Joseph Anthony Mower (1827 - 1870)

Born 22 Aug 1827 in Woodstock, Windsor, Vermont, United States

Ancestors

Died 6 Jan 1870 at age 42 in New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, United States

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Biography

Joseph Mower is Notable.

General Joseph Mower served in the United States Civil War.
Side: USA

Joseph Anthony Mower was born in 1827, the son of Nathaniel and Sophia Ann (Holmes) Mower, in Woodstock, Vermont. In 1833 the family moved to Lowell, Massachusetts. Mower enrolled in Norwich Academy in Vermont in 1843, but left in 1845. After working as a carpenter, he enlisted in 1847 as a private in the United States Army and served in the Mexican War. In 1855 he entered the U.S. army as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 1st U.S. Infantry. During the Civil War, he became colonel of the 11th Missouri Infantry Regiment and fought at the Siege of Corinth. He assumed command of the 2nd Brigade of the 2nd Division in the Army of the Mississippi and led it into action at the Battle of Corinth. He was wounded in the neck and taken prisoner by Confederate forces but he was recovered by Union soldiers the same day.

He was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on November 29, 1862. He recovered from his wounds and returned to command a brigade during the Vicksburg Campaign and siege of Vicksburg where he caught the attention of William T. Sherman. During the Red River Campaign he commanded the 1st and 3rd Divisions of the XVI Army Corps and won brevets in the regular army for actions at the battles of Fort De Russy and Yellow Bayou. He commanded the 1st Division of the Right Wing, XVI Corps at the Battle of Tupelo.

He was promoted to major general on August 12, 1864, and General Sherman ordered Mower to join the Union forces in Atlanta. He commanded the 1st Division of the XVII Army Corps during the March to the Sea and the Carolinas Campaign. His division played a significant role in the battles of Salkehatchie and Bentonville. Sherman made him commander of XX Corps in the Army of Georgia late in the war. After the fighting had ceased he sailed for Texas along with General Gordon Granger. He was placed in command of the District of Eastern Texas.

After the war he stayed in the army and became Colonel of the 39th U.S. Infantry and the 25th U.S. Infantry. He died of pneumonia while commanding the Department of Louisiana in New Orleans, on January 6, 1870^[1].

Mower married Betsey A. Bailey in about 1852 and together they had the following children:

Josephine B Mower 1853–1917

Charles Edward Mower 1859–1920

Catherine E. Mower McComas 1866–1904

See also: civilwardata

Sources

1. ↑ "Louisiana, Orleans Parish, State Museum Historical Center, Cemetery Records, 1805-1944", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6ZL6-DQPL : Wed Oct 04 00:52:31 UTC 2023), Entry for Joseph A Mower, 6 Jan 1870.

• Wikipedia Biography on Joseph A. Mower [1]

• "United States City and Business Directories, ca. 1749 - ca. 1990", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:686D-MQK8 : 15 February 2022), Joseph A. Mower, 1870.

• Norwich University, 1819-1911: Her History, Her Graduates, Her Roll of Honor, edited by William Arba Ellis, Capital City Press, 1911, Page 401. [2]

• Texas State Historical Association - Biography on General Joseph Anthony Mower [3]

• "United States Civil War and Later Pension Index, 1861-1917", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NHSV-7PP : 24 March 2016), Joseph A Mower, 1870.

• "New York Deaths and Burials, 1795-1952," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F69T-NJ9 : 10 February 2018), Gail Joseph A Mower, 06 Jan 1870; citing New Orleans, Louisiana, reference ; FHL microfilm 1,671,686.

• Find a Grave Memorial for Joseph Anthony Mower [4]

• "United States General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJDG-6VZW : 13 March 2018), Joseph A Mower, 1870.