The New Student's Reference Work/Sedgwick, John

Sedgwick, John, was born at Cornwall, Conn., Sept. 13, 1813. A West Point graduate, he served in Florida as second-lieutenant when the Cherokees were removed. He also served through the Mexican War, gaining promotion at Contreras, Churubusco and Chapultepec. His record in the Civil War was brilliant. By the spring of 1862 Sedgwick was in command of a division, and in July of that year was made major-general of volunteers. As commander of the 6th or Sedgwick's corps, as it was called, he made a forced march of 35 miles to Gettysburg, and there commanded the left wing in the battle. Three days after the battle of the Wilderness, May 5 and 6, 1864, in which he had taken part, he was shot by a sharpshooter while ordering a battery to be brought into position. See MacMahon's Address on Major-General Sedgwick.