John P. Slough facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Potts Slough
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John Potts Slough
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| Born | February 1, 1829 Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Died | December 17, 1867 (aged 38) Santa Fe, New Mexico |
| Allegiance | United States of America Union |
| Service/ |
United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank |  Brigadier general |
| Commands held | 1st Colorado Infantry |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
John Potts Slough (born February 1, 1829 – died December 17, 1867) was an important American figure. He was a lawyer and politician. During the American Civil War, he became a Union general. Later, he served as the Chief Justice of New Mexico. He is best known for leading Union forces at the Battle of Glorieta Pass.
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Early Life and Law Career
John Potts Slough was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. His father built steamboats. John studied law at the University of Cincinnati. After becoming a lawyer, he was elected to the Ohio General Assembly. While serving there, he had a disagreement with another assemblyman. This led to his temporary removal from office. However, his voters reelected him to his seat.
In 1857, Slough moved to Leavenworth, Kansas. He opened a law office there. At this time, Kansas was debating whether to allow slavery. This period was known as Bleeding Kansas. Slough joined the fight against slavery in the territory. He helped create the Wyandotte Constitution. This document made Kansas a "free" state, meaning slavery was not allowed.
In 1860, he moved to Denver, Colorado. He continued his law practice and became a respected lawyer. When the new Colorado Territory was formed in 1861, he helped set up the court system.
Civil War Service
When the American Civil War began in 1861, Slough quickly started recruiting soldiers. The Governor of Colorado, William Gilpin (governor), appointed him as a captain. He led the 1st Colorado "Pike's Peakers" Infantry Regiment. Some soldiers doubted his loyalty because he was part of the Democratic Party. But in August 1861, Slough became a colonel and took command of the regiment.
Battle of Glorieta Pass
In 1862, a Confederate army invaded the New Mexico Territory. They had won battles and captured Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Slough marched his regiment to Fort Union to help the Union forces. As the highest-ranking officer, he took command of the fort.
A Confederate force, led by Lt. Col. William Read Scurry, was moving to capture Fort Union. Colonel Slough marched his regiment towards Glorieta Pass to stop them. On March 26, 1862, a small group of his soldiers met the Confederates at Apache Canyon. Two days later, on March 28, the main armies clashed at Pigeon's Ranch. This was part of the Battle of Glorieta Pass.
The battle was tough at first. The Confederates were pushing Slough's Coloradans back. But the Union won a key victory when Slough sent Major John M. Chivington on a surprise attack. Chivington's group destroyed the Confederate supply train. This meant the Confederates had no food or supplies. Even though the Confederates won the fighting on the field, the Union won the overall battle. Slough's regiment stopped the Confederate advance. Soon after, the Confederates left New Mexico and went back to Texas.
After the battle, Slough received orders from his superior, Colonel Canby, to stay at Fort Union. Slough believed the war in New Mexico was over. He resigned from the army and went to the Eastern United States. A year after the Battle of Glorieta, his former Colorado troops sent him a special sword. They thanked him for turning them into a strong fighting force. Slough wrote back, "Remember the holy character of the cause in which you are engaged. Remember that you are American soldiers, battling in the cause of universal freedom."
Later Military Role
Slough then went to Washington, D.C.. He was given command of a group of soldiers in the Shenandoah Valley. This was during Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign in 1862. His forces were at Harpers Ferry but did not see much fighting. On August 25, 1862, he was made a brigadier general. He also became the military governor of Alexandria, Virginia. He commanded the District of Alexandria for the rest of the war.
Post-War Life and Legacy
When the Civil War ended in 1865, Slough left the army. He opened a law office in Washington, D.C. In January 1866, President Andrew Johnson appointed him to be the chief justice of the New Mexico Territorial Court.
One of his first goals was to find money to mark the graves of Union soldiers. He also wanted to place monuments at Civil War battle sites in New Mexico. He also worked to improve the legal system. A very important decision he made was that Pueblo Indians were U.S. citizens. This meant they could speak in court, especially in land disputes. He said they were equal in the eyes of the court. The U.S. Supreme Court later agreed with his decision.
In February 1867, he spoke out against a system called peonage in New Mexico. This was a form of involuntary servitude, similar to slavery, where people were forced to work to pay off debts. President Johnson signed a law against debt peonage in March 1867. Slough had always been a reformer. He saw peonage in New Mexico as similar to the slavery he had fought against in the Civil War.
Many people in New Mexico wanted him removed from his position. They disliked his decisions, which changed the way things were done. They also didn't like his strong efforts to fix problems in the courts. Slough was known for his sharp tongue and quick temper. He was appointed to fight corruption, but some thought he was too harsh.
In 1867, a politician named William Logan Rynerson tried to have Judge Slough removed. Rynerson wrote a resolution in the legislature to do this. Slough then spoke badly about Rynerson in public. On December 15, 1867, Rynerson confronted Slough in Santa Fe. Rynerson drew a gun and told Slough to take back his words. Slough dared him to shoot. Rynerson fired, and Slough was badly wounded. He died two days later.
Rynerson was found not guilty in a trial. This was seen as an example of the growing power of a group called the Santa Fe Ring. Many people wanted a fair investigation, but their calls were ignored. Historian Richard Henry Brown noted that Slough's death showed how political disagreements in New Mexico could become very serious.
