Jesse Gove
Encyclopedia
Jesse Augustus Gove was an American
soldier and lawyer, noteworthy for his military career and his role as a colonel
in the American Civil War
. After graduating from the Military Academy at Norwich
, Vermont, Gove served in the Mexican-American War. After the war, he left the army and became a lawyer in New Hampshire, then returned to army service in 1855. During the Civil War he was colonel of the 22nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
and was killed leading that regiment in the Battle of Gaines' Mill
.
, and, electing to pursue a career in the army, he was educated at Norwich Military Academy. In 1847 he was appointed second lieutenant in the 9th United States Infantry. He served in the Mexican-American War during which he was promoted to first lieutenant.
At the close of the war, the 9th U.S. Infantry was disbanded. Gove took up the study of law at the Concord, New Hampshire
law offices of Pierce & Minot, of which Franklin Pierce
(soon to become President of the United States) was the senior partner. Gove was admitted to the bar
in 1851. From 1850 to 1855 he was Deputy Secretary of State for New Hampshire.
In 1855, he returned to the regular army and was commissioned captain of Company I, 10th United States Infantry. In this capacity he served under Col. Albert Sidney Johnston
during the Utah War
(an insurrection of Mormon settlers in Utah Territory
against the U.S. government) in 1857 and 1858. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Gove's regiment was still garrisoned in Utah, however he returned to Washington in the summer of 1861 to seek a more active post.
as commander of the 22nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Gove was the only Regular Army officer to command that regiment. When Gove took command of the 22nd, the regiment was fresh from Boston
, having arrived in Washington, D.C.
just weeks before. Gove took advantage of the next four months to rigorously train his regiment while they were in winter camp at Halls Hill, Virginia just outside of Arlington. 1st Lt. John Parker, the regimental historian of the 22nd, wrote that Col. Gove:
The 22nd Massachusetts became part of the Army of the Potomac
and left their winter quarters on March 10, 1862 to participate in Maj. Gen.
George B. McClellan
's Peninsular Campaign. The unit saw its first action during the Siege of Yorktown
in April 1862. When Confederate
forces finally evacuated Yorktown, Col. Gove, according to historian John Parker, was the first Union officer to climb over the earthworks surrounding the town.
In June 1862, during the Seven Days Battles
, the Army of the Potomac
was rapidly pushed away from the Confederate capitol of Richmond
. On the third day of fighting, the 22nd Massachusetts was heavily engaged in the Battle of Gaines' Mill
on June 27, 1862. The regiment had been held in reserve, behind the other regiments of its brigade. After repelling many Confederate charges, the units in front of the 22nd finally retreated in the late afternoon. As the other regiments retired, the 22nd was quickly surrounded by advancing Confederates. Gove, at first, ordered the 22nd to about face and to march towards the rear. But, reluctant to give up the ground, he then ordered the regiment to halt, about face again, and prepare to receive the Confederate attack. Almost instantly after halting the regiment, Gove was shot and killed. The 22nd suffered their most severe casualties of the war (numerically) during the Battle of Gaines' Mill. Gove's body was never recovered.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soldier and lawyer, noteworthy for his military career and his role as a 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...
in the American 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...
. After graduating from the Military Academy at Norwich
Norwich University
Norwich University is a private university located in Northfield, Vermont . The university was founded in 1819 at Norwich, Vermont, as the American Literary, Scientific and Military Academy. It is the oldest of six Senior Military Colleges, and is recognized by the United States Department of...
, Vermont, Gove served in the Mexican-American War. After the war, he left the army and became a lawyer in New Hampshire, then returned to army service in 1855. During the Civil War he was colonel of the 22nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
22nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 22nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union army during the American Civil War. The 22nd Massachusetts was organized by Senator Henry Wilson and was therefore known as "Henry Wilson's Regiment." It was formed in Boston, Massachusetts, and established...
and was killed leading that regiment in the Battle of Gaines' Mill
Battle of Gaines' Mill
The Battle of Gaines's Mill, sometimes known as the First Battle of Cold Harbor or the Battle of Chickahominy River, took place on June 27, 1862, in Hanover County, Virginia, as the third of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War...
.
