John Sedgwick | |
|---|---|
 Sedgwick in the 1860s | |
| Nickname(s) | "Uncle John" |
| Born | September 13, 1813 Cornwall, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Died | May 9, 1864 (aged 50) Spotsylvania County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Buried | Cornwall Hollow Cemetery (Cornwall, Connecticut) |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service | United States Army (Union Army) |
| Years of service | 1837–1864 |
| Rank |  Major general |
| Commands | VI Corps |
| Battles / wars | Seminole Wars Mexican–American War Utah War Indian Wars American Civil War † |
| Other work | Teacher |
| Signature |  |
John Sedgwick (September 13, 1813 – May 9, 1864) was an American military officer who served as a Union Army general during the American Civil War.
He was wounded three times at the Battle of Antietam while leading his division in an unsuccessful assault against Confederate forces, causing him to miss the Battle of Fredericksburg. Under his command, the VI Corps played an important role in the Chancellorsville Campaign by engaging Confederate troops at the Second Battle of Fredericksburg and the Battle of Salem Church. His corps was the last to arrive at the Battle of Gettysburg and thus did not see much action. Sedgwick was killed by a sharpshooter at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House on May 9, 1864, making him and Major Generals James B. McPherson, Joseph K. Mansfield, and John F. Reynolds the highest-ranking Union officers to be killed in the war. He is remembered for an ironic remark among his last words: "They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance."