Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Raum, Green Berry

RAUM, Green Berry, commissioner of internal revenue, b. in Golconda, Pope co., Ill., 3 Dec., 1829. He received a common-school education, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1853. In 1856 he removed with his family to Kansas, and at once affiliated with the Free-state party. Becoming obnoxious to the pro-slavery faction, he returned the following year to Illinois and settled at Harrisburg. At the opening of the civil war he made his first speech as a “war” Democrat while he was attending court at Metropolis, Ill. Subsequently he entered the army as major of the 56th Illinois regiment, and was promoted lieutenant-colonel, colonel, and brevet brigadier-general. He was made brigadier-general of volunteers on 15 Feb., 1865, which commission he resigned on 6 May. He served under Gen. William S. Rosecrans in the Mississippi campaign of 1862. At the battle of Corinth he ordered and led the charge that broke the Confederate left and captured a battery. He was with Gen. Grant at Vicksburg, and was wounded at the battle of Missionary Ridge in November, 1863. During the Atlanta campaign he held the line of communication from Dalton to Acworth and from Kingston to Rome, Ga. In October, 1864, he re-enforced Resaca, Ga., and held it against Gen. John B. Hood. In 1866 he obtained a charter for the Cairo and Vincennes railroad company, aided in securing its construction, and became its first president. He was then elected to congress, and served from 4 March, 1867, till 3 March, 1869. In 1876 he was president of the Illinois Republican convention, and in the same year he was a delegate to the National convention of that party in Cincinnati. He was appointed commissioner of internal revenue, 2 Aug., 1876, and retained the office till 31 May, 1883. During this period he collected $850,000,000 and disbursed $30,000,000 without loss. He wrote “Reports” of his bureau for seven successive years. He is also the author of “The Existing Conflict between Republican Government and Southern Oligarchy” (Washington, 1884). He afterward engaged in the practice of law in Washington, D. C.