Hugh Thompson Reid (1811–1874) was a lawyer, president of the Des Moines Valley Railroad and Union general during the American Civil War. 22-26-131-reid-cropped

Early life

Reid was born in Indiana on October 18, 1811, to James and Ann Thompson Reid.Hugh Thompson REID
/ref> He attended Miami University and Indiana University, becoming a lawyer. In 1839 he moved to Iowa to continue his law practice. During the 1840s he purchased large tracts of land becoming the most extensive land owner in Iowa at the time.Find-a-Grave
/ref> He also became the president of the Des Moines Valley Railroad.

Civil War

On February 22, 1862, Reid was appointed colonel of the

15th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 15th Iowa Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service The 15th Iowa Infantry was organized at Keokuk, Iowa, and mustered in for three years of Federal service on February 22, ...

for service in the Union Army during the Civil War. Colonel Reid and the 15th Iowa first saw combat at the

Battle of Shiloh The Battle of Shiloh (also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing) was fought on April 6–7, 1862, in the American Civil War. The fighting took place in southwestern Tennessee, which was part of the war's Western Theater. The battlefield i ...

. Because his regiment arrived on the field of battle once the fighting had already begun it was rushed to the thickest of the fight History of Iowa and was attached to

Benjamin M. Prentiss Benjamin Mayberry Prentiss (November 23, 1819 – February 8, 1901) was an American soldier and politician. He fought in the Mexican–American War and on the Union side of the American Civil War, rising to the rank of major general. He commanded ...

' division fighting around the

Hornet's Nest Hornets (insects in the genus ''Vespa'') are the largest of the eusocial wasps, and are similar in appearance to their close relatives yellowjackets. Some species can reach up to in length. They are distinguished from other vespine wasps by t ...

. During the fighting Reid was severely wounded in the neck and was presumed dead. His body was recovered and brought to the rear where he soon regained enough consciousness to rejoin the fighting. Reid was out of action for a time following the battle but fully recovered despite the Chicago Tribune running an article stating he had been paralyzed. Reid returned to command a brigade in the Army of the Tennessee stationed around Corinth, Mississippi. General

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...

noticed Reid's gallantry at Shiloh and recommended him for promotion. Reid was promoted to brigadier general of U.S. volunteers on March 13, 1863. General Reid was now assigned to command the 1st Brigade, 6th Division, XVII Corps headquartered near

Lake Providence, Louisiana Lake Providence is a town in, and the parish seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. ...

. This brigade was a mix of white regiments and African American regiments. Reid was quoted saying "every colored soldier who stops a rebel bullet saves a white man’s life". During the siege of Vicksburg, Reid's brigade operated on the Louisiana side of the Mississippi River, fighting skirmishes at

Lake Providence A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much larger ...

and Goodrich's Landing during the month of June. After Vicksburg fell to the Union army, Reid was transferred to command the District of Cairo in southern Illinois.

Later life

On April 14, 1864, Reid resigned from the army and returned to Iowa. There he resumed his law practice and served again as president of the Des Moines Valley Railroad. Reid died of bright's disease on August 28, 1874, and is buried in

Keokuk, Iowa Keokuk is a city in and a county seat of Lee County, Iowa, United States, along with Fort Madison. It is Iowa's southernmost city. The population was 9,900 at the time of the 2020 census. The city is named after the Sauk chief Keokuk, who is ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reid, Hugh Thompson 1811 births 1873 deaths People of Indiana in the American Civil War People of Iowa in the American Civil War Deaths from nephritis People from Union City, Indiana