James C. Veatch
Encyclopedia
James Clifford Veatch was a lawyer who served as an Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

 state legislator and county auditor. He later served as a Union general during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, fighting primarily in the Western Theater
Western Theater of the American Civil War
This article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.-Theater of operations:...

. He rose to command of a division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...

 of infantry and fought in several important battles.

Early life and career

Veatch was born near Elizabeth, Indiana
Elizabeth, Indiana
Elizabeth is a town in Posey Township, Harrison County, Indiana, United States. The population was 162 at the 2010 census. It was founded in 1812 and named for Elizabeth Veach, wife of the landowner who donated the land for the town.-History:...

, in 1819. His father Isaac Veatch was a member of the Indiana House of Representatives
Indiana House of Representatives
The Indiana House of Representatives is the lower house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The House is composed of 100 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. House members serve two-year terms without term limits...

 from 1827-28. He died of cholera in July 1833.

James Veatch was educated in common schools and under private tutors. He studied law and was admitted to the bar, establishing a private practice in Elizabethtown. He practiced for many years, and was the auditor of Spencer County, Indiana
Spencer County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,391 people, 7,569 households, and 5,752 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 people per square mile . There were 8,333 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile...

, from 1841 until 1855. He was serving as a state legislator
Legislator
A legislator is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are usually politicians and are often elected by the people...

 when the Civil War began.

Civil War service

Veatch volunteered for service in the Union army and was appointed colonel of the 25th Regiment Indiana Infantry
25th Regiment Indiana Infantry
The 25th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:*The 25th Indiana Volunteer Infantry was organized at Evansville, Indiana on August 19, 1861.*Battle of Shiloh...

. He led the regiment at the battle of Fort Donelson
Battle of Fort Donelson
The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from February 11 to February 16, 1862, in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The capture of the fort by Union forces opened the Cumberland River as an avenue for the invasion of the South. The success elevated Brig. Gen. Ulysses S...

 and then took command of the 2nd Brigade in Stephen A. Hurlbut
Stephen A. Hurlbut
Stephen Augustus Hurlbut , was a politician, diplomat, and commander of the U.S. Army of the Gulf in the American Civil War.-Biography:...

's division at the battle of Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...

. Major John W. Foster
John W. Foster
John Watson Foster was an American military man, journalist and diplomat.Born in Petersburg, Indiana, and raised in Evansville, Indiana, he was first a lawyer and then served as general for the Union in the American Civil War. Following the war he worked as a journalist, editing the Evansville...

 noted that "Colonel Veatch acted with great courage. He was always with his brigade in the thickest of the fight."

On April 28, 1862, Veatch was appointed brigadier general of volunteers. He was still in command of his brigade during the siege of Corinth
Siege of Corinth
The Siege of Corinth was an American Civil War battle fought from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi.-Background:...

 and the battle of Hatchie's Bridge
Battle of Hatchie's Bridge
The Battle of Hatchie's Bridge, also known as Davis's Bridge or Matamora, was fought on October 5, 1862, in Hardeman County and McNairy County, Tennessee, as the final engagement of the Iuka–Corinth Campaign of the American Civil War...

 where he was wounded. For the next year General Veatch commanded the District of Memphis. Veatch led the 4th Division of the XVI Corps during the Meridian Expedition
Battle of Meridian
The Battle of Meridian was fought in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, from February 14 to February 20, 1864, between elements of the Union Army of the Tennessee led by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman and Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polk...

. His division joined William T. Sherman's forces for the Atlanta Campaign
Atlanta Campaign
The Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May...

 and fought at the battles of Resaca, Dallas and Kennesaw Mountain. He went on sick leave on July 17, 1864, just prior to the Battle of Atlanta
Battle of Atlanta
The Battle of Atlanta was a battle of the Atlanta Campaign fought during the American Civil War on July 22, 1864, just southeast of Atlanta, Georgia. Continuing their summer campaign to seize the important rail and supply center of Atlanta, Union forces commanded by William T. Sherman overwhelmed...

. When Veatch returned to active duty his former commander, Oliver O. Howard
Oliver O. Howard
Oliver Otis Howard was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War...

, instructed him to wait in Memphis for orders. He briefly commanded the District of West Tennessee before being assigned to the Department of the Gulf. There he assumed command of the 1st Division in Gordon Granger
Gordon Granger
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.-Early life & Mexico:...

's XIII Corps and participated in the Battle of Fort Blakely
Battle of Fort Blakely
-Sources:**-External links:*...

. He was brevetted to major general of volunteers in March 1865 and resigned from the army in August of that year.

Postbellum career

After the war, Veatch became the adjutant general
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...

 of Indiana in 1869, and was active in local veterans and fraternal organizations, including the Grand Army of the Republic
Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...

 and the Freemasons. He was the collector of internal revenue taxes from April 1870 until August 1883.

James C. Veatch died December 22, 1895, in Rockport, Indiana
Rockport, Indiana
Rockport is a city in Ohio Township, Spencer County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. The population was 2,160 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Spencer County.-History:...

and was buried at Sunset Hill Cemetery.
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