Francis J . Herron Francis Jay Herron ( February 17 , 1837 – January 8 , 1902 ) , was a Union general during the American Civil War . Biography . Francis J . Herron attended the Western University of Pennsylvania , but left at the age of sixteen without completing his degree to become a bank clerk . In 1855 , he joined his three brothers in Dubuque , Iowa , where they established a bank . In 1859 , he organized and was elected captain of a militia company known as the " Governor ' s Grays , " which Herron offered to President - elect Abraham Lincoln in January 1861 , two months prior to Lincoln ' s inauguration . In April 1861 , Herron was appointed captain of the 1st Iowa Volunteer Regiment . He served with Nathaniel Lyon ' s forces in Missouri , participating in the battles of Boonville and Wilson ' s Creek . In August , Herron was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the 9th Iowa Volunteer Regiment and fought in the battle of Pea Ridge , where he was wounded and taken prisoner , but exchanged shortly afterwards . He received a promotion to brigadier general of volunteers for his actions in this battle , and later received the Medal of Honor . He commanded both the 2nd and 3rd Divisions of the Army of the Frontier and made a forced march of in three days to join James G . Blunt ' s division in western Arkansas . Herron ' s and Blunt ' s combined command engaged Thomas C . Hindman in the battle of Prairie Grove and forced the Confederates to abandon western Arkansas . For his actions at Prairie Grove , Herron was appointed major general of volunteers , becoming the youngest major general on either side at the time of his promotion . His two divisions were consolidated to form " Herron ' s Division " which was attached to the XVII Corps . During the Siege of Vicksburg , Herron ' s division was placed on the extreme left flank of the Union lines . Upon the surrender of the city Ulysses S . Grant chose Herron , along with generals James B . McPherson and John A . Logan , to lead the procession into the city and accept the formal surrender of arms on July 4 , 1863 . He next led the Yazoo City expedition , capturing the city , a Confederate fleet and supplies there . Herron was appointed to command of the XIII Corps and occupied the Texas coast with headquarters at Brownsville . During this time , he provided aid to Mexican President Benito Juárez and prevented French troops of Emperor Maximilian from establishing themselves along the Rio Grande . As the Civil War came to an end , Herron commanded the District of Northern Louisiana . After the Civil War , he stayed in Baton Rouge . He was tax collector for a district in New Orleans and served as a United States Marshal from 1867 until 1869 . He was the Secretary of State of Louisiana before moving to New York City in 1877 , where he practiced law and served as a banker . He died a pauper in a tenement in New York City , and was buried in Calvary Cemetery in Queens , New York . His grave can be found in Section 10 , Plot 208 , Grave 1 / 16 . Honors . A bronze bust of Herron ( sculpted by Solon Borglum ) was erected in January 1914 . It stands on Pemberton Avenue in Vicksburg National Military Park . Medal of Honor citation . Rank and organization : Lieutenant Colonel , 9th Iowa Infantry . Place and date : At Pea Ridge , Ark . , May 7 , 1862 . Entered service at : Pittsburgh , Pa . Born : February 17 , 1837 , Pittsburgh , Pa . Date of issue September 26 , 1893 . Citation : Was foremost in leading his men , rallying them to repeated acts of daring , until himself disabled and taken prisoner .