Years of service 1861-1866 Other work Lawyer Service/branch Union Army | Role Politician Name James Slack | |
Born September 28, 1818
Bucks County, Pennsylvania ( 1818-09-28 ) Place of burial Mt. Hope Cemetery, Huntington, IN Rank Brevet Major General, U.S.V. Battles/wars American Civil War
Battle of Island Number Ten
Battle of Port Gibson
Battle of Champion Hill
Siege of Vicksburg
Battle of Mansfield
Battle of Fort Blakely Died 1881, Chicago, Illinois, United States Commands held 47th Indiana Infantry Regiment Battles and wars Battle of Island Number Ten Allegiance United States of America, Union | ||
James Richard Slack (September 28, 1818 – July 28, 1881) was an Indiana politician and a Union general during the American Civil War.
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Early life
Slack was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania in 1818. His family moved to Indiana in 1837 where he worked as a farm hand on his father's farm. He also worked as a teacher, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1840. He moved to Huntington, Indiana where he became involved in politics, first as county auditor then as a state senator.
Civil War
On December 13, 1861 Slack was appointed colonel of the 47th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Shortly after he assumed command of a brigade in the Army of the Mississippi. During the Battle of Island Number Ten he commanded the 1st Brigade in General John M. Palmer's 3rd Division of the Army of the Mississippi. After that, Slack led his regiment in several expeditions in the Mississippi Valley.
In 1863 he was again in brigade command during the Vicksburg Campaign where he led the 2nd Brigade, 12th Division, XIII Corps. During the siege of Vicksburg he was transferred to command the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, XIII Corps. He remained in command of this brigade during the Red River Campaign. During the fall of 1864 he commanded the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, XIX Corps and was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on November 10, 1864.
By the end of the war General Slack was in command of the 1st Brigade, 1st Division XIII Corps which he led at the battle of Fort Blakely. He received a brevet promotion to major general on March 13, 1865 and was assigned command at Brazos Santiago, Texas, until sent home to Indiana to be with the 47th Indiana when they mustered out of the army. He was mustered out of volunteers on January 15, 1866.
Post war
After the war General Slack returned to Huntington to resume his law practice. He was appointed to the 28th Judicial Circuit and ran for U.S. Congress in 1881 but was defeated. Slack died while visiting Chicago in 1881. He was buried in Huntington.