Judson Wade Bishop

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Brigadier General

Judson Wade Bishop
Volk-The Second Minnesota Regiment at Missionary Ridge After-Restoration.jpg
Lieutenant Colonel Judson W. Bishop (waving cap) leading the 2nd Minnesota during its charge at the Battle of Missionary Ridge. Portrait by Douglas Volk, c.1906.
BornJune 24, 1831
Le Ray, New York
DiedMarch 19, 1917
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Buried
Oakland Cemetery, St. Paul, Minnesota
AllegianceUnited States
Army Union Army
Years of serviceJune 16, 1861 - July 11, 1865
Rank Colonel, Brevet Brigadier General
UnitCompany A, 2nd Minnesota Infantry Regiment
Commands
Battles / wars American Civil War
Alma mater Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Spouse(s)
  • Ellen "Nellie" S. Husted
  • Mary Libannia Axtell
Children
  • Charles Hustad Bishop
  • Edwin Judson Bishop
  • Robert Haven Bishop
Other work

Judson Wade Bishop (June 24, 1831 - March 19, 1917) was an American railroad draftsman, surveyor, newspaper editor, and Brigadier General who commanded the 2nd Minnesota Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War. [1] [2] Bishop was later a key figured in the consolidation of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway.

Contents

Early life

Judson Wade Bishop was born on June 24, 1831 near Le Ray, New York to Reverend John Fletcher Bishop and Allena Bishop (née: Brown). According to the Minnesota Historical Society, Bishop had one brother, John F. Bishop, and two sisters, Anna Bishop and Lena Bishop. [2] Bishop was educated at the academies in both Fredonia and Belleville, and was later trained in civil engineering at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.

From 1853 to 1857 Bishop worked as a draftsman for the Grand Trunk Railway Company of Canada. In 1857 Bishop moved to Minnesota Territory where he worked as a draftsman and surveyor for the Winona and St. Peter Railroad, as well as the River Valley and Southern Minnesota Railroad. Following the Panic of 1857, from 1859 to 1861, Bishop wrote for and published the Chatfield Democrat newspaper in Chatfield, Minnesota. [3] [1] [4] [2]

Civil War

During the American Civil War, Bishop enlisted into service in the Union Army in Chatfield, Minnesota. As the 1st Minnesota Infantry Regiment had already filled its quota for recruits, Bishop helped to organize the recruitment of Company A, nicknamed the "Chatfield Guards", of the 2nd Minnesota Infantry Regiment, under the command of Colonel Horatio P. Van Cleve. [4] [5]

According to The Weekly Pioneer and Democrat, the Chatfield Guards were composed of "well-to-do" farmers from the surrounding area. [5] Bishop was elected as the Captain of Company A. In his memoir The Story of a Regiment, Bishop is purported as the first man to enlist in the 2nd Minnesota. [4]

2nd Minnesota Regiment of Volunteers just before they left for the Civil War, 1861. Second Minnesota Regiment of Volunteers just before they left for the Civil War, 1861 - DPLA - fb2942f21733cd1b27953841604423f2.jpg
2nd Minnesota Regiment of Volunteers just before they left for the Civil War, 1861.

Bishop's Company A was initially composed of only 83 men, including one fifer, two drummers, and one teamster. [5] Bishop's length of service during the American Civil War spanned the entirety of the regiment's service history from 1861 to 1865. [1] [3]

Siege of Corinth and Perryville

During the Siege of Corinth, Bishop was promoted from the rank of Captain of Company A to Major on May 15, 1862. [6] Shortly after the Battle of Perryville, Bishop was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on October 15, 1862. [7]

Charge at Missionary Ridge

During the Battle of Missionary Ridge, in Tennessee, Bishop personally led the 2nd Minnesota alongside other regiments of the XIV Corps in an uphill assault, which resulted in the Union gaining control of an important rail center, and breaking the Confederate line.

The 2nd Minnesota's brigade commander Colonel Ferdinand Van Derveer described Bishop's assault as follows:

"My brigade moved at once with cheers and a hearty good will, the 2nd Minnesota occupying a position in the first line. The precipitous ascent, the enemy's sharpshooters in front and the terrific enfilading artillery fire upon each flank, were forgotten in their eager haste to storm the heights - As my men sprang over the works, the enemy's cannoniers were caught in the act of loading, and were bayonetted or driven off before they could fire their pieces. Five guns were found here in position and captured by the brigade two (2) by the 2nd Minnesota and three (3) by the 35th Ohio. The larger part of the enemy retired along the ridge towards the left, vigorously pursued and driven near half a mile". [8]

2nd Minnesota Monument atop Missionary Ridge on DeLong Reservation (Chattanooga). DeLong Reservation P9100826 Minn Monument.JPG
2nd Minnesota Monument atop Missionary Ridge on DeLong Reservation (Chattanooga).

