Robert Sanford Foster
Encyclopedia
Robert Sanford Foster was a Union general during the American Civil War
. He played a prominent role in the siege of Petersburg
and the Appomattox Campaign
.
.
Foster enlisted as a private of Indiana volunteers at the onset of the Civil War. He was quickly promoted to captain in Lew Wallace
's 11th Indiana Zouave
Regiment and saw action at the Battle of Rich Mountain
in western Virginia. Following these battles he was transferred to the 13th Indiana Volunteers
as major and shortly after promoted to colonel on April 30, 1862. Foster led his regiment during Stonewall Jackson
's Valley Campaign of 1862 until his regiment was transferred to southeast Virginia in the vicinity of Suffolk
.
Colonel Foster took command of a brigade in John J. Peck
's division at Suffolk. When James Longstreet
threatened Suffolk in 1863, Peck's garrison eventually rose to the size of three divisions. Foster commanded the 2nd Brigade in Michael Corcoran
's 1st Division. During the subsequent Siege of Suffolk
Foster's brigade manned the southwest front of the city's defenses. Following the lifting of the siege, Foster was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on June 12, 1862.
General Foster was transferred to Quincy A. Gillmore's X Corps
near Charleston, South Carolina
. Foster commanded the 1st Brigade of the Union forces on Folly Island during the siege of Charleston Harbor. During the early part of 1864 Foster commanded a brigade then division in Florida and when Gillmore's corps was transferred to the southeast Virginia, Foster was placed in command of the 1st Division, X Corps. During the Bermuda Hundred Campaign
Foster served as chief of staff
to Gillmore. He returned to command the 1st Division briefly before reverting back to brigade command. He led his brigade during the first
and second battles of Deep Bottom. He commanded the 2nd Division, X Corps at the battle of New Market Heights.
During the winter of 1864/1865 the Army of the James
was reorganized and Foster was placed in command of the 1st Division of the XXIV Corps
now under the command of John Gibbon
. Foster notably led his division in an assault on Fort Gregg during the Union breakthrough at Petersburg. Foster's division was part of the Union force which blocked Robert E. Lee
's line of retreat at Appomattox Court House, leading to the Confederate surrender there. Foster was brevetted to major general of U.S. volunteers on March 13, 1865.
After the culmination of fighting Foster served as a member of the commission which tried the Lincoln Conspirators. He resigned from the army in September 1865. Foster returned to Indiana where he died in Indianapolis in 1903.
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...
. He played a prominent role in the siege of Petersburg
Siege of Petersburg
The Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War...
and the Appomattox Campaign
Appomattox Campaign
The Appomattox Campaign was a series of battles fought March 29 – April 9, 1865, in Virginia that culminated in the surrender of Confederate General Robert E...
.
Biography
Foster was born in Vernon, Indiana in 1834. He moved to Indianapolis to learn the trade of being a tinnerTinsmith
A tinsmith, or tinner or tinker or tinplate worker, is a person who makes and repairs things made of light-coloured metal, particularly tinware...
.
Foster enlisted as a private of Indiana volunteers at the onset of the Civil War. He was quickly promoted to captain in Lew Wallace
Lew Wallace
Lewis "Lew" Wallace was an American lawyer, Union general in the American Civil War, territorial governor and statesman, politician and author...
's 11th Indiana Zouave
Zouave
Zouave was the title given to certain light infantry regiments in the French Army, normally serving in French North Africa between 1831 and 1962. The name was also adopted during the 19th century by units in other armies, especially volunteer regiments raised for service in the American Civil War...
Regiment and saw action at the Battle of Rich Mountain
Battle of Rich Mountain
The Battle of Rich Mountain took place on July 11, 1861, in Randolph County, Virginia as part of the Operations in Western Virginia Campaign during the American Civil War.-Background:...
in western Virginia. Following these battles he was transferred to the 13th Indiana Volunteers
13th Regiment Indiana Infantry
The 13th Indiana Infantry Regiment, was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during theAmerican Civil War.- Service :The 13th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment was originally accepted for state service for one year and was organized at Indianapolis for the U. S. service by volunteers from the...
as major and shortly after promoted to colonel on April 30, 1862. Foster led his regiment during Stonewall Jackson
Stonewall Jackson
ຄຽשת״ׇׂׂׂׂ֣|birth_place= Clarksburg, Virginia |death_place=Guinea Station, Virginia|placeofburial=Stonewall Jackson Memorial CemeteryLexington, Virginia|placeofburial_label= Place of burial|image=...
