Hometown Fighter: USA Brig. Gen. Isham Haynie

[Battleline]

Brig. Gen. Isham N. Haynie (b. 1824, d. 1868) The biggest battle of Isham Nicholas (Nichols by some sources) Haynie literally happened in the backyard of his childhood home. Born in Dover, Tennessee, Nov. 18, 1824, Haynie’s command, the 48th Illinois, was involved in the heavy fighting Feb. 15, 1862 near there during the Battle of Fort Donelson. Haynie had left Dover as a child, being taken to Illinois. There, he worked on farms to make money to study for the bar. He achieved his goal in 1846, but joined the military as first lieutenant of the 6th Illinois Volunteers during the Mexican War. In 1850, Haynie was elected to the Illinois legislature. He entered law school in Kentucky to supplement his education and graduated in 1852. In 1856, he was a judge of the court of common pleas in Cairo, Illinois. Haynie was a presidential elector for Stephen A. Douglas in the 19860 election. In September of 1861, he helped to recruit the 48th Illinois, which went into garrison duty in Cairo that winter. After being part of U.S. Grant’s feint on Columbus, Kentucky, Haynie’s men went south to Forts Henry, Heiman and Donelson. At Fort Donelson, Haynie briefly commanded the 3rd Brigade of Brig. Gen. John McClernard’s 1st Division. In April, Haynie was wounded at the Battle of Shiloh while his brigade took 585 casualties. After his recovery, he was assigned to command the 1st Brigade of the 3rd Division of the XVII Corps with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee. He was appointed brigadier general to rank from Nov. 29, 1862, however, the Senate did not act and the commission expired March 4, 1863. Haynie submitted his resignation 10 days later. Two letters were submitted, one to President Lincoln and the other to Lincoln’s secretary, John G. Nicholay. In this correspondence, he explained that he wished to resign due to his wife’s health. He returned to Illinois to practice law. He also served as the state’s adjutant general. Haynie died May 22, 1868, in Springfield, Illinois, and was buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery there.

[Gil R.]

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