James W. Forsyth - Civil War

Civil War

Forsyth joined the Union Army as colonel of the 64th Ohio Infantry on 9 November 1861. He was temporarily in command of a brigade during Don Carlos Buell's march to the relief of Maj. Gen. U.S. Grant at Shiloh. However, the day before the battle began the brigade's regular commander, James A. Garfield, returned and Forsyth did not participate in the actual battle. Forsyth relinquished command of the 64th Ohio to Colonel John Ferguson on 1 January 1862.

In 1862 he transferred to the Army of the Potomac where he served as the assistant U.S. inspector general during the Peninsular Campaign. During the Maryland Campaign he was assigned as aide-de-camp to Major General Joseph K. F. Mansfield until the latter's untimely death at the Battle of Antietam. Forsyth then became provost marshal to the Army of the Potomac at the Battle of Fredericksburg.

In 1863 Forsyth transferred back to the Western Theater to serve as adjutant to General Philip H. Sheridan at Chickamauga. Forsyth was brevetted to major in the Regular Army for his service Chickamauga. When Sheridan transferred to the Army of the Potomac's Cavalry Corps, Forsyth followed as his chief of staff. He participated in this capacity during the Overland Campaign. He was subsequently chief of staff of the Army of the Shenandoah during the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864 and chief of staff to the Union Cavalries during the Appomattox Campaign. He received brevets to lieutenant colonel, U.S.A. for Cedar Creek, colonel, U.S.A. for Five Forks and brigadier general, U.S. Volunteers, for the Shenandoah Valley Campaign.

On January 13, 1866, President Andrew Johnson promoted Forsyth to brigadier general of Volunteers to rank from May 19, 1865. The U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on February 23, 1866, notwithstanding that Forsyth was mustered out of the volunteer service on January 15, 1866. On July 17, 1866, President Johnson nominated Forsyth for appointment as a brevet brigadier general in the regular army to rank from April 9, 1865. The Senate confirmed the appointment on July 23, 1866.

Forsyth served on the Sheridan's staff along with Wesley Merritt, Thomas Devin, and George A. Custer. Later, all of these men would become famous Indian fighters.