ColorizedPast
Corporal
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2016
- Location
- Hangzhou, China (Wisconsin, USA)
Major John Murray Corse (USV)
John Murray Corse was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on 27 April 1835. His father served six terms as mayor of the town of Burlington, Iowa Territory, and established a prosperous book and stationery business in which young John became a partner.
He was appointed to the United States Military Academy and studied there for two years. Leaving West Point in 1855, Corse chose not to stay in the military but instead attended a law school in Albany, New York, and passed his bar exam. He returned to Iowa and was nominated as the new state's lieutenant governor by the Iowa Democratic Party. In 1860, he unsuccessfully ran for secretary of state.
Corse joined the 6th Iowa Infantry as its major in July 1861 and initially served under Maj. Gen. John C. Fremont. He then served on the staff of Maj. Gen. John Pope early the following year during the Battle of Island Number Ten and associated engagements. He returned to field duty with his regiment and fought in the Siege of Corinth earning promotion to lieutenant colonel. He was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on 11 August 1863, in recognition of his service at the Siege of Vicksburg. Assigned command of the 4th Brigade, 4th Division, XV Corps, Army of the Tennessee, Corse participated in the Chattanooga Campaign. After recuperating from an injury suffered at Missionary Ridge, Corse returned to active duty as the inspector general on Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's staff. In July 1864, he returned to field duty in command of a division in XVI Corps.
At the Battle of Allatoona in October 1864, Sherman ordered Corse with 2,100 men to secure Allatoona Pass to prevent Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood from severing Union communications. His men fought determinedly against the 7,000 troops under Hood's command. During the battle, Corse "lost one third of his men and one third of his ear" but secured the pass on 5 October. Corse received a famous message from Sherman, "Hold on, I am coming!" Corse was badly wounded losing a cheekbone and one ear. He recovered and participated in Sherman's March to the Sea and the Siege of Savannah. He led his division during the Carolinas Campaign. He was appointed brevet major general for his service at Allatoona.
Following the war, Corse served in a variety of posts, refused a commission as lieutenant colonel in the regular army, and mustered out of the volunteer service in April 1866. He built railroads and bridges in Iowa. He was named the regional Collector of Internal Revenue with his office in Chicago. Corse later moved to Massachusetts and was chairman of the state's Democratic committee. He was then appointed Postmaster of Boston. He was married to former U.S. President Franklin Pierce's grandniece. Corse died on his 58th birthday, 27 April 1893, in Winchester, Massachusetts.
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