Orris Sanford Ferry | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Senator fromConnecticut | |
| In office March 4, 1867 – November 21, 1875 | |
| Preceded by | Lafayette S. Foster |
| Succeeded by | James E. English |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromConnecticut's4th district | |
| In office March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861 | |
| Preceded by | William D. Bishop |
| Succeeded by | George C. Woodruff |
| Member of theConnecticut Senate from the12th district | |
| In office 1855–1857 | |
| Preceded by | William T. Minor |
| Succeeded by | James H. Hoyt |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 15, 1823 |
| Died | November 21, 1875(1875-11-21) (aged 52) |
| Resting place | Union Cemetery Norwalk, Connecticut |
| Political party | Republican,Liberal Republican |
| Spouse | Charlotte Bissell |
| Alma mater | Yale College |
| Profession | Politician, Lawyer, Judge |
| Signature | .png) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Army Union Army |
| Rank |  Brigadier General Bvt.Major General |
| Unit | 5th Connecticut Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Orris Sanford Ferry (August 15, 1823 – November 21, 1875) was aRepublicanAmerican lawyer and politician fromConnecticut who served in theUnited States House of Representatives and theUnited States Senate. He was also abrigadier general in theUnion Army during theAmerican Civil War.
Ferry was born on August 15, 1823, inBethel, Connecticut.[1] He attended theHopkins School, and worked at his father's shoe factory as a boy.[2] It was here that he realized his love of books. At age 17, Ferry enteredYale, where he served as one of the editors of theYale Literary Magazine[3] and was a member ofSkull and Bones.[4]: 70 He graduated in 1844. Ferry first settled inFairfield, Connecticut, where he studied law underThomas B. Osborne. He then settled inNorwalk, Connecticut, and served in the office ofThomas B. Butler. Ferry married Charlotte Bissell, the daughter ofGovernor Clark Bissell. He was admitted to the bar in 1846.[2] The following year, he was commissioned alieutenant colonel in the12th Regiment of Connecticut Militia.[3] During his time in the militia, Ferry did not fight in any battle or war.[3]
Ferry served as aprobate judge soon after being admitted to the bar.[2] At age 32, he was elected to a term in theConnecticut Senate representing the12th District. He then served as theState's Attorney forFairfield County from 1856 to 1859.[1] Ferry was a member of theToleration Party, but in 1856 became aRepublican. After joining the party, he campaigned forJohn C. Frémont. In 1857, Ferry was nominated to serve in theUnited States House of Representatives, but lost the election.[1][2] In 1859, he was again nominated, and this time he won.[2]
During his time inCongress, Ferry was known forextemporaneous speaking. He gave numerous speeches against slavery. Ferry was chosen as Connecticut's representative to theCommittee of Thirty-Three.[5] This Committee was created in the hopes that peace could be settled between theNorthern andSouthern states. However, Southern states continued to secede from the Union, and the committee was disbanded.[5] Ferry also served on theCommittee of Revolutionary Claims.[3] In 1861, he was renominated for his seat, but lost the election.[2]
At the outbreak of theAmerican Civil War, and before regiments of Northern troops had arrived to defendWashington, there was a report of a plot to burn the capital. On April 18, 1861, this report mobilized loyal citizens, including Ferry, and state senatorA. Homer Byington, also of Norwalk, to form a militia. This militia was led byCassius Marcellus Clay, and came to be known as the Cassius Clay Guard.[2][6]
On July 23, 1861, he was put in command of the5th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, and given the rank ofcolonel.[7] The original regiment was the1st Regiment Colts Revolving Rifles of Connecticut and was supposed to be led bySamuel Colt, but the unit never took the field.[8] Its organization failing, the regiment was reorganized in May 1861.[8] In early March 1862, Ferry led his troops across thePotomac River, and attacked the Confederates atWinchester, Virginia.[3] This action would later lead to what became theFirst Battle of Winchester. Ferry was well praised for his ability as a leader and as a military strategist. Ferry was promoted to brigadier general on March 17, 1862.[7] He was then put under the command ofGeneral James Shields, whose division joined that of Gen.Irvin McDowell. It was under McDowell that Ferry fought at the First Battle of Winchester.[3] Ferry continued to serve under Shields, during theValley Campaign.[9]
Shortly after the First Battle of Winchester, Ferry and the 5th Connecticut Infantry were put under the command of Maj. Gen.Nathaniel Banks.[10] On August 9, Ferry, under Banks, encounteredStonewall Jackson at theBattle of Cedar Mountain.[10] The Union troops attacked to gain early advantage, but a Confederate counterattack repulsed Banks's corps and won the day.[11] Later that day, Union reinforcements under Maj. Gen.John Pope arrived. This led to a two-day stand-off between the two armies. The battle ended in a Confederate victory.[12]
