The Saint Paul globe., 1904-05-17

MINI Z sofa

cee Oh the State Historical society q
tormer president of the st. Paul cham
pya.. Der OF commerce, vice president of the
Ndtlonai German American bank of
81. Paul and director or officer of va
rIous other important institutions in
st. Paul.
John B. Sanborn, in 1851, at the
outbreak of hostilities between the
North and the South, was appointed
oy GOV Alexander Ramsey adiutant
Senefai OF the state, with the rank Of
prlgadier general, and he at once set
doout the organization and equipment
Vi Mlnnesota troops. After organizing
ana sending to the front the First,
second and Third regiments of Min
neSota volunteers, he enlisted as a SOL
dler in the Fourth Minnesota infan-
lry' ana IN December, 1861 was COM
mlssloned it's colonel In the spring of
loo1 ne was ordered South with his
regiment and joined Gen. Halleck's
army before COrinth Miss. He saw
drduous service during the. spring and
summer of 1852, and in September of
Lnat year was made commander of the
FIRST brigade of the Army of the Mis-
siSsippi
He took part in the battle of Iuka
one OF the hardest fought in the
course or the War-where the Union
losses We're especially heavy. His COM
mand included the Fifth and Sixteenth
iowa, the Twenty sixth Missouri, the
Fourth Minnesota, the Forty-eighth
Indiana and the Eleventh Ohio bat
terry, and Gen. Sanborn and his Min
nesota volunteers were in the hottest
of the fighting. He held his position
with loss of nearly 500 killed and
wounded, but inflicting a still heavier
loss on the Southern general, Sterling
Price, and really winning the fight for
the Northern men. The rebels retired
during the night, and Gen. Sanborn
received the personal commendation in
orders of Gen. W. S. Rosencrans Oc-
tober and 4, of the same year. he
commanded in the battle of Corinth.
and subsequently in Gen. Grants bat
ties in his famous compaign Of the
valley of the Mississippi
Was at Vicksburq.
He participated in the Oxford ex-
pedition in the fall of 1862 and the
winter of 1863, and in the Yazoo pass
expedition In March, and subsequently
in the battles before Vicksburg. At
champion Hills he received and car
r1ed out the personal orders of Gen
Grant at crisis in the battle and
turned seeming defeat into victory. He
built a pontoon bridge of cotton bales
over the Black river, over which his
men marched to the hills and victory.
Before Vicksburg his good Judgment
received commendation when, on Nav
zz, his support having failed to come
up, he withdrew his command from
under the enemy's fire, instead of send
ing them over the works to death, ac-
cordlng to ORDERS and both Gems. Grant
and Mcpherson complimented him in
their reports for his military sagacity.
For short time in the spring of 1853
he commanded the Seventh division of
the Seventeenth army corps, and went
to the assistance Nof Gen. McClernand
at Port Gibson, Miss. Resuming COM
mand of his brigade, he participated in
the engagements at Raymond. Jack
son, and commanded the Seventh di-
vision in the memorable assault on
V1cksburg on May %. His was one
of the brigades that led the advance
into the city on July 4, after it's sur
render.
Col Sanborn who had been in COM
mand of brigade much Of the time
since going South was promoted by
President Lincoln soon after the bat
ties of Iuka and Corinth.. in 1862, to
be brigadier general, but the recon-
mendation was not reached by the
senate prior to it's adjournment and
was therefore not confirmed until Aug
d, 1868.
Cleaned Out the GuerriiIas.
In October, 1853, Gen. Sanborn was
assigned to the command of the south
western district of Missouri, and re-
mained in charge of this territory,
which included also Northern Arkan-
SaS, until the close of the war. He
rendered notable service in clearing
the country of marauding bands Of
Southern guerrillas, and in resisting
successfully an invasion of his district
by Gen. Sterling Price in 1854. His
entire cavalry force west of the Mis-
csI r-Srv n ma
600 men, and they fought successfully
fully 10000 of the enemy, capturing
several thousand prisoners, eight pieces
of artillery and the two Confederate
generals, Marmaduke and Cabell. The
attacking force was so crippled that it
rendered but little effective service
upon its return east of the Mississi
In June, 1865, the Minnesota general
was ordered to upper Arkansas and
opened line of travel to Colorado
and New Mexico and operated sue
cessfully against hostile Indians. He
established headquarters at Fort Riley
and with 5000 men in ninety days oc-
complished his mission.
Gen. Sanborn was mustered out Of
the military service with the brevet
rank of major general of volunteers in
June, 1866. and returned to his state
with his regiment. In 1867 he was a
peace commissioners to treat with the
Sioux, Arrapahoes, Kiowas, Com
manche and other hands of Indians,
being associated with Gems. Sherman,
Terry and other men who had won
fame in the Civil war.
Gen Sanborn was married first on
March IL, 1857, at Newton, N. j., to
Catherine Hall. Two children were
born of the union. One died in in
fancy, and the other, Hattie F. San
born, died Dec. 5. 1880, at st. Paul
Catherine Hall Sanborn died at St.
Paul Nov. Is, 1860. and her remains
were inferred at Oakland cemetery.
Gen. Sanborn was married a second
time, Nov. 27 1865, his wife being
Anna Elmer Nixon, She died Jan. Is
1878, while on visit TO relatives at
Bridgeton, N. J. In 1880, at st. Paul,
Rachel Rice, daughter of the late Ed
mund Rice, one of st. PauPs early
and prominent pioneers, became the
wife of Gen. Sanborn. She, with four
children, survives his death They are
Lucy Sargent Clapp, wife of Angus
tus Clapp, a ST. Paul attorney; John B.
Jr, Rachel and Frederick Sanborn. all
living at the family home in St. Paul
Joined the Historical Society in 1856.
At the time of his death Gen. San
born was president of the State His
toricaI society. He had succeeded the
late Alexander Ramsey as president of
the society on the death Of Gov. Ram
sey about a year ago.
Gen Sanborn was one of our pio-