★  Fessenden, James Deering

James Deering Fessenden Sr.

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Fessenden.jpg


Born: September 28, 1833

Birthplace: Westbrook, Maine

Father: William Pitt Fessenden 1806 – 1869
(Buried: Evergreen Cemetery, Portland, Maine)​

Mother: Ellen Maria Deering 1809 – 1857
(Buried: Evergreen Cemetery, Portland, Maine)​

Wife: Frances Cushing Greeley 1837 – 1917
(Buried: Evergreen Cemetery, Portland, Maine)​

Children:

James Deering Fessenden Jr. 1858 – 1928​
(Buried: Evergreen Cemetery, Portland, Maine)​

Education:

1852: Graduated from Bowdoin College​

Occupation before War:

Attorney in Portland, Maine​

Civil War Career:

1861 – 1862: Captain of Sharpshooter Company in Washington, D.C. Defenses​
1862 – 1862: Lt. Colonel and Aide to Major General David Hunter​
1862 – 1863: Colonel and Aide to Major General David Hunter​
1863 – 1864: Colonel and Aide to Major General Joseph Hooker​
1864 – 1866: Brigadier General of Union Army, Volunteers​
1864: Served in the Battle of Cedar Creek, Virginia​
1864: Scouting Duty for the Union Army​
1865: Union Army Commander, Defenses of Winchester, Virginia​
1865: Led his brigade in Grand Review of Armies in Washington, D.C.​
1865 – 1866: Served in Union Army, Department of South Carolina​
Brevetted Major General of Union Army, Volunteers​
1866: Mustered out of the Union Army on January 15th

Occupation after War:

Attorney in Portland, Maine​
Served three terms in the Maine State Legislature​
United States Register of Bankruptcy for his district of Maine​
Member of Maine Commandry of Military Order of the Loyal Legion​

Died: November 18, 1882

Place of Death: Portland, Maine

Age at time of Death: 49 years old

Burial Place: Evergreen Cemetery, Portland, Maine
 
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While on the staff of General Hunter in South Carolina he was involved in recruiting the first regiment of black troops.This regiment was later abolished by Washington.
When I saw he went to Bowdoin I thought he might be an abolitionist?
 
Between assignments as aide to Hunter and aide to Hooker Colonel Fessenden served in the planning of operations against Charleston but missed participation in most major attacks because he was recuperating from a riding accident that he suffered in the field. It was during his recuperating time in Washington that he helped recruit new volunteers.
 
That brigade he commanded in the Shenandoah Valley was was originally intended for his brother, Francis. But Francis lost a leg in the Red River Campaign so the brigade given to James instead. It was this brigade from the XIX Corps that he led at Cedar Creek.
 
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