Herron, Francis Jay, 1837-1902

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Francis J. Herron attended the Western University of Pennsylvania, but left at the age of sixteen without completing his degree to become a bank clerk. In 1855, he joined his three brothers in Dubuque, Iowa, where they established a bank. In 1859, he organized and was elected captain of a militia company known as the "Governor's Grays," which Herron offered to President-elect Abraham Lincoln in January 1861, two months prior to Lincoln's inauguration.

In April 1861, Herron was appointed captain of the 1st Iowa Volunteer Regiment. He served with Nathaniel Lyon's forces in Missouri, participating in the battles of Boonville and Wilson's Creek. In August, Herron was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the 9th Iowa Volunteer Regiment and fought in the battle of Pea Ridge, where he was wounded and taken prisoner, but exchanged shortly afterwards. He received a promotion to brigadier general of volunteers for his actions in this battle, and later received the Medal of Honor. He commanded both the 2nd and 3rd Divisions of the Army of the Frontier and made a forced march of 114 miles (183 km) in three days to join James G. Blunt's division in western Arkansas. Herron's and Blunt's combined command engaged Thomas C. Hindman in the battle of Prairie Grove and forced the Confederates to abandon western Arkansas. For his actions at Prairie Grove, Herron was appointed major general of volunteers, becoming the youngest major general on either side at the time of his promotion.

His two divisions were consolidated to form "Herron's Division" which was attached to the XVII Corps. During the Siege of Vicksburg, Herron's division was placed on the extreme left flank of the Union lines. Upon the surrender of the city Ulysses S. Grant chose Herron, along with generals James B. McPherson and John A. Logan, to lead the procession into the city and accept the formal surrender of arms on July 4, 1863. He next led the Yazoo City expedition, capturing the city, a Confederate fleet and supplies there. Herron was appointed to command of the XIII Corps and occupied the Texas coast with headquarters at Brownsville. During this time, he provided aid to Mexican President Benito Juárez and prevented French troops of Emperor Maximilian from establishing themselves along the Rio Grande. As the Civil War came to an end, Herron commanded the District of Northern Louisiana.

