John C. Black | |
|---|---|
 Black in 1902 | |
| President of theUnited States Civil Service Commission | |
| In office Jan 17, 1904 – Jun 10, 1913 | |
| Preceded by | John R. Procter |
| Succeeded by | John A. McIlhenny |
| United States Attorney for theNorthern District of Illinois | |
| In office January 12, 1895 – 1899 | |
| President | Grover Cleveland William McKinley |
| Preceded by | Sherwood Dixon |
| Succeeded by | Solomon H. Bethea |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromIllinois'sat-large district | |
| In office March 4, 1893 – January 12, 1895 | |
| Preceded by | Seat Established |
| Succeeded by | Seat Abolished |
| 15th United States Commissioner of Pensions | |
| In office March 19, 1885 – March 27, 1889 | |
| President | Grover Cleveland Benjamin Harrison (March 4-March 27) |
| Preceded by | Otis P. G. Clarke |
| Succeeded by | James R. Tanner |
| Commander-in-Chief of theGrand Army of the Republic | |
| In office 1903–1904 | |
| Preceded by | Ell Torrance |
| Succeeded by | Wilmon W. Blackmar |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Charles Black (1839-01-27)January 27, 1839 |
| Died | August 17, 1915(1915-08-17) (aged 76) Chicago, Illinois, US |
| Resting place | Spring Hill Cemetery and Mausoleum,Danville, Illinois |
| Profession | lawyer, politician |
| Signature | _(cropped).jpg) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States ArmyUnion Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank | |
| Unit |  11th Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry |
| Commands |  37th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |  Medal of Honor |
John Charles Black (January 27, 1839 – August 17, 1915) was aDemocraticU.S. Congressman fromIllinois. He received theMedal of Honor for his actions as aUnion Army lieutenant colonel and regimental commander at theBattle of Prairie Grove during theAmerican Civil War.
John Charles Black was born inLexington,Mississippi, on January 27, 1839,[1][2] and moved toDanville,Illinois, in 1847. His father was a minister of thePresbyterian Church. Black attendedWabash College,Crawfordsville, Indiana, and became a lawyer.[1][2]
On April 14, 1861, Black (along with his brother,William P. Black) entered theUnion Army as aprivate in the11th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment on April 14, 1861.[1] He becamesergeant major on April 25, 1861.[1][2]
After three months of service, the brothers were mustered out of the volunteers and organized Company "K" of the37th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment.[1] John Black becamemajor of the regiment on September 5, 1861.[1] He was wounded in the right arm at theBattle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, on March 7, 1862.[1] On July 12, 1862, John Black was promoted to the rank oflieutenant colonel and became commander of the 37th Illinois Infantry.[1] Black led his regiment against a fortifiedConfederate position during theBattle of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, on December 7, 1862. The unit suffered heavy casualties and was eventually forced to retreat. Black himself was seriously wounded.[1][3] An 1896 review of numerous actions during the war resulted in John Black being awarded theMedal of Honor for his actions at Prairie Grove.[1][2] 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 tocolonel of the 37th Illinois Infantry Regiment.[1] 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.[1]
Black resigned his commission in the volunteer service on August 15, 1865. On January 13, 1866,PresidentAndrew Johnson nominated Black for appointment to the grade ofbrevetbrigadier general of volunteers to rank from April 9, 1865, for gallant services in the assault onFort Blakeley, Alabama on that date, and theU.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on March 12, 1866.[1][2][4]
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.[5]
Black was a member of the Illinois Commandery of theMilitary Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.
Black practiced law and became theUnited States District Attorney atChicago. Black was U.S. Commissioner of Pensions between 1885 and 1889.[1][2] Running as aDemocrat, he was elected to theFifty-third United States Congress, and served from 1893 to 1895.[1][2] Black declared himself a candidate for the Democratic Party's nomination in the1893 Chicago mayoral special election. He established a campaign headquarters at thePalmer House Hotel in mid-November 1893. However, at the time, theChicago Tribune opined that, "the Black candidacy is likely to languish."[6]
In 1903, Black was honored with the office of commander-in-chief of theGrand Army of the Republic, the veterans organization for Civil War veterans of the Union Army, for 1903–1904.[1][2] Black served as president of theUnited States Civil Service Commission from January 17, 1904, until resigning on June 10, 1913.[7]
John C. Black died August 17, 1915, at Chicago, Illinois.[1][2] He is buried in Spring Hill Cemetery and Mausoleum, Danville Illinois.[1][2]
Media related toJohn C. Black at Wikimedia Commons| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by District elections | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromIllinois's at-large congressional district March 4, 1893 – January 12, 1895 | Succeeded by District elections |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by Sherwood Dixon | United States Attorney for theNorthern District of Illinois 1895 – 1899 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Otis P. G. Clarke | United States Commissioner of Pensions March 19, 1885 – March 27, 1889 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Eliakim "Ell" Torrance | Commander-in-Chief of theGrand Army of the Republic 1903 – 1904 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
