Rutherford B. Hayes Collections

(Description ID: 594057)

Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums

General John Grant Mitchell

HAYES-22

Introduction
Biographical Sketch
Scope and Content
Inventory

Introduction
The General John Grant Mitchell Collection was donated to the Hayes Presidential Center by descendants of the Mitchell family.

Biographical Sketch
General John Grant Mitchell was born in Piqua, Ohio in 1838. Graduating from Kenyon College in 1859, he began the study of law in Columbus, Ohio with the firm Swan, Andrews, and Noble. When war broke out, Mitchell enlisted as a private in the first battalion of the Ohio Reserves. On July 29, 1861, he was appointed first lieutenant and adjutant of the Third Ohio Infantry. In December of 1861, Mitchell was commissioned captain and served in O. M. Mitchell's campaign in Tennessee and Alabama. In the summer of 1862, Mitchell was appointed lieutenant colonel of the 113^th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Helping to raise a new regiment, he became its second in command. By the time it took part in the Tullahoma Campaign, he was its colonel. At Chickamauga he led a brigade under James B. Steedman which arrived late on the second day of the battle and played a leading role in aiding George H. Thomas in holding onto his delaying position at Horsehoe Ridge. At the battle of Mission Ridge, the regiment, as part of the second Brigade, Second Division, Fourteenth Corps, supported General Sherman's column. Later he moved to Burnside's relief at Knoxville. As commander of a brigade, Mitchell joined the Atlanta Campaign, leading the advance at Rocky Face Ridge. His regiment suffered severely at Resaca and played a prominent role in the battles of Dallas and New Hope Church. His old 113^th lost over a hundred men in the assault on Kenesaw Mountain. Mitchell reported to Thomas and took command of the detached Fourteenth Corps at the Battle of Nashville and in the pursuit of Hood. Recommended for promotion by Sherman, he re-joined him in time for the Campaign of the Carolinas as a brigadier general. His actions at Bentonville broke the Rebel advance. Mitchell was breveted major general for gallantry at the Battle of Bentonville and for meritorious conduct throughout the war. He was twenty-six years old. He resigned in July 1865 after leading his brigade in the Washington Review. He returned to Columbus to practice law. In October of 1862, Mitchell had married Laura Platt, the daughter of Fanny Hayes Platt and niece of President Rutherford B. Hayes. He and Laura Platt Mitchell were frequent guests of the Hayeses when Hayes served as governor of Ohio and during his Presidency. Mitchell served as the Register in Bankruptcy, President of the Columbus City Council, and as the Ohio pension commissioner. He died in Columbus in 1894.

Scope and Content
The collection, spanning the years 1862 to 1877, includes several letters from Mitchell relatives, six Civil War commissions of General John Grant Mitchell, numerous hand drawn maps used by Mitchell during the Civil War, and miscellaneous newspaper clippings about Mitchell's Civil War activities. See also: John Monsarrat Collection, Elizabeth Mitchell Heyl Collection, John Grant Mitchell, Jr. Collection, and Platt Correspondence.

Inventory
Ac. 801, 2288, 5066

Correspondence:

1. Isaac Mitchell to Moses Grant Mitchell, Nov. 20, 1863
2. Burton Mitchell to John Grant Mitchell, Jun. 25, 1877

Pamphlets:

"John G. Mitchell in the Union Army: An Appreciation"

Maps: Transferred to the Map Division:

1. Sketch of the environs of Tullahoma, Tennessee ... Major N. Michler, etc. 10 ½ x 12"
2. Topographical sketch of the country adjacent to the Turnpike between Nolensville and
    Chapel Hill, Tennessee. Compiled from Original Reconnoissance under the direction of
    Captain N. Michler... 13 x 23"
3. Sketch of the environs of Shelbyville, Wartrace & Normandy, Tennessee. Compiled
    under...Captain N. Michler...April 1863. 19½ x 12½"
4. Topographical sketch of the Environs of Nashville, Tennessee...Surveyed in the months of
    March 1862 and September and December 1863, for the information of the Armies of the
    Ohio and Cumberland, under the direction of Captain N. Michler... 13½ x 17."
5. Map of the Battle of Bentonville, by William A. Van Horne. Manuscript, drawn in pencil.
    With description of the engagement by William A. Van Horne, dated Franklin, June 20,
    1865. [in pencil]. 18 x 29"
6. Topographical Sketch of the Battlefield of Stone River, near Murfreesboro, Tennessee,
    from December 30, 1862 to January 3, 1863...From surveys of Dept. Michler ...
    12½ x 12½"
7. [Map of Stevenson and vicinity]. In camp near Stevenson, Alabama, Lith., Aug. 29, 1863.
    Compiled...under direction of Capt. Wm. E. Merrill, U.S. Engrs., Army of the Cumberland.
    13½ x 21"
8. McLamore's Cove, containing quite accurate map of country immediately south of
    Chattanooga.]. lithographed at headquarters, Stevenson, Alabama, August 28, 1863.
    Compiled under direction of W.E. Merrill, U.S. Engineers, Army of the Cumberland.
    13¾ x 21"
9. [Map of Virginia, from Richmond to Hicksford and vicinity] [part of a larger map, no title,
    n.d.] 24 x 19"

