The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1884-06-14
Brief Account of the Career of John A.
Logan, of Illinois.

| Logan, of Illinois.
john Alexander Logan was born in
Murlrysboro, Jackson county, Illinois,
| February 9, 1926. He received the
limited education incident to the times.
His early surroundings We're thoroughly
Egyptian, and it is doing him no injus-
tice to say that he has never entirely es-
capped from the influence of these condi-
tions. When the Mexican War came on
he entered it as private, but rose to be
a lieutenant and served as both adiutant
and quartermaster of his regiment. lie
was elected Clerk Of his native county in
1871, after which he studied law and be-
came Prosecuting Attorney and soon
after was sent to the State Legislature.
| In 1886 he became q Buchanan elector in
| his Congressional district and in 1853 and
1860 was sent to Congress as Democrat
! He was among the first to enlist for
| the war of the Union. He attended the
called session of Congress in July, 1861,
and Immediately afterward joined the
troops, going to the front. He was in
| the first battle of Bull Run, and among
the last to leave the field. Returning to
his home September l, he assisted in
| raising troops, and September l 1 the 21st
Regiment of Illinois infantry was organ
| lied with Logan commissioned as Col
onel. The first engagement in which he
and his command participated was the
battle of Belmont in November of the
same year, when his ability as COM
mander, and his dash and intrepidity,
foreshadowed the fact that he was to
play conspicuous part in the operations
of the army. He participated in tho
movements at Fory Henry, and was pres
ent at the battle of Fort Donelson, where
he received a severe wound, and did not
reloin his command until some weeks
afterward, on the evening of the last day
of the battle of Shiloh. On March 5,
1862, he was made brigadier- general and
participated in the siege of Corinth as
commander of the first brigade in Gen.
eral Judah division of the right wing
of the army, and for his valiant services
was publicly thanked by General Sher-
man i'll his official report. In the move
ments about Nicksburg from February,
1868, until July 4, when Gen. Pemberton
surrendered, Gen. Logan with his COM
mand was actively engaged, and it was
through number of brilliant movements
by him that important advantages over
the enemy were gained and the final re-
suit fastened. He was selected by Cen
eral Grant for consultation during the
interviews with General Pemberton look
ing to the terms of the surrender, and in
consideration of his admirable services
General Logan's command was ordered
to take the lead in the march into Ticks-
burg, July 4, after which lie was given
the command of that post, which he re-
Fifteenth corps on November IA, 1868.
On July %, 1864, Logan, as commander
of the Fifteenth Army Corps, was or
dcred in pursuit of the enemy south of
followed General Mcpherson was killed
and General Logan succeeded him in
command of the Army of the Tennessee.
The success of the battle was accorded
to Logan by General Shermans official
report. The battle of July %, which
followed was another hotly -contested
fight, i'll which Logan's command was
equally as conspicuous and successful.
At Jonesboro, August %, he was again
in advance and, seeing the necessity of
prompt acticn, without waiting for Or
ders he pushed forward and saved the
bridge across Flint river, went into a
fortified position within mile and
half of Jonesboro. fought sharp battle
and won decided victory.
He was scarcely out of the army until
he found his way into Congress again,
this time as Republican. He took his
seat in the Senate in 1871 as the successor
OF Richard Yates. At the end of his
term he was defeated by David Davis,
but two years later he was again returned
as the successor of his old-time colleague,
Gov 'rnor Oglesby.
His financial views have always been
the subject of more or less criticism. but
they have usually represented the scnti-
ments of his constituency. In 1866 he
made his first financial speech, in which
he took strong grounds in favor of the
payment Of the national debt, both bonds
and greenbacks, in gold coin. This posi-
ton he held until the imitation fever of
1874, when he followed the popular Wes-
tern movement and voted for the irfla-
tion bill, which Grant vetoed. But in
the following year he was a member of