★ Birge, Henry W.

Henry Warner Birge​

Born: August 25, 1825

Birthplace: Hartford, Connecticut

Father: Backus Warner Birge 1795 – 1832

Mother: Lucy Coit Ripley 1803 – 1867

(Buried: Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford, Connecticut)​

Wife: Eliza Meech 1827 – 1886

(Buried: Fairview Cemetery, Stillwater, Minnesota)​

Children:

William Bond Birge 1856 – 1933​

(Buried: Yantic Cemetery, Norwich, Connecticut)​

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Alice Eliza Birge Souther 1866 – 1958​

(Buried: Forest Hills Cemetery, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts)​

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Edward Watson Birge 1867 – 1958​

(Buried: Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Sleepy Hollow, New York)​

Occupation before War:

Merchant in Norwich, Connecticut​

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Member of Governor of Connecticut's Staff​

Civil War Career:

1861: Organizer of 4th​ Connecticut Infantry Regiment​

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1861 – 1862: Major of 4th​ Connecticut Infantry Regiment​

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1861 – 1862: Served in Virginia and Maryland​

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1862 – 1863: Colonel of 13th​ Connecticut Infantry Regiment​

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1862: Union Army Commander of Defenses in New Orleans, Louisiana​

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1863: Brigade Commander in the Siege of Port Hudson, Louisiana​

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1863 – 1865: Brigadier General of Union Army Volunteers​

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1864: Brigade Commander in the Red River Campaign​

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1864: Served in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign under Sheridan​

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1865: Union Army Commander in Defenses of Savannah, Georgia​

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1865: Served in the Carolina's Campaign under General Sherman​

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1865: Union Army Commander of District of Savannah, Georgia​

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1865: Brevetted Major General for his service in the war​

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1865: Resigned from the Union Army on October 18th​​

Occupation after War:

Cotton Planter and Lumber Businessman in Georgia​

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Investor of Enterprises in Texas, and in the West​

Died: June 1, 1888

Place of Death: New York City, New York

Cause of Death: Cerebral Apoplexy and rheumatic gout

Age at time of Death: 62 years old

Burial Place: Yantic Cemetery, Norwich, Connecticut

 

[Pollaco]

Birge raised thd first three year regiment from Connecticut.

 

[bschulte]

I would add that in late July 1864, portions of Birge's Brigade were at Bermuda Hundred with the Army of the James at the Siege of Petersburg. Grant wanted the whole 19th Corps there and was in the process of moving them from New Orleans when Early threatened Washington. So we have a weird week where portions of the 19th Corps move to Washington while other portions are at Bermuda Hundred and Deep Bottom. Sometimes even regiments were split in half depending on which transport they were in. By August 1, everyone was headed for DC and ultimately the Valley Campaign.

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy Birthday Brig. General Henry W. Birge! Salutes remembering General Birge on his birthday.

 

[Pollaco]

Under Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley he commanded the 1st brigade of the 2nd Division of the XlX Corps and later went on to command the division.