J . Warren Keifer Joseph Warren Keifer ( January 30 , 1836 – April 22 , 1932 ) was a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a prominent U . S . politician during the 1880s . He served in the United States House of Representatives as a Republican from Ohio from 1877 to 1885 and from 1905 to 1911 . From 1881 to 1883 , he was also Speaker of the House . Early life . Keifer was born in Clark County , Ohio . He attended school at Antioch College then returned to his family ' s farm . While working as a farmer he devoted his spare time to studying law . He began his law practice in Springfield , Ohio , January 12 , 1858 . Civil War . He enlisted in the 3rd Ohio Infantry , a three - months regiment , being appointed major . He served in western Virginia fighting in the battles of Rich Mountain and Cheat Mountain and afterward was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the regiment . When his term expired , he joined the 110th Ohio Infantry and became its colonel . He served in the Eastern Theater leading his regiment at the second battle of Winchester . While the Union army was soundly defeated and most of it surrendered , Keifer ' s regiment was able to avoid capture . Following the battle of Gettysburg Keifer was assigned to brigade command in the III Corps and fought at the battle of Wapping Heights . After Robert E . Lee ' s army had retreated to safety in Virginia , Keifer and his regiment were dispatched to New York City to help suppress the draft riots . Keifer returned to the Army of the Potomac in time for the Overland Campaign . He was wounded in the arm at the battle of the Wilderness , putting him out of action for a time . When he did return to active duty he was placed in command of the 2nd Brigade in James B . Ricketts ' 3rd Division of the VI Corps . He led his brigade at the battles of Winchester and Fisher ' s Hill . During the battle of Cedar Creek , VI Corps commander , Horatio G . Wright temporarily commanded the Army of the Shenandoah and Rickets temporarily in command of the corps . This put Keifer in command of the 3rd Division in Ricketts ' absence . When Philip H . Sheridan heroically returned to command the army in the midst of the battle , returning Wright to corps command , Ricketts had already been wounded leaving Keifer in command of the division for the rest of the battle . For his service during the Shenandoah Valley campaign he was brevetted brigadier general of volunteers on October 19 , 1864 . When the VI Corps returned to the Army of the Potomac General Truman Seymour was placed in command of the 3rd Division and Keifer returned to command the 2nd Brigade , taking part in the breakthrough at Petersburg and the Appomattox Campaign . Political career . Following the Civil War , Keifer returned to Springfield and resumed his law practice . From 1873 until his death , he served as a trustee of Antioch College . In 1876 he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention and the next year went to Congress . From 1881 to 1883 during the 47th United States Congress , Keifer served as the 34th Speaker of the House of Representatives . Spanish - American War . During the Spanish American War , President William McKinley appointed Keifer major general of volunteers on June 9 , 1898 . He commanded the 7th Army Corps and the American forces that marched into Havana after Spanish forces withdrew on Jan . 1 , 1899 . Return to Politics . After returning to private life on May 12 , 1899 , he published " Slavery and Four Years of War " , in 1900 . The book was both a commentary on the history of slavery in the United States as well as an autobiography of his experiences during the Civil War . He served as the first commander in chief of the United Spanish War Veterans from 1900 to 1901 and in 1903 and 1904 as the Ohio commander of the Loyal Legion . He again ran and was elected to Congress and served from March 4 , 1905 – March 3 , 1911 . Later life . After his political career , Keifer again resumed his law practice and served as the President of the Lagonda National Bank in Springfield , Ohio . He died April 22 , 1932 at the age of 96 in Springfield , and is buried in Springfield ' s Ferncliff Cemetery .