Tag: Peck (John J.)

Wikipedia says: John James Peck (January 4, 1821 – April 21, 1878) was a United States soldier who fought in the Mexican–American War and American Civil War.

…The outbreak of the Civil War brought Peck back into the army. He accepted a commission as brigadier general of volunteers on August 9, 1861. He was given command of a brigade defending Chain Bridge and the Northern defenses of Washington at Tennallytown and soon after joined George B. McClellan’s Army of the Potomac in Virginia. He commanded the 3rd Brigade, (55th NY, 62d NY, 93d Pa, 98th Pa & 102Pa) Couch’s 1st Division, Keyes’ IV Corps during the Peninsula Campaign. He served in the siege of Yorktown, and distinguished himself in the battles of Williamsburg and Fair Oaks. He was placed in command of the 2nd Division, IV Corps during the Seven Days Battles where he again distinguished himself. On July 25, 1862 he was promoted to major general of volunteers to rank from July 4, 1862 for his services in the Battle of Malvern Hill.

When McClellan’s forces began evacuating the peninsula, Peck was left in command of a Union garrison stationed at Yorktown. In September he was given command of all Union troops in Virginia south of the James River. In 1863 during James Longstreet’s Tidewater Campaign the attention of both armies in southern Virginia turned to the city of Suffolk. Suffolk guarded the western land approaches to the naval yards at Portsmouth and Norfolk which were in Union control. Peck took command of a force designated the Suffolk Detachment, VII Corps. Peck and his staff maintained Union Army staff headquarters at the Riddick House. This force would eventually amount to three divisions commanded by Michael Corcoran, George W. Getty and George H. Gordon. Peck received a captured message informing him of the Confederate intentions against Suffolk with enough time to take appropriate measures. Longstreet’s besiegers gained some initial advantages during the siege of Suffolk at the battle of Norfleet House cutting off the Union supply route. Yet Peck mounted a counter offensive and retook the lost positions in the battle of Hill’s Point. The Confederates lifted the siege, and Longstreet’s corps returned to northern Virginia for the upcoming Gettysburg campaign. Peck received the praise of his superior, General John A. Dix for his competent defense of Suffolk.

In the summer following the siege of Suffolk, Peck was transferred to command the District of North Carolina where he was involved in little action. Due to health reasons he went on sick leave. At the request of General Dix, he returned to command the Canadian frontier for the remainder of the war. His Chief of Staff was Colonel John Watts de Peyster Jr., son of a prominent New York family.