John Sedgwick
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'''John Sedgwick''' (September 13, 1813 – May 9, 1864) was an American military officer who served as a [[Union Army]] general during the [[American Civil War]]. |
'''John Sedgwick''' (September 13, 1813 – May 9, 1864) was an American military officer who served as a [[Union Army]] general during the [[American Civil War]]. |
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Sedgwick was wounded three times at the [[Battle of Antietam]] while leading his division in an unsuccessful assault against Confederate forces, causing him to miss the [[Battle of Fredericksburg]]. Under his command, the [[VI Corps (Union army)|VI Corps]] played an important role in the [[Battle of Chancellorsville|Chancellorsville Campaign]] by engaging Confederate troops at the [[Second Battle of Fredericksburg]] and the [[Battle of Salem Church]]. His corps was the last to arrive at the [[Battle of Gettysburg]] and did not see much action. Sedgwick was killed by a [[sharpshooter]] at the [[Battle of Spotsylvania Court House]] on May 9, 1864, making him and Major Generals [[James B. McPherson]], [[Joseph K. Mansfield]], and [[John F. Reynolds]] the highest-ranking Union officers to be killed in the war. He is remembered for an [[List of last words#Ironic last words|ironic remark]] among his last words: "They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance." |
Sedgwick was wounded three times at the [[Battle of Antietam]] while leading his division in an unsuccessful assault against Confederate forces, causing him to miss the [[Battle of Fredericksburg]]. Under his command, the [[VI Corps (Union army)|VI Corps]] played an important role in the [[Battle of Chancellorsville|Chancellorsville Campaign]] by engaging Confederate troops at the [[Second Battle of Fredericksburg]] and the [[Battle of Salem Church]]. His corps was the last to arrive at the [[Battle of Gettysburg]] and did not see much action. Sedgwick was killed by a [[Whitworth Sharpshooters|Whitworth sharpshooter]] at the [[Battle of Spotsylvania Court House]] on May 9, 1864, making him and Major Generals [[James B. McPherson]], [[Joseph K. Mansfield]], and [[John F. Reynolds]] the highest-ranking Union officers to be killed in the war. He is remembered for an [[List of last words#Ironic last words|ironic remark]] among his last words: "They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance." |
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== Early life and education == |
== Early life and education == |
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