Thomas Jefferson Morgan was an American Brevet Brigadier General 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 the 14th United States Colored Infantry Regiment throughout the middle and end of the war. Later on, he became a prominent member of the Rochester Theological Seminary and would go on to be a prominent teaching figure across the United States. His works were renowned across the education world and managed to become vice president of the

National Education Association The National Education Association (NEA) is the largest labor union in the United States. It represents public school teachers and other support personnel, faculty and staffers at colleges and universities, retired educators, and college st ...

from 1887 to 1889 and the

Commissioner of Indian Affairs The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), also known as Indian Affairs (IA), is a United States List of United States federal agencies, federal agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior, Department of the Interior. It is responsible for im ...

from 1889 to 1893.

American Civil War

Thomas was born on August 17, 1839, at

Franklin, Indiana Franklin is a city in Johnson County, Indiana, United States. The population was 23,712 at the 2010 census. Located about south of Indianapolis, the city is the county seat of Johnson County. The site of Franklin College, the city attracts ...

. After graduating from the college, Morgan immediately enlisted in the

7th Indiana Infantry Regiment The 7th Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment from the State of Indiana that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service The 7th Indiana Volunteer Infantry was organized at Indianapolis, Indiana, betwee ...

for around three months before his tenure expired and temporarily became a teacher at

Atlanta, Illinois Atlanta (formerly Xenia) is a city in Logan County, Illinois, Logan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,692 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 census. History Early settlement In December of 1836, surveyors platted the com ...

. Morgan re-enlisted in the Union Army on August 1, 1862, as a First Lieutenant of the

70th Indiana Infantry Regiment The 70th Regiment Indiana Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service The 70th Indiana Infantry was organized at Indianapolis, Indiana July 22 through August 8, 1862, and mustered in for ...

but then organized to be the Lieutenant Colonel of the 14th United States Colored Infantry Regiment on November 1, 1863. After being promoted to Colonel on New Years of 1864, he organized 2 other regiments took command of the First Colored Brigade of the

Army of the Cumberland The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio. History The origin of the Army of the Cumberland dates back to the creatio ...

. He went on to participate at the Atlanta campaign as well as the

Battle of Nashville The Battle of Nashville was a two-day battle in the Franklin-Nashville Campaign that represented the end of large-scale fighting west of the coastal states in the American Civil War. It was fought at Nashville, Tennessee, on December 15–16, 18 ...

while being in the general staff of

Oliver Otis 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 again ...

. Morgan was brevetted Brigadier General on March 13, 1865, before resigning on April 1, 1865.

Post-War Career

After the war, Morgan attended the Rochester Theological Seminary. In 1869, he was made Baptist minister and served as the Corresponding Secretary for the New York Union for Ministerial Union and became a pastor at

Brownville, Nebraska Brownville is a village in Nemaha County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 142 at the 2020 census. History Established in 1854 and incorporated in 1856, Brownville was the largest town in the Nebraska Territory, with a population ...

in the following year. In 1872, he became the principal of the Nebraska State Normal School before later on, took similar positions at the Potsdam Normal School and the Rhode Island State Normal School. After the election of

Benjamin Harrison Benjamin Harrison (August 20, 1833March 13, 1901) was the 23rd president of the United States, serving from 1889 to 1893. He was a member of the Harrison family of Virginia—a grandson of the ninth president, William Henry Harrison, and a ...

, Morgan was a member of the Anti-Catholic League for the Protection of American Institutions and for the remaining years of his life, advocated for the

American Protective Association The American Protective Association (APA) was an American anti-Catholic secret society established in 1887 by Protestants. The organization was the largest anti-Catholic movement in the United States during the later part of the 19th century, sho ...

. In 1889 newly elected President

appointed Morgan the

in 1889 in order to promote education for Native Americans. Morgan had a national reputation in education; he was vice president of the

. Morgan viewed education as a quick path to for Native Americans to learn how to fit into the mainstream society. To become civilized according to American standards an Indian youth had to learn new habits of dress, belief, and behavior. Morgan wanted government schools to provide the training needed. Morgan was also an advocate for Chinese immigration in the United States, actively protesting the legislation for discriminating against Chinese immigrants. He resigned in 1893 to become the secretary of the Home Mission society as well as founding the Delta Chapter of

Phi Delta Theta Phi Delta Theta (), commonly known as Phi Delt, is an international secret and social Fraternities and sororities in North America, fraternity founded in 1848, and currently headquartered, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, alo ...

fraternity in Franklin College. After his death on July 13, 1902, he was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery, Rochester, New York.

American Civil War

Post-War Career

See also

References

Further reading