For his bravery in leading the charge of the 2nd Minnesota, Bishop was recommended to the rank of Colonel by Colonel Newell Gleason, the commander of the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, XIV Corps. [9] Major Calvin S. Uline and Captain Clinton A. Cilley were also recommended for the promotions of Lieutenant Colonel and Major respectively. [9] Colonel Gleason wrote in a July 14, 1864 letter to Adjutant General of Minnesota Oscar Malmros:

"I take this opportunity to state that the 2nd Minnesota Veteran Volunteer Infantry is regarded as one of the very best organizations in the service, and that the above named officers are especially deserving of promotion for their efficiency and strict attention to duty. The good of the service and justice to these officers require that the regiment be filled to the minimum, in order that a full quota of field officers may be mustered". [9]

Atlanta Campaign and Carolinas

Bishop was promoted to the rank of Colonel of the 2nd Minnesota after the resignation of the regiment's longtime leader, Mexican–American War veteran Colonel James George on June 29, 1864. [3] On June 7, 1865, Bishop was brevetted with the rank of Brigadier general for meritorious services rendered during the conflict. For the remainder of the war although still a Colonel in rank, Bishop commanded the 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, XIV Corps with Lieutenant Colonel Calvin S. Uline serving as the 2nd Minnesota's impromptu commander until being mustered out on July 11, 1865 in Louisville, Kentucky. [10]

Railroad career

Judson W. Bishop's The Story of a Regiment c.1890. The story of a regiment; being a narrative of the service of the Second regiment, Minnesota veteran volunteer infantry, in the civil war of 1861-1865 (IA storyofregimentb00bishiala).pdf
Judson W. Bishop's The Story of a Regiment c.1890.

After the war Bishop returned to Minnesota and worked as a railroad draftsman alongside Robert Bruce Langdon in St. Paul. Together Bishop and Langdon created the Langdon, Bishop and Company railroad contracting firm. Later in 1883 Bishop created the St. Paul Trust Company, which he operated until 1903. [2] Bishop was a significant contributor to the rail transport industry of St. Paul. Bishop worked extensively as the chief engineer on the merging of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway where he would eventually serve as the general manager of its operations. [11]

In 1890 Bishop published a regimental history book of the Second Minnesota Regiment titled, The Story of a Regiment: Being the Narrative of the Service of the Second Regiment, Minnesota Veteran Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War from 1861-1865. [12] Bishop died on March 19, 1917 at his home in the Historic Hill District of St. Paul and is buried at the Oakland Cemetery in St. Paul.

Personal life

On June 11, 1866 Bishop married Ellen "Nellie" S. Husted (1839 - 1878) and had three sons, Nellie died in 1878 leaving Bishop a widow. [13] Bishop was eventually remarried to Mary Libannia Axtell, the daughter of Reverend Charles Axtell of Xenia, Ohio and had five daughters. [13]

Legacy

The Second Minnesota Infantry Regiment charging up Missionary Ridge by Douglas Volk, 1906. The Second Minnesota Regiment at Missionary Ridge - 50861017578.jpg
The Second Minnesota Infantry Regiment charging up Missionary Ridge by Douglas Volk, 1906.

In 1905 Bishop's feat at the Battle of Missionary Ridge was commissioned by Cass Gilbert, the architect of the Minnesota State Capitol among other artwork. [14] [15] Gilbert had commissioned Massachusetts artist Douglas Volk to create a painting of the moment when Bishop's troops captured the summit. [16] [17] Bishop along with several other men of the regiment are depicted in Volk's 1905-1906 painting. Preliminary sketches and variants of the final painting are held by the Minnesota Historical Society. [18] [19] Volk would go on to establish the Minneapolis School of Fine Art in 1886, the predecessor to the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Volk's portrait is still on display in the Governor's Reception Room at the Minnesota State Capitol. In 2016 following a heated debate the portraits were elected to stay at the Minnesota State Capitol. [20]

In 1882 Bishop commissioned an elegant Second Empire style home to be built at 193 Mackubin Street in Saint Paul, Minnesota. [13] Bishop's house was nominated in 1977 for the National Register of Historic Places, according to the nomination paperwork the house features a "two and one half story frame building with mansard roof". [21] Special features to Bishop's house include carved wooden front doors and stained glass in two of the window bays. [21] The home is part of the Woodland Park District, an island within the Historic Hill District of St. Paul.

The Cray Plaza (Galtier Plaza) where the Bishop Block is now located. Galtier Plaza.jpg
The Cray Plaza (Galtier Plaza) where the Bishop Block is now located.

