Major General Henry W. Slocum
Commanding, Twelfth Army Corps

The monument to Major General Henry Slocum is south of Gettysburg on Slocum Avenue. see map

From the monument:

Major General
Henry Warner Slocum, U.S.A.
1826-1894
----
In command of the Right Wing
of the Army of the Potomac
at the
Battle of Gettysburg
July 1, 2, 3, 1863
----
"Stay and fight it out"
Gen. Slocum at Council of War July 2, 1863

Erected by the State of New York 1902

Henry Warner Slocum was born at Delphi, New York on September 24, 1826. He graduated from West Point with the class of 1852, and served against the Seminoles and in Charleston Harbor. In 1856 he resigned his commission to practice law, settling in Syracuse and becoming a state legislator and a colonel in the state militia.

With the outbreak of war Slocum became Colonel of the 27th New York, and was wounded at First Bull Run. When he recovered he was given a brigade, and then a division in Franklin's 6th Corps. After Antietam he was given command of the 12th Corps, which performed well at Chancellorsville, although Slocum scathingly criticized Hooker.

Slocum was criticized for delaying his arrival at Gettysburg while sending his troops on ahead; he knew that a senior corps commander he would assume command if he arrived before Meade. Once he arrived he did well, holding the right flank of the army against repeated attacks by Ewell's Confederate 2nd Corps.

After the Union debacle at Chickamauga Slocum's 12th Corps was one of two corps of the Army of the Potomac chosen to go west under Hooker's command. Slocum immediately sent in his resignation. It was refused, and a compromise was achieved where Slocum and a part of his Corps would operate independently of Hooker.

When Hooker eventually resigned (over being asked to serve under former subordinate Oliver Howard) Slocum was called to take over the 20th Corps, which was the first Union unit enter Atlanta. Slocum commanded the left wing of Sherman's Army (the Army of Georgia) on the March to the Sea.

After the war he practiced law in Brooklyn and served three terms as a Democratic U.S. congressman. He also served on the Board of the Gettysburg Monument Commissioners. He died in Brooklyn in 1894

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