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Ord, Edward Otho Cresap, 1818-1883

 Person

Biographical Note

The Union Army's Army of the James was created in April 1864. In December, the Army of the James reorganized into two units with the white troops becoming the 24th Corps and the Black troops forming the 25th Corps. The 25th Corps were among the first Union troops to enter Richmond, Virginia, in April 1865, while the 24th Corps were at Appommattox, where General Robert E. Lee surrendered on April 9.

General Edward O. C. Ord (1818-1883) was a military officer for the United States Army after his graduation from West Point. During the Mexican-American War, he was stationed with William T. Sherman building forts in California. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Ord was sent to Virginia where he led many successful military campaigns against the Confederacy. Ord's leadership of the 24th Corps was key to the conclusion of the war when Lee surrendered in Appomattox.

External sources:

Peter Luebke, "Army of the James" (December 7, 2020), in Encyclopedia Virginia, https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/army-of-the-james, accessed on March 18, 2024.

"Edward Otho C. Ord (1818–1883)" (September 8, 2020), in Arkansas Encylopedia, https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/edward-otho-c-ord-5775/, accessed on June 28, 2023.

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

"The 24th Corps" Manuscript

 Collection
Identifier: Ms-2023-063
Abstract

This manuscript entitled "The 24th Corps" was likely written by General Edward O. C. Ord and his assistant Lieutenant Colonel Thomas G. Welles and accounts the troop movements of the 24th Corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. The 24th Corps was formed in 1864 after the Army of the James separated white and Black troops into two units, the 24th and 25th Corps respectively, and the manuscript discusses this.

Dates: c. 1865