John Azor Kellogg (March 16, 1828February 10, 1883) was an American lawyer, politician, and Union Army officer from Wisconsin. He was one of the founders of the

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa *Republican Party (Liberia) * Republican Part ...

Early life

Born in Bethany, Pennsylvania, Kellogg moved with his parents to Sauk County, Wisconsin, in 1840. At age 18, he studied law at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In 1852, Kellogg married Adelaide Worthington of Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. They had five children. In 1857, he was admitted to the

State Bar of Wisconsin The State Bar of Wisconsin (SBW) is the integrated (mandatory) bar association of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Created by the Wisconsin Supreme Court for all attorneys who hold a Wisconsin law license, the State Bar of Wisconsin aids the courts i ...

and moved to Mauston, Wisconsin, in Juneau County. He was elected

District Attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a l ...

for Juneau County in 1860, but resigned in April 1861 to enter service with the Union Army in the American Civil War.

Civil War

Kellogg helped raise Company K,

6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 6th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It spent most of the war as a part of the famous Iron Brigade in the Army of the Potomac. Service The 6th Wisconsin was rai ...

, and was commissioned first lieutenant for that Company on May 3, 1861, under Captain

Rufus Dawes Rufus R. Dawes (July 4, 1838August 1, 1899) was a military officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He used the middle initial "R" but had no middle name. He was noted for his service in the famed Iron Brigade, particularly duri ...

. Upon their arrival in Washington, D.C., the regiment was organized into a brigade along with three other regiments from Wisconsin and Indiana. Their brigade later became known as the Iron Brigade, and was attached to the Army of the Potomac for most of the war. Kellogg was promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

of Company I in December 1861, and was made an

adjutant Adjutant is a military appointment given to an officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of human resources in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed forces as a non-commission ...

for the brigade in 1863. He returned to his role with the regiment in 1864. Kellogg was wounded on May 5, 1864, during the

Battle of the Wilderness The Battle of the Wilderness was fought on May 5–7, 1864, during the American Civil War. It was the first battle of Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against General Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Arm ...

, and was believed dead. He had actually been taken prisoner. He was held in Virginia for a time, then transferred to Georgia. He escaped while en route to

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...

, but was pursued and recaptured. On October 15, while being transferred from Charleston to Columbia, South Carolina, Kellogg escaped again. This time he successfully reached Union forces near Calhoun, Georgia, having traveled 350 miles after his escape. While a prisoner of war, Kellogg had been promoted to

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

and then

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

. In December 1864 he was made colonel of the 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Regiment. On February 28, 1865, Kellogg was placed in command of the Iron Brigade. He commanded the brigade through the Appomattox Campaign at the close of the war and mustered out in August 1865. He was subsequently given a

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

to brigadier general in recognition for his service.

Postbellum years

After the war, Kellogg moved to

La Crosse, Wisconsin La Crosse is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of La Crosse County. Positioned alongside the Mississippi River, La Crosse is the largest city on Wisconsin's western border. La Crosse's population as of the 2020 census w ...

, and served as a U.S. Pension Agent for La Crosse from 1866 to 1875. In 1875, Kellogg moved with his family to Wausau, Wisconsin, to return to his law practice. Kellogg remained active with the Republican Party throughout his life, and, in 1878, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate, defeating Democrat M. H. Wadleigh.

Published works

Kellogg published articles about his involvement in the Civil War. In 1908, the articles were collected and published by the Wisconsin Historical Commission as ''Capture and Escape: A Narrative of Army and Prison Life''.

Electoral history

Citations

References

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kellogg, John Azor 1828 births 1883 deaths People from Bethany, Pennsylvania Politicians from La Crosse, Wisconsin People from Sauk County, Wisconsin Politicians from Wausau, Wisconsin People of Wisconsin in the American Civil War University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni Union Army colonels Wisconsin lawyers Writers from La Crosse, Wisconsin Writers from Pennsylvania Wisconsin state senators 19th-century American legislators 19th-century American lawyers Military personnel from Pennsylvania