ALMOST VICE PRESIDENT: BLACK JACK LOGAN, PART II
John A. Logan’s military record during the Civil War was a series of successful engagements and promotions. He was recognized early for his ability and bravery. Commissioned a colonel in the 31st Illinois on September 18, 1861, he was promoted to brigadier general on March 21, 1862. On November 29 of that year, he was promoted to major general. His first fight was the Battle of Belmont where his courage verged on recklessness. At Fort Donelson, Logan’s command was credited with plugging a dangerous breach in the line. At this battle, he was wounded twice, in the shoulder and ribs, and seriously injured.
Logan recovered and returned to the army in time for the Battle of Champion’s Hill during the Vicksburg campaign. Again, Logan distinguished himself with his ability and courage. After the surrender of Vicksburg, Logan took an extended leave, granted by Lincoln personally, to campaign for Republican candidates. He returned to the army in time for General Sherman’s Atlanta campaign. He then left the army again to campaign for Republican candidates, again with Lincoln’s blessing.
During the fighting around Atlanta, Logan was promoted to the command of the 15th Corps, and temporarily took command of the Army of the Tennessee when General McPherson was killed. He was later given permanent command of that army. He resigned his commission on August 17, 1865 and returned to politics as a Republican.
Logan declined offers to be minister to Mexico in 1865 and Japan and Brazil in 1866. He was one of the organizers of the Grand Army of the Republic, a fraternal order of veterans, and served as the group’s president three times. In 1866, Logan, who really wanted to be elected to the U.S. Senate, ran for a seat as the Illinois Congressman-at-large. He won by a large majority.
As a member of the House of Representatives, he was one of the seven congressmen to draw op the articles of impeachment against President Andrew Johnson. He strongly supported his former commander Ulysses S. Grant for President in 1868, and declined to run for governor of Illinois that year in spite of strong urgings from leaders of his party. He still wanted to run for the Senate, and feared being elected governor might hurt his chances since the seat he was planning to run for would be contested half-way through his four-year term.
In 1870, Logan ran for the Senate seat from Illinois. His position as three-time president of the Grand Army of the Republic was a great help to his campaign. Interestingly enough, it was as president of the G.A.R. that he made his most lasting contribution when he established May 30 as a day to commemorate the war dead. That day would later be adopted as a national holiday, Memorial Day. He ran two campaigns simultaneously, one for the Senate seat, and the other for re-election to his seat in the House of Representatives. In November, he won re-election to the House and in January he won election to the Senate.
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