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John Sedgwick (September 13, 1813 – May 9, 1864) was a teacher, a career military officer, and a United States Army general in the American Civil War. He was wounded thrice at the Battle of Antietam while leading his division in an unsuccessful assault, causing him to miss the Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Under his command, the VI Corps played an important role in the Chancellorsville Campaign by engaging Confederate troops at the Second Battle of Fredericksburg and the Battle of Salem Church. His Corps was the last to arrive at the Battle of Gettysburg, and thus did not see much action. Sedgwick was killed by a sharpshooter at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House on May 9, 1864. He is well-remembered for his ironic last words, which allegedly included the statement: "They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance."
John Sedgwick in The Guns of the South[]
John Sedgwick's VI Corps was used to draw C.S. General Richard S. Ewell away from the main action of U.S. General Hugh J. Kilpatrick's raid to liberate Union prisoners of war from Belle Isle and Libby Prison. Kilpatrick's raid failed due to the arrival of Jeb Stuart's AK-47-wielding troops.[1]
References[]
- ↑ The Guns of the South, pgs. 78-79.
| Military offices (OTL) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Darius N. Couch |
Commander of the II Corps, United States Army December 26, 1862 – January 26, 1863 |
Succeeded by Oliver Otis Howard |
| Preceded by Orlando Willcox |
Commander of the IX Corps January 16, 1863 - February 5, 1863 |
Succeeded by William Farrar Smith |
| Preceded by John Newton James B. Ricketts |
Commander of the VI Corps February 5, 1863 - April 3, 1864 April 13, 1864 - May 9, 1864 |
Succeeded by James B. Ricketts Horatio Wright |
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