Born:		Friday, November 14, 1828 Clyde OH
Died:		Friday, July 22, 1864 Atlanta GA
Buried:		McPherson Cemetery, Clyde, Sandusky County, Ohio
General McPherson's Death
Killed during the Battle of Atlanta on July 22, 1864, while returning to his lines from Sherman's Headquarters. A monument with a bronze statue marks the spot where he was killed in Atlanta. He is buried in a orchard on his old family farm in Clyde, Ohio. "Forgotten hero of the Civil War" Major General James B. McPherson was born in Hamer's Corners, (now Clyde) Ohio. Among McPherson's friends were Rutherford B. Hayes, James Garfield, William T. Sherman and Ulysses S. Grant, all of them Ohioans who became Union gererals. Three became presidents of the U.S. From 1849 to 1853 he was a top student of his class at West Point. At that time Robert E. Lee was the superintendent of the academy; Secretary of War Jefferson Davis was his commencement speaker. Following graduation, he taught at West Point as an engineering instructor. He was later assigned to supervise harbor, river improvements and seacoast defences on both Pacific and Atlantic coasts. At the battle of Vicksburg, he was given command of the XXVII Corps. Here he was given a furlough to return to Baltimore for the purpose of marrying his girlfriend, Emily Hoffman. Before he could get there, he was recalled by General Grant to assist in planning an attack of Atlanta. He was given command of the Army of the Tennessee. While meeting with his orderly, they encountered a group of Confederate rebels and he was at the age of 35, shot and killed. Although, General McPherson never visited the State of Kansas, many of the surviving Civil War soldiers who served under him originated from here. In his honor, both the City and County of McPherson, Kansas were named in his honor My Source: Find A Grave biography By Ethan Bishop US Army General. US Army General. The General was born in Hamer's Corners, (now Clyde) Ohio. Among McPherson's friends were Rutherford B. Hayes, James Garfield, William T. Sherman and Ulysses S. Grant, all of them Ohioans who became Union Generals. Three became president. From 1849 to 1853, he was a top student of his class at West Point. At that time Robert E. Lee was the superintendent of the academy; Secretary of War Jefferson Davis was the commencement speaker at his graduation. He remained at West Point as an engineering instructor. He was later assigned to supervise harbor, river improvements and seacoast defenses on both Pacific and Atlantic coasts. At the battle of Vicksburg, he was given the command of the XVII Corps, at which time granted a furlough for the purpose of going to Baltimore to marry his girlfriend, Emily Hoffman. Before he could get there, he was recalled by General Grant to assist in planning the attack on Atlanta at which time he was given command of the Army of the Tennessee. While meeting with his orderly, they encountered a group of Confederate rebels and he was at the age of 35, shot and killed. Although, General McPherson never visited the State of Kansas, many of the surviving Civil War soldiers who served under him originated from here. In his honor, both the city and county of McPherson Kansas were named in his honor. My Source: Find A Grave biography By John R. Bacak Born in Ohio, James B. McPherson graduated at the top of his class at West Point in 1853 and taught practical engineering at the academy for a year before being assigned to field duty. Stationed in California when the war began, McPherson was ordered east and worked on fortifications near Boston before becoming an aide-de-camp to Major General Henry Halleck in the Department of the Missouri. A charming man and a talented and devoted officer, he was field engineer with Grant in the campaign against Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in February 1862. Promoted to brigadier general of volunteers as the Union armies moved against Corinth, Mississippi, he was subsequently made military superintendent of railways in the District of Western Tennessee. A major general of Volunteers by October 1862, McPherson commanded a division and then a corps; took part in Grant’s 1863 campaign against Vicksburg; participated in Sherman’s raid against Meridian; and remained in command of the District of Vicksburg until March 1864. Assuming command of the Army the Tennessee when Sherman was promoted, McPherson proved an able and dedicated leader during the Atlanta campaign, when the Army of the Tennessee was repeatedly deployed to outflank Southern forces. Respected by his fellow officers and beloved by his men, McPherson was killed July 22, 1864, during the battle of Atlanta. The opposing Confederate forces were under the command of John Bell Hood, McPherson’s West Point roommate. My Source: The Library Of Congress Desk Reference