Pleasant Adams Hackleman (November 15, 1814 – October 3, 1862) was a lawyer, politician and Union general who was killed during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. Hackleman was born in Franklin County, in 1814. He married Sarah Bradburn in 1833 and began his life as a farmer. He studied law and eventually passed the bar and began practicing law. From 1837 to 1841 he served as

probate judge A probate court (sometimes called a surrogate court) is a court that has competence in a jurisdiction to deal with matters of probate and the administration of estates. In some jurisdictions, such courts may be referred to as Orphans' Courts o ...

Rush County, Indiana Rush County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. In the 2010 United States Census, the population was 17,392. The county seat (and only city) is Rushville. History When the Indiana Territory was granted statehood (20 December 1816), there ...

. In 1840 he became editor of the ''Rushville Republican'' until the war. In 1841 he was elected to the Indiana State Legislature and served as a delegate to the National Republican Convention in Chicago which elected

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

as the Republican presidential candidate. On May 20, 1861, when the Civil War began, Indiana Governor

Oliver P. Morton Oliver Hazard Perry Throck Morton (August 4, 1823 – November 1, 1877), commonly known as Oliver P. Morton, was a U.S. Republican Party politician from Indiana. He served as the 14th governor (the first native-born) of Indiana during the Amer ...

appointed Hackleman

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

of the 16th Indiana Volunteer Infantry of one-year volunteers. Hackleman and the 16th Indiana were sent to the Eastern Theater where they were engaged at the

Battle of Ball's Bluff The Battle of Ball's Bluff was an early battle of the American Civil War fought in Loudoun County, Virginia, on October 21, 1861, in which Union Army forces under Major General George B. McClellan suffered a humiliating defeat. The operation was ...

. On April 28, 1862, he was promoted to

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

of volunteers and ordered to report to

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 ...

in the Western Theater. Hackleman was assigned to command the 1st Brigade in the 2nd Division of the

Army of the Tennessee An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

. The 2nd Division, led by

Thomas A. Davies Thomas Alfred Davies (December 3, 1809 – August 19, 1899) was an American businessman, engineer, and soldier. He served as a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. In 1866, he was nominated and confirmed for appoi ...

, was temporarily attached to

William S. Rosecrans William Starke Rosecrans (September 6, 1819March 11, 1898) was an American inventor, coal-oil company executive, diplomat, politician, and U.S. Army officer. He gained fame for his role as a Union general during the American Civil War. He was ...

Army of the Mississippi Army of the Mississippi was the name given to two Union armies that operated around the Mississippi River, both with short existences, during the American Civil War. History 1862 The first army was created on February 23, 1862, with Maj. Gen. ...

stationed around

Corinth, Mississippi Corinth is a city in and the county seat of Alcorn County, Mississippi, Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,573 at the 2010 census. Its ZIP codes are 38834 and 38835. It lies on the state line with Tennessee. Histor ...

. On October 3, the Confederate Army attacked Rosecrans. Early in the fighting the Confederates forced a gap between Davies and General Thomas J. McKean's divisions and the Union line began to fall back. At this point in the battle Hackleman attempted to rally his brigade and was shot through the neck. He was taken to the

Tishomingo Hotel Tishomingo Hotel in Corinth, Mississippi was a hotel built in 1859, used as a military hospital during the American Civil War. It was burned down by Confederate forces in 1865. The two-story hotel was built in 1859 by Swiss architect An arc ...

in Corinth where he lay dying from the mortal wound. His final words were: "I am dying, but I die for my country". His body was returned to his home in Rushville where he was buried. He was the only Indiana general to be killed in battle during the Civil War. Hackleman is the namesake of the rural community of Hackleman, Indiana.

References

Bibliography

*Eicher, John H., & Eicher, David J., ''Civil War High Commands'', Stanford University Press, 2001, .
Indiana Civil War Biographies
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hackleman, Pleasant A. 1814 births 1862 deaths Union Army generals People of Indiana in the American Civil War Union military personnel killed in the American Civil War Politicians killed in the American Civil War Republican Party members of the Indiana House of Representatives People from Franklin County, Indiana People from Rushville, Indiana American newspaper editors Indiana lawyers Burials in Indiana

See also

References

Bibliography