Early career
Gove was born in Weare, New HampshireWeare, New Hampshire
Weare is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 8,785 at the 2010 census. It is close to two important New Hampshire cities, Manchester and Concord.-History:...
, and, electing to pursue a career in the army, he was educated at Norwich Military Academy. In 1847 he was appointed second lieutenant in the 9th United States Infantry. He served in the Mexican-American War during which he was promoted to first lieutenant.
At the close of the war, the 9th U.S. Infantry was disbanded. Gove took up the study of law at the Concord, New Hampshire
Concord, New Hampshire
The city of Concord is the capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States. It is also the county seat of Merrimack County. As of the 2010 census, its population was 42,695....
law offices of Pierce & Minot, of which Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
(soon to become President of the United States) was the senior partner. Gove was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
in 1851. From 1850 to 1855 he was Deputy Secretary of State for New Hampshire.
In 1855, he returned to the regular army and was commissioned captain of Company I, 10th United States Infantry. In this capacity he served under Col. Albert Sidney Johnston
Albert Sidney Johnston
Albert Sidney Johnston served as a general in three different armies: the Texas Army, the United States Army, and the Confederate States Army...
during the Utah War
Utah War
The Utah War, also known as the Utah Expedition, Buchanan's Blunder, the Mormon War, or the Mormon Rebellion was an armed confrontation between LDS settlers in the Utah Territory and the armed forces of the United States government. The confrontation lasted from May 1857 until July 1858...
(an insurrection of Mormon settlers in Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
against the U.S. government) in 1857 and 1858. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Gove's regiment was still garrisoned in Utah, however he returned to Washington in the summer of 1861 to seek a more active post.
Civil War
On October 28, 1861, Gove replaced Col. Henry WilsonHenry Wilson
Henry Wilson was the 18th Vice President of the United States and a Senator from Massachusetts...
as commander of the 22nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Gove was the only Regular Army officer to command that regiment. When Gove took command of the 22nd, the regiment was fresh from Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, having arrived in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
just weeks before. Gove took advantage of the next four months to rigorously train his regiment while they were in winter camp at Halls Hill, Virginia just outside of Arlington. 1st Lt. John Parker, the regimental historian of the 22nd, wrote that Col. Gove:
...soon became the idol of the regiment. A thorough tactician, with the bearing of a courageous soldier, he impressed the men with the idea that he was a leader it was an honor to follow. No order of his was ever questioned, much less disobeyed, because every man in his command believed that the colonel could not make a mistake and always meant what he said.
The 22nd Massachusetts became part of the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
and left their winter quarters on March 10, 1862 to participate in Maj. Gen.
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
George B. McClellan
George B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
's Peninsular Campaign. The unit saw its first action during the Siege of Yorktown
Battle of Yorktown (1862)
The Battle of Yorktown or Siege of Yorktown was fought from April 5 to May 4, 1862, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. Marching from Fort Monroe, Union Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac encountered Maj. Gen. John B. Magruder's small Confederate force...
in April 1862. When Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
forces finally evacuated Yorktown, Col. Gove, according to historian John Parker, was the first Union officer to climb over the earthworks surrounding the town.
In June 1862, during the Seven Days Battles
Seven Days Battles
The Seven Days Battles was a series of six major battles over the seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, away from...
, the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
was rapidly pushed away from the Confederate capitol of Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. On the third day of fighting, the 22nd Massachusetts was heavily engaged in the Battle of Gaines' Mill
Battle of Gaines' Mill
The Battle of Gaines's Mill, sometimes known as the First Battle of Cold Harbor or the Battle of Chickahominy River, took place on June 27, 1862, in Hanover County, Virginia, as the third of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War...
on June 27, 1862. The regiment had been held in reserve, behind the other regiments of its brigade. After repelling many Confederate charges, the units in front of the 22nd finally retreated in the late afternoon. As the other regiments retired, the 22nd was quickly surrounded by advancing Confederates. Gove, at first, ordered the 22nd to about face and to march towards the rear. But, reluctant to give up the ground, he then ordered the regiment to halt, about face again, and prepare to receive the Confederate attack. Almost instantly after halting the regiment, Gove was shot and killed. The 22nd suffered their most severe casualties of the war (numerically) during the Battle of Gaines' Mill. Gove's body was never recovered.