10. Part of Cobb county Georgia from the original Land Map drawn and printed at Topog.
      Engr. Office, D.C., Marietta, Georgia. July 15, 1864... 14 x 21"
11. Map of a part of Murray county, Georgia, north of Mill Creek, south of Sumach, east of
      the Connasauga River and west of the Federal Road. Compiled under the direction of
      Capt. W. E. Merrill...from the notes of a captured Rebel Engineer...Lith. and print. At
      Topog. Engr. Office, Chattanooga, Tennessee, April 23, 1864. 15 x 22"
12. [Map of] Dalton and Vicinity. Compiled under the direction of Capt. W. E. Merrill, Chief
      Topog. Engr. 14 x 26"
13. [Map of] Bridgeport and Vicinity. Surveyed under the direction of Capt. W. E.
      Merrill...Printed ... March 26, 1864. 14¾ x 21"
14. [Map of Trenton, Georgia]. Compiled under direction of Capt. W. E. Merrill...
      Lithographed...August 28, 1863. 13½ x 21½"
15. [Map of Harrison, Tennessee, and vicinity]. Compiled under the direction of Capt.
      Wm. E. Merrill...Lithographed...August 27, 1863. 13 ½ x 21½"
16. Map showing Route of Marches of the Army of General W. T. Sherman from Atlanta,
      Georgia, to Goldsboro, North Carolina to accompany the report of operations from
      Savannah, Georgia., to Goldsboro, North Carolina, Engineer Bureau, War Department,
      n.d. [Map has three holes damaging content to some extent]. 19 x 12"
17. [Map of charlotte, Salisbury and Greensboro, North Carolina]. n.d., [not titled, Part of a
      larger map.] 21' x 18½"
18. Topographical sketch of the vicinity of Kingston, Tennessee...Drawn...by Carpenter...
      10 x 8½" [Hole in map].
19. Sketch of the environs of Shelbyville, Wartrace & Normandy, Tennessee...Compiled...
      under direction of Capt. N. Michler...April 1863. 19 x 12"
20. [Map of Cleveland, Tennessee, and environs]. Compiled under direction of Capt. W. E.
      Merrill...Lithograph...Winchester, Tennessee, August 14, 1863. 13 ½ x 21"
21. [Map of Danville, V., and surrounding country]. [part of a larger map, no title, n.d.]
      24 x 19"
22. Map of 1^st District Campbell Co., Georgia, south of the Cherokee Boundary Line...
      Compiled under direction of Capt. W. E. Merrill... Autographed & printed in the field,
      Chattanooga, Tennessee. May 23, 1864. Printed on cloth. 23 x 19½"
23. [Map of the ] part of Northern Georgia. No. 2. Compiled under direction of Capt. W. E.
      Merrill...Lithographed...etc. n.d. [Printed on cloth]. 14 ½ x 21"

Transferred to RBH Oversize: Newsclippings:

1. "Field of General McClellan's Terrific Engagements," The Daily Times, July 10, 1862
2. "Battle of Chickamauga," Cincinnati Daily Gazette, September 25, 1863
3. "Battle of Chickamauga," New York Semi-Weekly Tribune, October 23, 1863.
4. "Battle of Chickamauga," Toledo Blade, October 24, 1863.
5. "Address Delivered at Gettysburg at the Consecration of the Cemetery by Edward 
     Everett," Gazette, 1863.
6. "Letter from the 113^th Ohio Stringer's Bridge, Opposite Chattanooga, Tennessee," 
    December 25, 1863.
7. "General Sherman's Official Report of The Battle of Chattanooga," Cincinnati Commercial, 
    March 24, 1864.
8. "Army of the Cumberland, Battle of Resaca," Columbus Gazette, May 27, 1864.
9. "Military Division of the Mississippi, The Battle of Resaca," Cincinnati Gazette, 1864.
10. "Army of the Cumberland," Cincinnati Daily Gazette, June 21, 1864.
11. "Mississippi Military Division [Pine Hill]," Cincinnati Daily Gazette, June 27, 1864.
12. "From the Army of General Sherman," Louisville Daily," July 5, 1864.
13. "The Army in Georgia [Atlanta Campaign]," Cincinnati Daily Gazette," July 27, 1864.
14. "The Kirke and Jaques Mission, Their Interview with Jeff Davis," Cincinnati Daily Gazette,
      August 20, 1864.
15. "From Atlanta," Cincinnati Daily Gazette, September 13, 1864.
16. "Highly Important Revelations...Great Conspiracy...Report of Judge Holt of Kentucky," 1864.
17. Cincinnati Daily Gazette, April 21, 1865.
18. Miami Union [Troy, Ohio], April 22, 1865.
19. "Letter from Newbern, N.C.," Cincinnati Gazette
20. "Near Jonesboro, Ga., September 1," Cincinnati Gazette
21. "Bull Run, Ball's Bluff and the Western Department," Daily Gazette, Small Edition
22. "Official Report on the Battle of Fredericksburg," [December 23]
23. "A Year of the War"
24. "Army of the Cumberland. Battle of Resaca."
25. "Onto Atlanta."
26. "Army of the Cumberland. Battle of Resaca. Defeat of the Rebels and Capture of Rome."
27. "The North Carolina Battle," Daily Ohio State Journal"

Transferred to RBH Oversize: Civil War Commissions (framed):

April 1, 1867: Major General
April 20, 1865: Brigadier General
May 6, 1863: Colonel (glass broken)
December 31, 1862: Lt Colonel
December 21, 1861: Captain
August 1, 1861: First Lieutenant