The Bishop Block, also known as the Sperry Building, was a Victorian architecture building built by Asher Bassford, the brother of famous St. Paul architect Edward Bassford. The building was located at 371-375 North Sibley Street in Saint Paul, Minnesota. [22] Bassford built the structure in 1882-1883 for Bishop who used it as a rental property and the headquarters of the Langdon, Bishop and Company railroad contracting firm. [22] [11] The Bishop Block housed many of St. Paul's largest companies over the years. The Bishop Block and the John Wann Building are two of the oldest structures in the Lowertown Historic District. [23] [11] The Bishop building was later demolished with the facade being moved halfway up the block to the north, where it was incorporated into Galtier Plaza.

See also

Further reading

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Judson Wade Bishop". Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Judson Wade Bishop and Family Manuscript Collection". mnhs.org. Archived from the original on February 21, 2024. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 Minnesota. Adjutant General's Office (1862). Annual report. The Library of Congress. Saint Paul. p. 50.
  4. 1 2 3 Bishop, J. W. (Judson Wade) (1890). The story of a regiment; being a narrative of the service of the Second regiment, Minnesota veteran volunteer infantry, in the civil war of 1861-1865. New York Public Library. St. Paul. p. 18.
  5. 1 2 3 Humanities, National Endowment for the (1861-07-05). "The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, July 05, 1861, Image 3". ISSN   2694-4251 . Retrieved 2025-06-02.
  6. ↑ Bishop, J. W. (Judson Wade) (1890). The story of a regiment; being a narrative of the service of the Second regiment, Minnesota veteran volunteer infantry, in the civil war of 1861-1865. New York Public Library. St. Paul. p. 55.
  7. ↑ Minnesota. Adjutant General's Office (1862). Annual report. The Library of Congress. Saint Paul. pp. 50–52, 56.
  8. ↑ Bishop, J. W. (Judson Wade) (1890). The story of a regiment; being a narrative of the service of the Second regiment, Minnesota veteran volunteer infantry, in the civil war of 1861-1865. New York Public Library. St. Paul. pp. 237–240.
  9. 1 2 3 Bishop, J. W. (Judson Wade) (1890). The story of a regiment; being a narrative of the service of the Second regiment, Minnesota veteran volunteer infantry, in the civil war of 1861-1865. New York Public Library. St. Paul. p. 241.
  10. ↑ Bishop, J. W. (Judson Wade) (1890). The story of a regiment; being a narrative of the service of the Second regiment, Minnesota veteran volunteer infantry, in the civil war of 1861-1865. New York Public Library. St. Paul. pp. 189–191.
  11. 1 2 3 "Northwestern Building". Lowertown Landing. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
  12. ↑ Bishop, J. W. (Judson Wade) (1890). The story of a regiment; being a narrative of the service of the Second regiment, Minnesota veteran volunteer infantry, in the civil war of 1861-1865. New York Public Library. St. Paul.
  13. 1 2 3 Hatler, Carrie (2023-08-24). "Judson Bishop House In Saint Paul". History Handbook. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
  14. ↑ "Art | Minnesota Historical Society". www.mnhs.org. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
  15. ↑ Henderson, Bob (2018-09-13). "Governor's Reception Room Civil War Paintings | Battle of Nashville". Battle of Nashville & Beyond. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
  16. ↑ "Douglas Volk (1856-1935) | Minnesota Historical Society". www.mnhs.org. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
  17. ↑ "Second Minnesota Regiment at Mission Ridge, Nov. 25, 1863 | MNopedia". www.mnopedia.org. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
  18. ↑ "Preparatory sketches for "Father Hennepin Discovering the Falls of St. Anthony" and "Second Minnesota Regiment at Mission Ridge, Nov. 25, 1863" | Collections Record | Minnesota Historical Society". www.mnhs.org. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
  19. ↑ "Study for Battle of Missionary Ridge #1 | Collections Record | Minnesota Historical Society". www.mnhs.org. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
  20. ↑ "Argument erupts over Civil War art at MN state Capitol". Twin Cities. 2016-11-22. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
  21. 1 2 "National Register of Historical Places Inventory- Nomination Form" (PDF). stpaul.gov. United States Department of the Interior. May 22, 1977. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
  22. 1 2 "Bishop Block, St. Paul Minnesota". Historic Structures. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
  23. ↑ "John Wann Building". Saint Paul Historical. 1988. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
  24. ↑ Bishop, J. W. (Judson Wade) (1890). The story of a regiment; being a narrative of the service of the Second regiment, Minnesota veteran volunteer infantry, in the civil war of 1861-1865. New York Public Library. St. Paul.
  25. ↑ Bishop, J. W. (Judson Wade) (1905). History of the St. Paul & Sioux City Railroad, 1864-1881. University of California Libraries.
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