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Email: medhurstmd@aol.com
Phone: 913-851-8462
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CDV of Nathaniel P. Banks, Union Major General, Back marked
E&HT Anthony, New York, from Photographic Negative in Brady's
National Portrait Gallery with 2 cent revenue stamp. $110.00
Banks, Nathaniel P., major-general, was born in Waltham, Mass. Jan.
30, 1816, received a common school education, and then learned the
trade of a machinist in a cotton factory of which his father was
superintendent. He afterwards became editor of a local paper at
Waltham, studied law, was admitted to the bar, and in 1849 was
elected a member of the state legislature. He was elected speaker of
the Massachusetts legislature in 1851, re-elected in 1852, was
chairman of the Massachusetts constitutional convention in 1853, and
was in the same year elected to Congress as a coalition-democrat. He
was re-elected on the "Know-Knothing" ticket, elected speaker of the
house of representative, after a spirited fight, on the 133rd ballot, and
at the next election was chosen congressman on the republican ticket.
On Dec. 4, 1857, he resigned to become governor of Massachusetts,
was re-elected governor in 1858 and 1859, and in 1860 accepted the
presidency of the Illinois Central railroad, succeeding Gen. George B.
McClellan in that capacity.
When the Civil war broke out in the following year, he resigned his
position, was commissioned major-general of volunteers and assigned
to the command of the 5th army corps in the Army of the Potomac,
seeing his first active service along the upper Potomac and in the
Shenandoah valley, in 1861-62.
On March 23, 1862, a part of his troops, under Gen. Shields, defeated
Jackson at Winchester, and the next month at the head of two
divisions, Gen. Banks was assigned to guard the Shenandoah. When
one of the divisions had been withdrawn, leaving only 8,000 men with
Banks, the force was attacked by Gen. Jackson and defeated, but
escaped capture. Gen. Banks then joined Pope, who had command of
the army of Virginia, and on August 9, was defeated at the battle of
Cedar mountain. He was then for a time in command of the defenses
of Washington, and in Dec., 1862, commanded the expedition to New
Orleans, where he succeeded Gen. B. F. Butler as commander of the
Department of the Gulf.
In the spring of 1863 he commanded the expedition against Port
Hudson, which finally, after several disastrous attempts to storm it
had failed, surrendered on July 9, 1863, when the occupants learned
that Vicksburg had fallen. Early in 1864 Gen. Banks led the
expedition up the Red River, his force strengthened by the addition of
a powerful fleet, and at Sabine cross-roads met defeat at the hands of
Gen. Richard Taylor. On the next day the Confederates made an
attack at Pleasant Hill, but were defeated, and the army withdrew to
Alexandria. There the skill of Gen. Joseph Bailey saved the fleet, and
the whole expedition withdrew to the Mississippi.
In May, 1864, Gen. Banks was relieved of his command, resigned his
commission, and, returning to Massachusetts, was elected to
Congress, where he served, with the exception of one term, until
1877, being for many years chairman of the committee on foreign
relations. In 1888 he was again elected to Congress, but, after 1890,
suffered from a mental disorder and was forced to withdraw from
public life. In 1891 Congress voted him an annual pension of $1,200,
and in 1894 he died.
E&HT Anthony, New York, from Photographic Negative in Brady's
National Portrait Gallery with 2 cent revenue stamp. $110.00
Banks, Nathaniel P., major-general, was born in Waltham, Mass. Jan.
30, 1816, received a common school education, and then learned the
trade of a machinist in a cotton factory of which his father was
superintendent. He afterwards became editor of a local paper at
Waltham, studied law, was admitted to the bar, and in 1849 was
elected a member of the state legislature. He was elected speaker of
the Massachusetts legislature in 1851, re-elected in 1852, was
chairman of the Massachusetts constitutional convention in 1853, and
was in the same year elected to Congress as a coalition-democrat. He
was re-elected on the "Know-Knothing" ticket, elected speaker of the
house of representative, after a spirited fight, on the 133rd ballot, and
at the next election was chosen congressman on the republican ticket.
On Dec. 4, 1857, he resigned to become governor of Massachusetts,
was re-elected governor in 1858 and 1859, and in 1860 accepted the
presidency of the Illinois Central railroad, succeeding Gen. George B.
McClellan in that capacity.
When the Civil war broke out in the following year, he resigned his
position, was commissioned major-general of volunteers and assigned
to the command of the 5th army corps in the Army of the Potomac,
seeing his first active service along the upper Potomac and in the
Shenandoah valley, in 1861-62.
On March 23, 1862, a part of his troops, under Gen. Shields, defeated
Jackson at Winchester, and the next month at the head of two
divisions, Gen. Banks was assigned to guard the Shenandoah. When
one of the divisions had been withdrawn, leaving only 8,000 men with
Banks, the force was attacked by Gen. Jackson and defeated, but
escaped capture. Gen. Banks then joined Pope, who had command of
the army of Virginia, and on August 9, was defeated at the battle of
Cedar mountain. He was then for a time in command of the defenses
of Washington, and in Dec., 1862, commanded the expedition to New
Orleans, where he succeeded Gen. B. F. Butler as commander of the
Department of the Gulf.
In the spring of 1863 he commanded the expedition against Port
Hudson, which finally, after several disastrous attempts to storm it
had failed, surrendered on July 9, 1863, when the occupants learned
that Vicksburg had fallen. Early in 1864 Gen. Banks led the
expedition up the Red River, his force strengthened by the addition of
a powerful fleet, and at Sabine cross-roads met defeat at the hands of
Gen. Richard Taylor. On the next day the Confederates made an
attack at Pleasant Hill, but were defeated, and the army withdrew to
Alexandria. There the skill of Gen. Joseph Bailey saved the fleet, and
the whole expedition withdrew to the Mississippi.
In May, 1864, Gen. Banks was relieved of his command, resigned his
commission, and, returning to Massachusetts, was elected to
Congress, where he served, with the exception of one term, until
1877, being for many years chairman of the committee on foreign
relations. In 1888 he was again elected to Congress, but, after 1890,
suffered from a mental disorder and was forced to withdraw from
public life. In 1891 Congress voted him an annual pension of $1,200,
and in 1894 he died.
