Black, John Charles, 1839-1915

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John Charles Black was born in Lexington, Mississippi, on January 27, 1839, and moved to Danville, Illinois, in 1847. His father was a minister of the Presbyterian Church. Black attended Wabash College, Crawfordsville, Indiana, and became a lawyer.

On April 14, 1861, Black (along with his brother, William P. Black) entered the Union Army as a private in the 11th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment on April 14, 1861. He became sergeant major on April 25, 1861.

After three months of service, the brothers were mustered out of the volunteers and organized Company "K" of the 37th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment. John Black became major of the regiment on September 5, 1861. He was wounded in the right arm at the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, on March 7, 1862. In July 12, 1862, John Black was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and became commander of the 37th Illinois Infantry. Black led his regiment against a fortified Confederate position during the Battle of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, on December 7, 1862. The unit suffered heavy casualties and was eventually forced to retreat. Black himself was seriously wounded. An 1896 review of numerous actions during the war resulted in John Black being awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Prairie Grove. Black's brother William also received the medal, making them the first of five pairs of brothers to both receive the Medal of Honor as of 2005.

On December 31, 1862, Black was promoted to colonel of the 37th Illinois Infantry Regiment. He was given temporary command of Brigade 1, Division 2, XIII Corps, Department of the Gulf, between November 11, 1863, and February 11, 1864, of Brigade 3, Division 2, Reserve Corps of the Department of the Gulf between February 3, 1865, and February 18, 1865, and of Brigade 3 Division 2, XIII Corps, Department of the Gulf, between February 18, 1865, and March 5, 1865.

Black resigned his commission in the volunteer service on August 15, 1865. On January 13, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Black for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general of volunteers to rank from April 9, 1865, for gallant services in the assault on Fort Blakeley, Alabama on that date, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on March 12, 1866.

Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, 37th Illinois Infantry. Place and date: At Prairie Grove, Ark., December 7, 1862. Entered service at: Danville, Ill. Born: January 27, 1839, Lexington, Holmes County, Miss. Date of issue: October 31, 1893.

Citation:

Gallantly charged the position of the enemy at the head of his regiment, after 2 other regiments had been repulsed and driven down the hill, and captured a battery; was severely wounded.

Black was a member of the Illinois Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.

Black practiced law and became the United States District Attorney at Chicago. Black was U.S. Commissioner of Pensions between 1885 and 1889. Running as a Democrat, he was elected to the Fifty-third United States Congress, and served from 1893 to 1895.

In 1903, he was honored with the office of Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, the veterans organization for Civil War veterans of the Union Army, for 1903–1904. Black served as president of the United States Civil Service Commission from 1904 to 1913.

John C. Black died August 17, 1915 at Chicago, Illinois. He is buried in Spring Hill Cemetery and Mausoleum, Danville Illinois. His grave can be found in block 12, lot 54.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Carrington Family papers, 1749-1929 Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives
creatorOf Brown, Thomas Reeves, 1845-1897. Papers, 1831, 1860-1909. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf Outhwaite, Joseph Hodson, 1841-1907. Letter, 1885 Dec. 11, Washington, D.C., to John C. Black. Ohio State University Libraries
creatorOf Beauregard, G. T. (Gustave Toutant), 1818-1893. Civil War papers, 1836-1913. New Jersey Historical Society Library
creatorOf Black, John Charles, 1839-1915. John C. Black letter to Frank B. Tinnelli, Esq., 1885 July 27. University of California, Santa Barbara, UCSB Library
referencedIn Compiled Military Service Record of Colonel John C. Black, 37th Illinois Infantry Regiment National Archives at Washington, D.C
referencedIn Autograph File, B, ca.1500-1982 Houghton Library
Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984 Series: Letters Received, 1861 - 1889 File Unit: Congressional Medal of Honor File of Lieutenant Colonel John C. Black, 37th Illinois Infantry Regiment National Archives at Washington, D.C
referencedIn Compiled Military Service Record of Sergeant Major Charles Black, Field and Staff, 11th Indiana Infantry Regiment (3 Months, 1861) National Archives at Washington, D.C
creatorOf Black, John Charles, 1839-1915. Papers, 1830-1928. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf Babcock, Orville E., 1835-1884. Military officer correspondence, 1866-1907. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf Black, John Charles, 1839-1915. Letter : Washington, D.C., to Col[onel] B[enjamin] H[enry] Grierson, Santa Fe, N.M., 1887 Dec. 22. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Black family. family
associatedWith Black, W. P. (William Perkins), b. 1842. person
associatedWith Brown, Thomas Reeves, 1845-1897. person
associatedWith Carrington family family
associatedWith Carrington family. family
associatedWith Carrington family. family
associatedWith Fithian, William. person
associatedWith Grand Army of the Republic. corporateBody
associatedWith Grierson, Benjamin Henry, 1826-1911, person
associatedWith Isthmian Canal Commission (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith Online Archive of California. corporateBody
associatedWith Outhwaite, Joseph Hodson, 1841-1907. person
associatedWith Tinnelli, Frank B., person
associatedWith United States. Army. Illinois Infantry Regiment, 37th (1861-1865) corporateBody
memberOf United States. Army. Indiana Infantry Regiment, 11th (1861-1865) corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Attorney (Illinois : Northern District) corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Civil Service Commission. corporateBody
memberOf United States. Congress. House corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Arkansas AR US
Chicago IL US
Alabama AL US
Danville IL US
Crawfordsville IN US
Mississippi MS US
District of Columbia DC US
Subject
Political campaigns
Civil War, 1861-1865
Fort Blakeley, Battle of (1865)
Medal of Honor
Military pensions
Pea Ridge, Battle of, Ark., 1862
Prairie Grove, Battle of, Ark., 1862
Red River Expedition, 1864
Soldiers
United States. Congress
Occupation
Civil servants
Lawyers
Politicians
Soldiers
Activity

Person

Birth 1839-01-27

Death 1915-08-17

Male

Americans

English

Information

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