John A. McClernand

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John Alexander McClernand
Member of the United States House of Representatives for Illinois' 6th district
In office November 8, 1859 – October 28, 1861
Preceded by	Charles D. Hodges
Succeeded by	Anthony L. Knapp
Member of the United States House of Representatives for Illinois' 2nd district
In office March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1851
Preceded by	Zadok Casey
Succeeded by	Willis Allen
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives
In office 1840–1843
In office 1836
Personal details
Born	May 30, 1812 Breckinridge County, Kentucky
Died	September 20, 1900(1900-09-20) (aged 88) Springfield, Illinois
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Sarah McClernand, Minerva McClernand
Children	Edward John McClernand
Occupation	Military officer
Profession	Politician, lawyer
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch/service	United States Army Union Army
Years of service	1832, 1861–1864
Rank	Major General of Volunteers
Battles/wars	Black Hawk War American Civil War Battle of Belmont Battle of Fort Donelson Battle of Shiloh Battle of Arkansas Post Battle of Champion Hill Siege of Vicksburg Red River Campaign

John Alexander McClernand (May 30, 1812 – September 20, 1900) was an American lawyer, politician, and a Union Army general in the American Civil War. He was a prominent Democratic politician in Illinois and a member of the United States House of Representatives before the war. McClernand was firmly dedicated to the principles of Jacksonian democracy and supported the Compromise of 1850.

McClernand was commissioned a brigadier general of volunteers in 1861. His was a classic case of the politician-in-uniform coming into conflict with career Army officers, graduates of the United States Military Academy. He served as a subordinate commander under Ulysses S. Grant in the Western Theater, fighting in the campaigns of Belmont, Operations on the Tennessee & Cumberland, Shiloh in 1861–62 and later briefly as a commander of the Army of the Mississippi in late 1862 to early 1863, afterwards serving as a corps commander under Grant again during the campaign against Vicksburg.

A friend and political ally of Abraham Lincoln, McClernand was given permission to muster a large force to conduct offensive operations against the confederate stronghold at Vicksburg, Mississippi, a campaign that would rival the effort of General Grant, his department commander. Grant and Halleck machinated against McClernand, and most of the troops he raised in Illinois for his expedition were instead diverted to Grant's army without his knowledge. Later on, McClernand's own expeditionary force departed southwards before his arrival, by design, commanded by General William T. Sherman, an ally of Grant. McClernand chased after his expedition southwards and assumed command, designating this expeditionary force as the Army of the Mississippi. Grant was later able to neutralize McClernand's independent effort after it conducted an expedition to capture the vital Fort Hindman on the Arkansas river, this unassuming victory had secured an important milestone in the future of the operations around the Mississippi river for months to come, and McClernand became the senior corps commander in Grant's army for the Vicksburg Campaign in 1863. During the Siege of Vicksburg, Grant relieved McClernand of his command by citing his intemperate and unauthorized communication with the press, finally putting an end to a rivalry that had caused Grant discomfort since the beginning of the war. McClernand left the Army in 1864 and served as a judge and a politician in the postbellum era.