's Valley Campaign of 1862 until his regiment was transferred to southeast Virginia in the vicinity of Suffolk
Suffolk, Virginia
Suffolk is the largest city by area in Virginia, United States, and is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 84,585. Its median household income was $57,546.-History:...
.
Colonel Foster took command of a brigade in John J. Peck
John J. Peck
John James Peck was a United States soldier who fought in the Mexican-American War and American Civil War.-Early life:...
's division at Suffolk. When James Longstreet
James Longstreet
James Longstreet was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse." He served under Lee as a corps commander for many of the famous battles fought by the Army of Northern Virginia in the...
threatened Suffolk in 1863, Peck's garrison eventually rose to the size of three divisions. Foster commanded the 2nd Brigade in Michael Corcoran
Michael Corcoran
Michael Corcoran was an Irish American general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a close confidant of President Abraham Lincoln. As its colonel, he led the 69th New York regiment to Washington, D.C. and was one of the first to serve in the defense of Washington by building Fort...
's 1st Division. During the subsequent Siege of Suffolk
Siege of Suffolk
The Siege of Suffolk was fought around Suffolk, Virginia, from April 11 to May 4, 1863, during the American Civil War.-Background:In 1863 Lt. Gen. James Longstreet was placed in command of the Confederate Department of Virginia and North Carolina. Longstreet was given four objectives: 1) to...
Foster's brigade manned the southwest front of the city's defenses. Following the lifting of the siege, Foster was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on June 12, 1862.
General Foster was transferred to Quincy A. Gillmore's X Corps
X Corps (ACW)
X Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served during operations in South Carolina in the Department of the South, and later in Benjamin Butler's Army of the James, during the Bermuda Hundred and Petersburg Campaigns.-History:...
near Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. Foster commanded the 1st Brigade of the Union forces on Folly Island during the siege of Charleston Harbor. During the early part of 1864 Foster commanded a brigade then division in Florida and when Gillmore's corps was transferred to the southeast Virginia, Foster was placed in command of the 1st Division, X Corps. During the Bermuda Hundred Campaign
Bermuda Hundred Campaign
The Bermuda Hundred Campaign was a series of battles fought at the town of Bermuda Hundred, outside Richmond, Virginia, during May 1864 in the American Civil War. Union Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler, commanding the Army of the James, threatened Richmond from the east but was stopped by forces under ...
Foster served as chief of staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
to Gillmore. He returned to command the 1st Division briefly before reverting back to brigade command. He led his brigade during the first
First Battle of Deep Bottom
The First Battle of Deep Bottom, also known as Darbytown, Strawberry Plains, New Market Road, or Gravel Hill, was fought July 27–29, 1864, at Deep Bottom in Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Siege of Petersburg of the American Civil War. A Union force under Maj. Gens. Winfield S....
and second battles of Deep Bottom. He commanded the 2nd Division, X Corps at the battle of New Market Heights.
During the winter of 1864/1865 the Army of the James
Army of the James
The Army of the James was a Union Army that was composed of units from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina and served along the James River during the final operations of the American Civil War in Virginia.-History:...
was reorganized and Foster was placed in command of the 1st Division of the XXIV Corps
XXIV Corps (ACW)
XXIV Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War.In December 1864, the white and black units of the Army of the James were divided into two corps. The black troops were sent to the XXV Corps; the white troops became the XXIV Corps, under the command of Edward O. Ord...
now under the command of John Gibbon
John Gibbon
John Gibbon was a career United States Army officer who fought in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars.-Early life:...
. Foster notably led his division in an assault on Fort Gregg during the Union breakthrough at Petersburg. Foster's division was part of the Union force which blocked Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
's line of retreat at Appomattox Court House, leading to the Confederate surrender there. Foster was brevetted to major general of U.S. volunteers on March 13, 1865.
After the culmination of fighting Foster served as a member of the commission which tried the Lincoln Conspirators. He resigned from the army in September 1865. Foster returned to Indiana where he died in Indianapolis in 1903.