John
Logan,
the eldest of eleven children, was born in Murphysboro, Jackson County,
on 9th February, 1826. After attending local schools he joined the
United States Army and saw action in the
Mexican War and eventually reached the
rank of lieutenant.
In 1849 Logan returned to Illinois where he became the clerk of the
Jackson County Court. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in
1852. The following year he became prosecuting attorney for the third
judicial district of Illinois.
A member of the Democratic Party,
Logan was elected to the 36th and 37th Congresses but resigned in
April, 1862, in order to join the Union Army.
After taking part in the battle of Bull
Run he was commissioned as a colonel of the 31st Illinois. During
the Vicksburg campaign he commanded
the XV Corps.
In July, 1864, Abraham Lincoln appointed
Logan commander of the Army of Tennessee. After objections by Major
General William Sherman, Logan was
removed from this post. According to Logan, Sherman was prejudiced
against soldiers who had not attended West
Point.
Logan took part in the Atlanta campaign
and in May, 1865, Logan once again became commander of the Army of
Tennessee. He resigned from the Union Army
in August, 1865.
Elected to the 40th Congress, Logan, now a member the Republican
Party, objected to Johnson's attempts to veto the Civil
Rights Bill and the Reconstruction
Acts. Logan became a member of the Radical
Republicans and voted for the impeachment of Johnson in 1868.
Logan lost his seat in 1877 but after working as a lawyer in Chicago
for two years he returned to Congress for the 47th and 48th Congresses
and was chairman of the Committee of Military Affairs (1879-1886).
John Logan died in Washington on 26th
December, 1886.
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