John Parke and late war AotP and AotJ

[Irishtom29]

Don't hear much about this fella but evidently he was a very capable soldier and got excellent service from the 9th Corps. Anyone have anything to say about him?

Seems to me that the late war commanders of the Army of the Potomac and Army of the James don't get much "press", you know; Ord, Griffin, Parke, Humphreys, Wright, Gibbon. These guys did an excellent job in the spring of 65.

Comments?

[M E Wolf]

Dear IrishTom29,

Name PARKE, John Grubb
Born September 22 1827, Chester Cty PA
Died December 16 1900, District of Columbia
Pre-War Profession Graduated West Point 1849, engineer duty.
War Service November 1861 appointed Brig. Gen. of Volunteers, commanded 3rd Bde in Burnside's North Carolina expedition, July 1862 promoted Maj. Gen. of Volunteers, served as Burnside's chief of staff in Maryland campaign and Fredericksburg, commanded IX Corps at Vicksburg and Jackson, Knoxville, chief of staff to Burnside from Wilderness to Petersburg, commanded IX Corps at Hatcher's Run, Ft Stedman, Appomattox campaign.
Brevet Promotions Brig. Gen. U.S.A. March 13 1865, Maj. Gen. U.S.A. March 13 1865.
Post War Career Army service, surveyor, commandant of West Point, retired 1889.
Notes

Third Brigade,. (1862)
Brig. Gen. JOHN G. PARKE.
8th Connecticut, Col. Edward Harland.
9th New York, Col. Rush C. Hawkins.
53d New York,(*) Col. L. J. D'Epineuil.
4th Rhode Island, Col. I. P. Rodman.
5th Rhode Island (battalion), Maj. John Wright.

also

THIRD DIVISION.
Brig. Gen. JOHN G. PARKE.
8th Connecticut, Col. Edward Harland.
9th New Jersey, Col. Charles A. Heckman.
4th Rhode Island, Col. I. P. Rodman.
5th Rhode Island (battalion), Maj. John Wright.
1st U.S. Artillery, Battery C, Capt. L. O. Morris.
--------------
Battle of Roanoke Island, NC; Battle of New Berne, NC; Seige of Ft. Macon, NC; Mississippi, Vicksburg Campaigns as well as other engagements.
------------------------------------------------------------
O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XXI [S# 31]
Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating To Operations In Northern Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, And Pennsylvania From November 15, 1862, To January 26, 1863.
UNION CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.--#2

GENERAL ORDERS, No. 185.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Camp near Falmouth, Va., November 21, 1862.
Vacancies having occurred in several of the staff departments, by the absence of their former chiefs, the following officers are appointed to fill them, and will be obeyed and respected accordingly: Maj. Gen. John G. Parke, chief of staff; Capt. R. S. Williamson, Topographical Engineers; Lieut. C. B. Comstock, Engineer Corps, and Lieut. D. W. Flagler, Ordnance Department.
By command of Major-General Burnside:
LEWIS RICHMOND,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
----------------------------------------------------------
March 19, 1863--Maj. Gen. John G. Parke, U.S. Army, assumes command of the Ninth Army Corps.

Resumes command once again June 5, 1863
Resumes command once again Jan. 26, 1864
March 14, 1864 - Ordered from East Tennessee to Annapolis, MD [Ninth Army]
Aug. 14, 1864 - Resumes command once again of Ninth Corps
Dec. 30. 1864 - Temporary Command of Army of the Potomac(Relieving General Meade, temporarily); Brevet Major Wilcox commanding 9th US Army Corps
Jan. 12, 1865 - Resumes command of Ninth Army Corps
Feb. 2, 1865 - Resumes command of Ninth Corps

==============================================
You are quite correct. I am of the belief that General Parke did not cause much attention to himself. However, I must admit though -- being under General Burnside; Burnside often drew more than enough attention to himself.

When General Meade takes over the Army of Potomac; he has issues with Burnside and requests he be relieved of command of Ninth Army Corps. Finally, when Lt. General Grant is head of the Armies; on the field apparently agrees with Meade; transferring Burnside to another command, giving next in line Parke the command. [Note: These issues may have stemmed from being under Burnside, having breeched Stonewall's lines, got no support as well as some of the other 'bone-head' choices; in addition of the reputation of being slow and the need to eat a large meal; even if it is delaying his arrival to a fight, etc.]

What I see in just official reports back and forth -- Parke is a unassuming commander, to which is a team player. Once he is commander of Ninth Corps; there are many changes made as far as times to wake and sleep; organization and the like. He slips back into Chief of Staff mode; when Burnside is back in command; just as easily he does when in temporary command when Meade is absent. To me, that shows me that Meade really had high regards for General Parke as to entrust the Army of Potomac in his care.

After the assassination of President Lincoln; he is assigned to Alexandria, Virginia under General Auger; sharing portions of Alexandria with his commanders.

GENERAL ORDERS No. 56.
HDQRS. DEPT. OF WASHINGTON,
TWENTY-SECOND ARMY CORPS,
April 26, 1865.
I. The following organization of districts within this department is announced for the information and guidance of all concerned:
1. District of Alexandria, to embrace that portion of the Department of Washington, and all troops serving therein, lying south of the Potomac, except the "Northern Neck," south of the railroad from Fredericksburg and Aquia Creek Landing, with headquarters at Alexandria, Va., to be commanded by Maj. Gen. John G. Parke, U.S. Volunteers.
2. District of Washington, to embrace that portion of the Department of Washington north of the Potomac, and all troops serving therein, excepting the city of Washington and the country between the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers, south of the Piscataway, with headquarters in Washington, D.C., to be commanded by Bvt. Maj. Gen. O. B. Willcox, U.S. Volunteers.
3. District of the Patuxent, to embrace the country between the Potomac and the Patuxent Rivers and south of the Piscataway, and all troops serving therein, except Point Lookout and immediate vicinity, with headquarters at or near Port Tobacco, Col. H. H. Wells, Twenty-sixth Michigan Volunteers, temporarily in charge.
4. District of "Northern Neck," to embrace the country between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers, south of the Fredericksburg and Aquia Creek Railroad, and all troops serving therein, Col. N. B. Sweitzer, Sixteenth New York Cavalry, temporarily in charge, with headquarters at such point as he may select.
II. The District of St. Mary's is hereby discontinued. The commander of Point Lookout will report direct to these headquarters.
III. Commanding officers will report disposition and post of troops within their respective districts with as little delay as practicable, furnishing lists of brigades, regiments, and batteries, with names of commanders.
By command of Maj. Gen. C. C. Augur:
J. H. TAYLOR,
Chief of Staff and Assistant Adjutant-General.
------------------------------
As per above summary of General Parke; you can see that he becomes a commandant of West Point.

Welcome to the Civil War Talk forums.

Just some thoughts.

Respectfully submitted for consideration,
M. E. Wolf

[5fish]

Originally Posted by Irishtom29

Don't hear much about this fella but evidently he was a very capable soldier and got excellent service from the 9th Corps. Anyone have anything to say about him?

Seems to me that the late war commanders of the Army of the Potomac and Army of the James don't get much "press", you know; Ord, Griffin, Parke, Humphreys, Wright, Gibbon. These guys did an excellent job in the spring of 65.

Comments?

My question becomes why pick John Parke for General Ord was in charge of AoJ during it better moments like the first to enter Richmond.