After the Civil War, he stayed in Baton Rouge. He was tax collector for a district in New Orleans and served as a United States Marshal from 1867 until 1869. He was the Secretary of State of Louisiana before moving to New York City in 1877, where he practiced law and served as a banker. He died a pauper in a tenement in New York City, and was buried in Calvary Cemetery in Queens, New York. His grave can be found in Section 10, Plot 208, Grave 1/16.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Herron, Francis Jay, 1837-1902. Francis Jay Herron papers, 1861-1877 (bulk 1862-1865). New-York Historical Society
referencedIn Brewster, Jacob De Witt, 1836-1896. Jacob De Witt Brewster Papers, 1855-1865, 1892-1896 University of Texas Libraries
creatorOf Herron, Francis Jay, 1837-1902. [A collection of general orders issued on behalf of Francis J. Herron, by William H. Clapp, for the Northern Division of Louisiana in 1865]. New-York Historical Society
referencedIn Steele, Frederick, 1819-1868. General Frederick Steele papers, 1845-1965 (inclusive), 1862-1868 (bulk). Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States Commandery of the State of Massachusetts Civil War collection, 1724-1933 (inclusive); 1861-1912 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Augustus Mendon Lord collection, Lord (Augustus Mendon) collection, (bulk 1876-1908), 1778-1908 John Hay Library, Special Collections
creatorOf Herron, Francis Jay, 1837-1902. Autograph letter signed : New Orleans, La., to the President [Grant?], 1869 Feb. 23. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Hoeppner, A. (Arnold). Plan of Yazoo City and environs showing the location of the Rebel batteries and fortification / scetched and drawn by A. Hoeppner. Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
referencedIn Jacob De Witt Brewster Papers, 1855-1865, 1892-1896 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Deane, Ernie. Markers and monuments, Prairie Grove Battlefield Park Markers [Blunt and Herron] [graphic] / Ernie Deane [photographer]. Arkansas History Commission
referencedIn Burbridge, Stephen G. (Stephen Gano), 1831-1894. Stephen Gano Burbridge : papers, 1862-1865. The Filson Historical Society
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part III: The Civil War: The Union, 1804-1915. Houghton Library
referencedIn U.S. Army Department of the Gulf. Military Operations in Texas Collection, 1862-1864 University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn United States. Army. Northern District of Louisiana. Mrs. J.W. Dougherty pass, 1865. Louisiana State University, LSU Libraries
creatorOf Alexander, Peter Wellington, 1825-1886. Col. Peter Wellington Alexander, C.S.A., collection 1862-1864. University of Arkansas - Fayetteville, University Libraries
creatorOf Herron, Francis Jay, 1837-1902. Letter to Robert Coster. New York, NY. 1894 May 10. University of Iowa Libraries
referencedIn Compiled Military Service Record of Lieutenant Colonel Frank J. Herron, Field and Staff, 9th Iowa Infantry Regiment National Archives at Washington, D.C
referencedIn Military Operations in Texas Collection 81-171., 1862-1864 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
creatorOf Hamilton, E. M. Plan of Brownsville and vicinty / surveyed and drafted for Maj. Gen. Herron ; by E.M. Hamilton, Maj. 1st Engrs. C. of A. ; assisted by G.B. Deming, Capt. Co. "A" 1st Engrs C. of A. New-York Historical Society
creatorOf Herron, Francis Jay, 1837-1902. Gen. orders issued by Maj. Gen. F.J. Herron. New-York Historical Society
referencedIn Alexander, Peter Wellington, 1825-1886. Peter Wellington Alexander papers, 1835-1910. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Philip Case Lockwood memorial collection of Civil War portraits and autographs, 1862-ca. 1886. Houghton Library
Compiled Military Service Record of Captain Frank J. Herron, Company I, 1st Iowa Infantry Regiment (3 Months, 1861) National Archives at Washington, D.C
referencedIn Robert Leslie Wiles journal Newberry Library
creatorOf Herron, Francis Jay, 1837-1902. Autograph letter signed : Vicksburg, to Admiral David D. Porter, 1863 Jul. 5. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Herron, Francis Jay, 1837-1902. Maj. Genl. F.J. Herron, private letter book, 1864 Jan.-June. New-York Historical Society
referencedIn General Frederick Steele Papers, 1845-1965 (inclusive), 1862-1868 (bulk) Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Peter Wellington Alexander Papers, 1855-1863 Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Herron, Francis J. (Francis Jay), 1837-1902. Letters from Major General Francis J. Herron to his brother, 1862-1863: photostatic copies. Wisconsin Historical Society Archives
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
correspondedWith Alexander, Peter Wellington, 1825-1886 person
associatedWith Alexander, Peter Wellington, 1825-1886. person
associatedWith Alexander, Peter Wellington, 1825-1886. person
associatedWith Banks, Nathaniel Prentiss, 1816-1894. person
associatedWith Brackenridge, G.W. person
associatedWith Brewster, Jacob De Witt, 1836-1896 person
associatedWith Buckner, Simon Bolivar, 1823-1914. person
associatedWith Burbridge, Stephen G. (Stephen Gano), 1831-1894. person
associatedWith Christensen, Christian T. person
associatedWith Clapp, William H. person
associatedWith Cortina, Juan N. (Juan Nepomuceno), 1824-1894. person
associatedWith Cortinas, Juan N. person
associatedWith Coster, Robert, person
associatedWith Curtis, Samuel Ryan, 1805-1866. person
associatedWith Deane, Ernie. person
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885, person
associatedWith Hoeppner, A. (Arnold) person
associatedWith Juárez, Benito, 1806-1872. person
associatedWith Kimmey, M. M. person
associatedWith Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 person
associatedWith Lockwood, Philip Case, 1844-1897 person
associatedWith Lord, Augustus Mendon, 1861-1941 person
correspondedWith Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. Commandery of the State of Massachusetts, collector. corporateBody
associatedWith Pierce, Leonard. person
associatedWith Porter, David Dixon, Admiral, 1813-1891, person
associatedWith Ruiz, Manuel, governor of Tamaulipas, Mexico. person
associatedWith Schofield, John McAllister, 1831-1906. person
associatedWith Steele, Frederick, 1819-1868. person
associatedWith Stone, Chas. P. (Charles Pomeroy), 1824-1887. person
associatedWith United States. Army corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army. Forces in Texas. corporateBody
memberOf United States. Army. Iowa Infantry Regiment, 1st (1861) corporateBody
memberOf United States. Army. Iowa Infantry Regiment, 9th (1861-1865) corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army. Northern District of Louisiana. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army. Northern Division of Louisiana corporateBody
memberOf United States. Army of the Frontier corporateBody
memberOf United States. Army of the Tennessee corporateBody
associatedWith U.S. Army Department of the Gulf corporateBody
associatedWith U.S. Army Department of the Gulf corporateBody
associatedWith Von Donop, E.R. person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Western University of Pennsylvania corporateBody
associatedWith Wiles, Robert Leslie. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Pittsburg PA US
Brownsville TX US
Baton Rouge LA US
New York City NY US
Mississippi MS US
Dubuque IA US
Subject
Courts-martial and courts of inquiry
Desertion, Military
Medal of Honor
Military discipline
Pea Ridge, Battle of, Ark., 1862
Prairie Grove, Battle of, Ark., 1862
Prisoner of war
Reconstruction
Tenement houses
Vicksburg, Siege of, 1863
Wilson's Creek, Battle of, Mo., 1861
Occupation
Bankers
Clerks
Marshals
Military officers
Soldiers
Tax collectors
Activity

Person

Birth 1837-02-17

Death 1902-01-08

Male

,

Americans,

,

English

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