and Buckner. When Buckner sided with the Confederates, Bruce assumed responsibilities as Inspector General of the Kentucky Militia in 1861. He became

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

20th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry The 20th Kentucky Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service The 20th Kentucky Infantry Regiment was organized at Lexington, Kentucky, Camp Dick Robinson, and Smithfield, Kent ...

which was mustered into Federal service on January 6, 1862. In February, he assumed command of the 22nd Brigade in General

William "Bull" Nelson William "Bull" Nelson (September 27, 1824 – September 29, 1862) was a United States naval officer who became a Union general during the American Civil War. As a Kentuckian, Nelson could have sympathized with the Confederates but, like his st ...

's 4th Division of the

Army of the Ohio The Army of the Ohio was the name of two Union Army, Union armies in the American Civil War. The first army became the Army of the Cumberland and the second army was created in 1863. History 1st Army of the Ohio General Orders No. 97 appointed ...

. Bruce led his brigade in the march to reinforce

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 ...

's army at Pittsburg Landing during 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 ...

. Nelson's division was the first unit of the

to reach the battlefield. On April 7, Bruce's brigade attacked through the Wicker Field and beyond Bloody Pond. His brigade was then stalled by Confederate counterattack in the Sarah Bell Field heightening tensions between him and General Nelson. When the Confederates retreated in general, Bruce's brigade advanced to the south end of the peach orchard where it remained as the battle ended. Following the battle of Shiloh, Bruce suffered a

stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...

which forced him to relinquish field command. He served as post commander of

Bowling Green, Kentucky Bowling Green is a city in Warren County, Kentucky, United States, and its county seat. Its population was 72,294 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Kentucky, third-most populous city in the stat ...

, and

Clarksville, Tennessee Clarksville is a city in Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. The city had a population of 166,722 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tennessee, fifth-most populo ...

. He later served as Provost Marshal of Lexington, Kentucky, and commanded an infantry brigade under

Jeremiah T. Boyle Jeremiah Tilford Boyle (May 22, 1818 – July 28, 1871) was a successful lawyer and noted abolitionist. He served as a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Biography Boyle was born and raised in Mercer County (no ...

on garrison duty in Kentucky. Colonel Bruce resigned from Federal service on June 24, 1864.

Post-war career

Bruce moved to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

where he used his expertise and knowledge of horse breeding to begin publication '' The Turf, Field and Farm'', a periodical devoted to turf and field sports. He also became a member of the Coney Island Jockey Club. Bruce continued to write extensively on horse breeding. Among his works on this subject were ''American Stud Book'' and ''The Horse-breeder's Guide and Handbook''. Sanders Bruce died in New York City on January 31, 1902.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bruce, Sanders D. 1825 births 1902 deaths American racehorse owners and breeders Writers from Lexington, Kentucky People of Kentucky in the American Civil War Transylvania University alumni Union army colonels