Franklin S. Nickerson

Last updated
Franklin S. Nickerson
Nickname(s)"Frank"
Born(1826-08-27)August 27, 1826
Swanville, Maine
DiedJanuary 23, 1917(1917-01-23) (aged 90)
Boston, Massachusetts
Place of burial
Allegiance United States of America
Union
Service/branch United States Army
Union Army
Years of service18611865
Rank Union Army brigadier general rank insignia.svg Brigadier General
Commands held 4th Maine Volunteer Infantry
Battles/wars American Civil War
Other workLawyer

Franklin Stillman Nickerson [1] was a Union general during the American Civil War. He primarily served in the Department of the Gulf.

Contents

Biography

Nickerson was born in Swanville, Maine in 1826. He graduated from the East Corinth Academy in Maine and practiced law. He worked as a U.S. Customs agent prior to the Civil War.

In 1861 Nickerson joined the 4th Maine Volunteer Regiment as a major. He fought at the first Battle of Bull Run where he was commended by Oliver O. Howard. He became lieutenant colonel, then colonel of the 14th Maine Volunteer Regiment and was sent to Louisiana. He fought in the Battle of Baton Rouge and was subsequently promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on November 29, 1862. [2]

General Nickerson took command of the 3rd Brigade in General Thomas W. Sherman's 2nd Division of the Army of the Gulf. He led the brigade at the siege of Port Hudson. On May 28 Generals Sherman and Dow were wounded in the Union assault across the Slaughter Field, but Nickerson being the ranking officer in the division wasn't notified until later in the day. Therefore, the division briefly fought leaderless. [3] Nickerson led the division for only a short time until replaced by General William Dwight two days later. Nickerson continued to lead his brigade throughout the siege. He was transferred to command the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division in the XIX Corps during the Red River Campaign. In July 1864 he was placed in command of the Defenses of New Orleans and resigned in May 1865.

After the war Nickerson resumed his law practice. He died in Boston, Massachusetts in 1917.

See also

Related Research Articles

Gordon Granger Union Army General

Gordon Granger was a career U.S. Army officer and a Union general during the American Civil War. He distinguished himself at the Battle of Chickamauga.

Thomas H. Ruger Union United States Army general

Thomas Howard Ruger was an American soldier and lawyer who served as a Union general in the American Civil War. After the war, he was a superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.

Joseph A. Mower United States Army officer

Joseph Anthony Mower was a Union general during the American Civil War. He was a competent officer and well respected by his troops and fellow officers to whom he was known as "Fighting Joe". Major General William Tecumseh Sherman said of Mower, "he's the boldest young officer we have".

Elliott Warren Rice Union Army officer

Elliott Warren Rice was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He commanded an infantry brigade during the pivotal Atlanta Campaign in the summer of 1864.

Simon Goodell Griffin United States Army general

Simon Goodell Griffin was a Union Army brigadier general during the American Civil War, farmer, teacher, lawyer and New Hampshire state legislator.

Richard Coulter, Sr. was an American Civil War Colonel and brevet brigadier general of volunteers in the Union Army, a businessman, and banker. During the Civil War he was colonel of the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry, often rising to brigade command upon the wounding of superior officers. In 1866, he was nominated and confirmed as a brevet major general of volunteers to rank from April 1, 1865.

Robert O. Tyler Union army general

Robert Ogden Tyler was an American soldier who served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was commander of the Artillery Reserve of the Army of the Potomac at the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, where his artillery batteries played an important role in the Union victory. Tyler also led a division of heavy artillery turned infantry during the Overland Campaign of 1864. He was severely wounded at the Battle of Cold Harbor and relegated to administrative duties for the duration of the war.

John G. Mitchell (general) Union Army general

John Grant Mitchell was an Ohio lawyer and a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was active in several important campaigns and battles in the Western Theater, including the Chickamauga, Atlanta, and Franklin-Nashville and Carolinas campaigns. He commanded a brigade of veteran infantry in many of these operations.

Isaac Campbell Pugh was a United States volunteer soldier who was a veteran of the Black Hawk War, the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War; rising to the rank of Brevet brigadier general.

George Francis McGinnis Union Army general

George Francis McGinnins was a volunteer soldier during the Mexican–American War and a Union General during the American Civil War.

Joseph Andrew Jackson Lightburn Union Army general

Joseph Andrew Jackson Lightburn was a West Virginia farmer, soldier and Baptist Minister, most famous for his service as a Union general during the American Civil War.

Charles L. Matthies Union Army general

Charles Leopold Matthies was a Prussian soldier, revolutionary and Union Army officer during the American Civil War, rising to the rank of brigadier general.

John E. Smith United States Army general of the American Civil War (1816-1897)

John Eugene Smith (1816-1897) was a Swiss immigrant to the United States, who served as a Union general during the American Civil War.

James Alexander Williamson United States Army general

This article refers to the US Union General. For the English Historian, see James Williamson (historian)

John I. Curtin Union Army general

John Irvin Curtin was a cousin of Pennsylvania governor Andrew Gregg Curtin. He led a regiment and then a brigade in the American Civil War.

Charles A. Heckman was a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He fought in many of the early battles in North Carolina and later served in the Army of the James during the siege of Petersburg.

John Morrison Oliver American general

John Morrison Oliver was a Union general during the American Civil War. He fought in many of the battles involving the Army of the Tennessee, occasionally commanding a brigade.

Edward Harland was a Union general during the American Civil War. He was associated with early battles of the IX Corps as well as Union involvement in North Carolina and the Tidewater region of Virginia.

The following Union Army units and commanders fought in the Battle of Westport of the American Civil War. The Confederate order of battle is listed separately.

Edward Francis Winslow Union Army general

Edward Francis Winslow was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War and later railroad executive.

References

  1. Middle name was either "Stillman" or "Stebin" Eicher p. 406
  2. Eicher p.407
  3. Brig. Gen. Nickerson