During the war, Ferry served in theVII Corps,X Corps, andXVIII Corps. He was also the head of theDistrict of Lehigh, from August 20, 1863, until May 1864,[13] and served as the head of theDistrict of Philadelphia from December 16, 1864, until July 15, 1865.[14] Ferry wasbrevetted amajor general of volunteers in recognition of his services during thePeninsula Campaign.[7] He resigned from the military on July 15, 1865.[7] His resignation followed the Confederate surrender.[3]
After the Civil War, Ferry returned to both his political career and law practice. In 1866, he ran againstLafayette S. Foster, the incumbent of theClass III Connecticut Senate seat.[2] Ferry won the election, and took his place in theU.S. Senate on March 4, 1867. He became very active in committees,[1][2] and favored amnesty for members of the Confederacy.[3] Ferry participated in theImpeachment of President Andrew Johnson, voting to convict.[9] In 1869, Ferry was attacked by a rare disease of his spine.[2] This disease led to a slow deterioration of his spine.[3] This slowed his workings in the Senate, but he continued to play an active role. From 1870 to 1871, he served as the chairman of theCommittee to Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses. From 1871 to 1875, he was chairman of theCommittee on Patents. Ferry also served on theUnited States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.[1] Ferry was considered aLiberal Republican, but he declined to officially associate with the breakaway party.[15] In 1872, Ferry was reelected for a second term. His main supporters wereDemocrats and Liberal Republicans.[9]
In 1871,Alexander Caldwell was elected to theSenate from Kansas. From the start, allegations of corruption and pay-offs emerged.[16]In 1873,Congressman Sidney Clarke, who assisted in Caldwell's election, testified that Caldwell's campaign had claimed that it would pay $250,000 to secure the election.[16]Kansas Governor Thomas Carney testified that he was paid $15,000 to drop out of the race. An investigation followed; its final report asked the Senate to expel Caldwell for not being "duly and legally elected". On March 21, 1873, Ferry took to the floor of the Senate and gave a speech asking the Senate to expel Caldwell: "The crime of bribery goes down to the very foundations of the institutions under which we live. We all know it and ... we shall stifle our consciences if we do not vote to expel." After a survey of the Senate, Caldwell saw his inevitability of being expelled, and resigned, on March 23.[16]
I see around me the life-long friends and neighbors of Senator Ferry, now no more; a man whom I cherished as a dear companion and associate, and to whom I looked up as one of the foremost men of the republic, in talent, integrity and patriotic spirit. More than almost any one I knew did he possess those qualities of mind and character which just at this period of our history are so greatly needed for the guidance of public affairs ... Had his body been as strong as his mind and heart, he would beyond doubt have compelled universal recognition as one of the very first of statesmen in American history.
In 1874, Ferry gave a speech against the futureCivil Rights Act of 1875. After speaking,Senator Charles Sumner, both a friend of Ferry's and the proposer of the bill, stood up and said, "Mr. Ferry, your speech is far the most damaging blow my measure has yet received".[3] TheCivil Rights Act would eventually pass, but was deemed unconstitutional by theSupreme Court, on the basis that Congress did not have the power to regulate the conduct of individuals. His last speech in Congress was considered an uncommonly eloquent dissertation on his former friend,William Alfred Buckingham.[3]
After his final speech, Ferry left the capital for a new medical treatment. The treatment was to help heal his decaying spine, but the procedure failed.[3] On November 20, 1875, Ferry's friends and doctors helped take him home. He died of his spine disease the next day.[3] His funeral was attended by dignitaries such as Schurz. Ferry was interred at Union Cemetery in Norwalk.[2][7]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromConnecticut's 4th congressional district March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | U.S. senator (Class 3) from Connecticut March 4, 1867 – November 21, 1875 | Succeeded by |
| Connecticut State Senate | ||
| Preceded by | Member of theConnecticut Senate from Connecticut's12th Senate district 1855–1856 | Succeeded by |
| Class 1 |  | |
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| Class 3 | ||
| Education/Education and Labor (1869–1947) | | |
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| Labor and Public Welfare (1947–1977) | ||
| Labor and Human Resources (1977–1999) | ||
| Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (1999–present) | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
