Edward Winslow Hinks

Edward W. Hinks

Maj. Gen. Edward Hinks
Born May 30, 1830
Bucksport, Maine
Died February 14, 1894 (aged 63)
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Place of burial Mount Auburn Cemetery Cambridge, Massachusetts
Allegiance  United States of America
Union
Service/branch  United States Army
Union Army
Years of service 1861-1870
Rank Brigadier General
Commands held 3rd Division, XVIII Corps
Army of the Potomac
Battles/wars

American Civil War

Awards Brevet Major General, USV
Brevet Brigadier General, USA

Edward Winslow Hinks (May 30, 1830 – February 14, 1894) was a career United States Army officer who served as a brigadier general during the American Civil War.

Early life

Hinks was born in Bucksport, Maine. His name was originally spelled "Hincks" but deleted the "C" when he joined the U.S. Army in 1861 and resumed using the original spelling in 1871 after he retired from the service. He was a printer for the Whig and Courier newspaper in Bangor, Maine. He moved to Massachusetts in 1849 and served in the state legislature.[1]

Civil War

In 1861, Hinks received a regular army commission as a second lieutenant in the 2nd U.S. Cavalry, but was soon after offered a volunteer commission as colonel of the 19th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.

Hinks saw service at Ball's Bluff, the Peninsula Campaign, and at Glendale, where he was wounded. He returned to his regiment for the Maryland Campaign, but was seriously wounded at Antietam on September 17, 1862.

He received a promotion to brigadier general of volunteers, to rank from November 29, 1862, by nomination of President Abraham Lincoln on March 4, 1863, confirmation by the U.S. Senate on March 9, 1863 and appointment by the President on April 4, 1863.[2] He spent the next two years on court martial and recruiting duty. In March through May 1864, he commanded the prison camp at Camp Lookout, Maryland[3] before being assigned to command the 3rd Division of the XVIII Corps, composed entirely of United States Colored Troops, led by white officers. He was one of the leaders of the unsuccessful First Battle of Petersburg and served in the Siege of Petersburg. When the division was rolled into the XXV Corps, Hinks was sent north to perform recruitment duties and to enforce the draft. On December 3, 1867, President Andrew Johnson nominated Hinks for the award of the honorary grade of brevet major general, United States Volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the award on May 4, 1866.[4] On December 3, 1867, President Andrew Johnson nominated Hinks for the award of the honorary grade of brevet brigadier general in the regular army, to rank from March 2, 1867,[5] for his service at Petersburg[1] The U.S. Senate confirmed the award on February 14, 1868.[5]

Postbellum career

After the war, he remained in the army as the lieutenant colonel of the 40th U.S. Infantry Regiment before retiring at the rank of colonel in December 1870. After he retired, he served as governor of the National Military Home for Disabled Veterans in Hampton, Virginia (1870–73) and in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (1873–80).[1]

Hinks died in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and is buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery Cambridge, Massachusetts. His grave can be found on the Eglantine Path, Lot 1636.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Eicher, p. 298.
  2. ↑ Eicher, 2001, p. 723
  3. ↑ Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1964. ISBN 0-8071-0822-7
  4. ↑ Eicher, 2001, p. 712
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Eicher, 2001, p. 734

References

External links