De Witt Clinton Littlejohn
Encyclopedia
DeWitt Clinton Littlejohn (February 7, 1818 Bridgewater
, Oneida County
- October 27, 1892 Oswego
, Oswego County, New York
) was a brevet brigadier general
in the Union Army
and a United States Representative from New York during the Civil War
.
at Oswego, New York
.
He served as Mayor of Oswego in 1849 and 1850. He was a member of the New York State Assembly
from 1853 to 1855, in 1857, from 1859 to 1861, in 1866, 1867, 1870, 1871 and 1884. He was Speaker
in 1855, 1857, and from 1859 to 1861, and was the chief lieutenant of political boss Thurlow Weed
.
Early in 1861
, Littlejohn was influential in the backroom politics to select Ira Harris
over Horace Greeley
as the Republican Party's
nominee to run for the U.S. Senate to succeed William H. Seward
, who had not run for re-election, expecting to join President Abraham Lincoln
's Cabinet. In September, Littlejohn unsuccessfully sued Greeley and the New York Tribune
for libel. With the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Littlejohn worked actively to recruit troops in the Oswego area.
Littlejohn used his political connections in July 1862 to secure a commission as Colonel
of the 110th New York Volunteer Infantry, a regiment he helped raise through his personal efforts. He trained his troops at Camp Patterson near Baltimore, Maryland, where it was stationed until November, when it was ordered to Federal-occupied New Orleans, Louisiana
.
Returning to politics, he successfully campaigned for the United States House of Representatives
. He was elected as a Republican to the 38th United States Congress
. He resigned from the army on February 3, 1863, and served in Congress from March 4, 1863, to March 3, 1865. During that term, he was Chairman of the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions. Littlejohn was not a candidate for renomination in 1864, and was brevet
ted Brigadier General of Volunteers on March 13, 1865.
He moved his residence to Buffalo, New York
until 1867, when he moved back to Oswego. Littlejohn wanted to afford Oswego the growth possible by a rail connection to a major port. In 1868, he organized and served as president of the New York and Oswego Midland Railroad (NY&OM), a route traversing much of New York State on its way to New York City
. He also established a steamboat service connecting Long Island
to his new railroad.
In 1870 the Republican state convention nominated Littlejohn for Lieutenant Governor of New York
on the ticket with Stewart L. Woodford
, but he declined to run.
Fed up with the corruption of the Grant Administration
, in 1872 Littlejohn joined the Liberal Republican Party
and supported the candidacy of Horace Greeley for president in 1872, having set aside his previous legal issues with Greeley. He then became a Democrat, was a delegate to several Democratic state conventions, and was an ally of Samuel J. Tilden
.
He died in Oswego, and was buried at the Riverside Cemetery
.
Bridgewater, New York
Bridgewater is the name of both a town in New York State and a village within that town:*Bridgewater , New York*Bridgewater , New York....
, Oneida County
Oneida County, New York
Oneida County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 234,878. The county seat is Utica. The name is in honor of the Oneida, an Iroquoian tribe that formerly occupied the region....
- October 27, 1892 Oswego
Oswego, New York
Oswego is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York"...
, Oswego County, New York
Oswego County, New York
Oswego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 Census, the estimated population was 122,109. The City of Oswego and the Village of Pulaski serve as the dual county seats in a two shire system of government...
) was a brevet brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
and a United States Representative from New York during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Biography
He initially pursued an academic course. Deciding to not complete college, he instead engaged in several profitable mercantile pursuits, acting for a time as a forwarder of fresh produce on the lakes and canals of the region. He later engaged in the manufacture of flourFlour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
at Oswego, New York
Oswego, New York
Oswego is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York"...
.
He served as Mayor of Oswego in 1849 and 1850. He was a member of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
from 1853 to 1855, in 1857, from 1859 to 1861, in 1866, 1867, 1870, 1871 and 1884. He was Speaker
Speaker of the New York State Assembly
The Speaker of the New York State Assembly is the highest official in the New York State Assembly, customarily elected from the ranks of the majority party....
in 1855, 1857, and from 1859 to 1861, and was the chief lieutenant of political boss Thurlow Weed
Thurlow Weed
Thurlow Weed was a New York newspaper publisher, politician, and party boss. He was the principal political advisor to the prominent New York politician William H...
