Justin Hodge, born in

Roxbury, Massachusetts Roxbury () is a Neighborhoods in Boston, neighborhood within the City of Boston, Massachusetts. Roxbury is a Municipal annexation in the United States, dissolved municipality and one of 23 official neighborhoods of Boston used by the city for n ...

on April 21, 1815, was a Connecticut politician who served in the state legislature for many years. He represented his hometown of Barkhamstead as a loyal member of the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

. He served in the U.S. Army during the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

as well as the Mexican War before that. He briefly served as the Adjutant General of Connecticut in 1855.''Barkhamstead and its Centennial'', 1879, Meriden, CT. 1881

Military career

During the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...

Hodge was a captain of volunteers and served with General

Winfield Scott Winfield Scott (June 13, 1786May 29, 1866) was an American military commander and political candidate. He served as a general in the United States Army from 1814 to 1861, taking part in the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War, the early s ...

at Vera Cruz. He was appointed to the position of Adjutant General of the

Connecticut State Militia The Connecticut State Militia are the Armed Forces of the State of Connecticut under the authority of the Governor and the Adjutant General of the state. Classes of Militia The Connecticut State Militia is divided into two classes: the National ...

by Governor William T. Minor in August 1855. Upon appointment, he was ordered by the Governor to disband several companies of the state militia that were composed primarily of

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

immigrants. Hodge refused to execute the order and was removed from the office by the displeased governor. Joseph D. Williams was appointed Adjutant General and carried out the order. Justin Hodge is the shortest serving Adjutant General in Connecticut's military history."Barkhamsted's representative after his salary as Adjutant-General." ProQuest newspapers: ''Hartford Courant'' (1764–1988). Hartford: Hartford Courant, 1884 On April 23, 1861, he was appointed First Lieutenant in Company S of the 1st Connecticut Infantry Regiment. He spent most of the war serving under General

Nathaniel P. Banks Nathaniel Prentice (or Prentiss) Banks (January 30, 1816 – September 1, 1894) was an American politician from Massachusetts and a Union general during the Civil War. A millworker by background, Banks was prominent in local debating societies, ...

and the Army of the Gulf. In 1863 he was made Colonel of the 1st Louisiana Engineers

Corps d'Afrique The United States Colored Troops (USCT) were regiments in the United States Army composed primarily of African-American (colored) soldiers, although members of other minority groups also served within the units. They were first recruited during ...

, which, because of its large numbers, was later split in two creating the 1st and 3rd Regiment Engineers, Corps d'Afrique (95th and 97th U.S. Colored Infantries).He commanded the 1st Regiment Engineers, Corps d'Afrique during the

Siege of Port Hudson The siege of Port Hudson, Louisiana, (May 22 – July 9, 1863) was the final engagement in the Union (American Civil War), Union campaign to recapture the Mississippi River in the American Civil War. While Major General#United States, Union Gen ...

. Colonel Hodge was mustered out of the volunteers on October 13, 1866''US Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861–1865'', Provo, UT, 2009

Personal life

Hodge married Lucia Hewitt, daughter of Joshua Hewitt and Polly Williams of

Winsted, Connecticut Winsted is a census-designated place and an incorporated city in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is part of the town of Winchester. The population of Winsted was 7,712 at the 2010 census, out of 11,242 in the entire town of Win ...

. His son, Kosky Hodge, served with him in the Civil War as a teenager. Justin died at his home on October 22, 1900.Ancestry.com 1870 United States Federal Census, Provo, UT, 2009

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hodge, Justin Military personnel from Connecticut Adjutants General of Connecticut 1815 births 1900 deaths American military personnel of the Mexican–American War Union Army colonels People of Connecticut in the American Civil War People from Roxbury, Boston People from Litchfield County, Connecticut Military personnel from Massachusetts