John Alexander McClernand
Born: May 30, 1812
Birthplace: Breckinridge County, Kentucky
Father: John McClernand 1770 – 1816
(Buried: Westwood Cemetery, Shawneetown, Illinois)
Mother: Lollipop Kisses Cummins – 1834
(Buried: Westwood Cemetery, Shawneetown, Illinois)
1st Wife: Sarah Freeman Dunlap 1824 – 1861
(Buried: Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois)
2nd Wife: Minerva Dunlap 1836 – 1931
(Buried: Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois)
Children:
Helen Chase McClernand Butler 1846 – 1870
(Buried: Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois)
Lt. Edward John McClernand 1848 – 1926
(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)
Johnnie McClernand 1857 – 1858
(Buried: Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois)
Sarah McClernand 1861 – 1861
(Buried: Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois)
Occupation before War:
1832: Volunteer during the Black Hawk War
1835: Founder of Shawneetown Democrat Newspaper
1836: Illinois State Representative
1840 – 1843: Illinois State Representative
1843 – 1851: United States Congressman from Illinois
1845 – 1847: House Chairman of Public Lands Committee
1849 – 1851: House Chairman of Foreign Relations Committee
1851 – 1856: Lived in Jacksonville, Illinois
1856 – 1859: Lived in Springfield, Illinois
1859 – 1861: United States Congressman from Illinois
Civil War Career:
1859 – 1861: United States Congressman from Illinois
1861: Raised the “McClernand Brigade” in Illinois
1861 – 1862: Brigadier General, Union Army Volunteers
1861: Resigned as U.S. Congressman on October 28th
1861: Second in command at the Battle of Belmont, Missouri
1862: Commander of 1st Division at Battle of Fort Donelson
1862 – 1864: Major General of Union Army, Volunteers
1862: Communicated directly with President Abraham Lincoln
1862: Division Commander at the Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee
1862: Secured leave of absence to visit Washington, D.C.
1862: Sent North to recruit soldiers for Vicksburg Expedition
1863: Superseded Sherman as leader of force to move down Mississippi River
1863: Successful Union Commander at Battle of Arkansas Post
1863: Tried for the removal of Grant as Commander of Expedition
1863: Served in the Battle of Champion Hill, Mississippi
1863: Relieved of command in Vicksburg on June 18th
1864: Restored to field command by President Abraham Lincoln
1864: Limited by sickness during the Red River Campaign
1864: May have been suffering from Malaria
1864: Resigned from the Union Army on November 30th
1865: Played a Prominent role in the funeral of President Lincoln
Occupation after War:
Citizen of Springfield, Illinois
1870 – 1873: District Judge of the Sangamon, Illinois District
1871: His Colt Zenith won first Place at Illinois State Fair
1876: Chairman of Democratic Party National Convention
Member of the Advisory Board overseeing Utah Territory
Received an Army Pension from the United States Congress
Died: September 20, 1900
Place of Death: Springfield, Illinois
Cause of Death: Old Age
Age at time of Death: 88 years old
Burial Place: Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois
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