.
Early in 1861
United States Senate election in New York, 1861
The 1861 United States Senate election in New York was held on February 5, 1861, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate.-Background:Whig William H...
, Littlejohn was influential in the backroom politics to select Ira Harris
Ira Harris
Ira Harris was an American jurist and senator from New York. He was also a friend of Abraham Lincoln's.-Life:Harris grew up on a farm, and graduated from Union College in 1824. Then he studied law in Albany, and in 1828 was admitted to the bar.He was a Whig member from Albany County of the New...
over Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley was an American newspaper editor, a founder of the Liberal Republican Party, a reformer, a politician, and an outspoken opponent of slavery...
as the Republican Party's
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nominee to run for the U.S. Senate to succeed William H. Seward
William H. Seward
William Henry Seward, Sr. was the 12th Governor of New York, United States Senator and the United States Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson...
, who had not run for re-election, expecting to join President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
's Cabinet. In September, Littlejohn unsuccessfully sued Greeley and the New York Tribune
New York Tribune
The New York Tribune was an American newspaper, first established by Horace Greeley in 1841, which was long considered one of the leading newspapers in the United States...
for libel. With the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Littlejohn worked actively to recruit troops in the Oswego area.
Littlejohn used his political connections in July 1862 to secure a commission as Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
of the 110th New York Volunteer Infantry, a regiment he helped raise through his personal efforts. He trained his troops at Camp Patterson near Baltimore, Maryland, where it was stationed until November, when it was ordered to Federal-occupied New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
.
Returning to politics, he successfully campaigned for the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. He was elected as a Republican to the 38th United States Congress
38th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:Before this Congress, the 1860 United States Census and resulting reapportionment changed the size of the House to 241 members...
. He resigned from the army on February 3, 1863, and served in Congress from March 4, 1863, to March 3, 1865. During that term, he was Chairman of the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions. Littlejohn was not a candidate for renomination in 1864, and was brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
ted Brigadier General of Volunteers on March 13, 1865.
He moved his residence to Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
until 1867, when he moved back to Oswego. Littlejohn wanted to afford Oswego the growth possible by a rail connection to a major port. In 1868, he organized and served as president of the New York and Oswego Midland Railroad (NY&OM), a route traversing much of New York State on its way to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He also established a steamboat service connecting Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
to his new railroad.
In 1870 the Republican state convention nominated Littlejohn for Lieutenant Governor of New York
Lieutenant Governor of New York
The Lieutenant Governor of New York is a constitutional office in the executive branch of the government of New York State. It is the second highest ranking official in state government. The lieutenant governor is elected on a ticket with the governor for a four year term...
on the ticket with Stewart L. Woodford
Stewart L. Woodford
Stewart Lyndon Woodford was an American politician.-Life:He studied at Yale University and Columbia College . At the latter he graduated in 1854 and was a member of St. Anthony Hall...
, but he declined to run.
Fed up with the corruption of the Grant Administration
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
, in 1872 Littlejohn joined the Liberal Republican Party
Liberal Republican Party (United States)
The Liberal Republican Party of the United States was a political party that was organized in Cincinnati in May 1872, to oppose the reelection of President Ulysses S. Grant and his Radical Republican supporters. The party's candidate in that year's presidential election was Horace Greeley, longtime...
and supported the candidacy of Horace Greeley for president in 1872, having set aside his previous legal issues with Greeley. He then became a Democrat, was a delegate to several Democratic state conventions, and was an ally of Samuel J. Tilden
Samuel J. Tilden
Samuel Jones Tilden was the Democratic candidate for the U.S. presidency in the disputed election of 1876, one of the most controversial American elections of the 19th century. He was the 25th Governor of New York...
.
He died in Oswego, and was buried at the Riverside Cemetery
Riverside Cemetery (Oswego, New York)
Riverside Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery and national historic district located at Oswego in Oswego County, New York. It was established in 1855 and designed by landscape srchitect Burton Arnold Thomas . Within the boundaries of this contributing site are six contributing buildings, 12...
.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals