Napoleon J.T. Dana Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Napoléon Jackson Tecumseh Dana

Born	(1822-04-15)April 15, 1822 Eastport, Maine
Died	July 15, 1905(1905-07-15) (aged 83) Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Place of burial	Harmony Grove Cemetery, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Allegiance	United States of America Union
Service/branch	United States Army Union Army
Years of service	1842–1855, 1861–1865, 1894
Rank	Major General
Commands held	3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, II Corps
Battles/wars	Mexican–American War Battle of Monterrey Siege of Veracruz Battle of Cerro Gordo American Civil War Battle of Ball's Bluff Peninsula Campaign Battle of Antietam Battle of Stirling's Plantation Battle of Brownsville
Other work	Agent, miner, railroad superintendent, author
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Napoleon Jackson Tecumseh Dana (born April 15, 1822 – died July 15, 1905) was an officer in the U.S. Army. He was known for his brave service during the Mexican–American War. Later, he became a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was wounded many times while serving in the military. After his army career, he worked with railroads and helped veteran soldiers.

Early Life and Military Training
- Fighting in the Mexican-American War
Service in the Civil War
- The Battle of Antietam
- Vicksburg and the Sultana Disaster
After the War
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Early Life and Military Training

Dana was born in Eastport, Maine. His father was also an army officer who had graduated from West Point. Sadly, Dana's father died when he was eleven years old. His grandfathers were also important figures in American history. One was a naval officer in the American Revolution. The other was a member of the Continental Congress and later a U.S. Senator.

In 1838, when he was sixteen, Dana entered the U.S. Military Academy. He graduated four years later in 1842. After graduating, he became a second lieutenant in the 7th U.S. Infantry Regiment. He was stationed in places like Louisiana and Mississippi. In 1845, he was part of the military group that occupied Texas.

Fighting in the Mexican-American War

During the Mexican–American War, Dana and his regiment defended Fort Brown in May 1846. They also fought in the Battle of Monterrey in September. He was promoted to first lieutenant in February 1847. He then took part in the Siege of Veracruz in March.

At the Battle of Cerro Gordo in April, Dana was badly wounded in his hip. He was left on the battlefield for about 36 hours and was thought to be dead. But he was found by a burial team. For his bravery at Cerro Gordo, he was given the honorary rank of brevet captain.

After recovering, Dana worked on recruiting and as an Assistant Quartermaster. He also helped build Fort Ripley in Minnesota. In 1855, he left the army and became a banker in St. Paul, Minnesota. From 1857 to 1861, he served as a brigadier general in the Minnesota State Militia.

Service in the Civil War

Napoleon J.T. Dana in 1862

In the fall of 1861, Dana joined the Union cause. He became a Colonel of the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment. He was then given command of a brigade in the Army of the Potomac. His men fought in the Battle of Ball's Bluff in October 1861.

On February 6, 1862, Dana was promoted to brigadier general. He led the 3rd Brigade of the 2nd Division in the Union II Corps. This brigade included soldiers from New York, Massachusetts, and Michigan. Dana led them through the Peninsula Campaign in 1862. They fought in battles like the Siege of Yorktown, the Battle of Seven Pines, and the Battle of Malvern Hill.

After these battles, Dana became ill with a fever. He went to Philadelphia to recover for six weeks. He returned to duty just before the Maryland Campaign.

The Battle of Antietam

Dana bravely led his brigade during the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862. This was one of the bloodiest single-day battles in American history. Dana's brigade crossed the Antietam Creek and moved to support the Union line. They marched into an area known as the West Woods.

As they advanced, Dana's brigade came under heavy artillery fire. Soon, Confederate troops attacked their left side. Dana skillfully moved his soldiers to a safer area, even though he was seriously wounded in his left leg. The pain became too much, so he handed command to Colonel Norman Hall. Dana was taken to a field hospital and then to Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia to recover. At Antietam, his command lost about 900 men.

Dana as a major general

Dana was promoted to major general on November 29, 1862. However, he could not return to duty until the summer of 1863 because of his wound. During the Gettysburg Campaign, he commanded the defenses of Philadelphia.

Later that year, Dana was given command of divisions and then corps in the Department of the Gulf. He led troops in actions like the Battle of Stirling's Plantation. He also commanded the XIII Corps. In the fall of 1864, he moved to the Western Theater and joined the Army of the Tennessee. He commanded the District of Vicksburg and briefly the XVI Corps.

Vicksburg and the Sultana Disaster

Dana returned to command in Vicksburg, Mississippi, until December 1864. He then led the Department of Mississippi until May 1865. During this time, he was in charge of the area where the steamboat Sultana exploded.

The Sultana was carrying recently released Union prisoners of war. It stopped in Vicksburg for boiler repairs. Many more soldiers crowded onto the boat, making it dangerously overloaded. On April 27, 1865, the repaired boilers exploded. Most of the people on board died instantly or were thrown into the cold Mississippi River.

Dana and other officials investigated the disaster. However, no one was ever put on trial for the incident.

After the War

Dana left the U.S. Army on May 27, 1865. He then became a miner and worked for a commercial company in San Francisco. He traveled in California, Alaska, and Washington, D.C.

In 1872, Dana began working with railroads. He was a superintendent for several railroads in Illinois. He also served as a commissioner in charge of railroad pools in St. Louis, Missouri. Later, he became president of the Montana and Union Railway Company.

In 1893, Dana became chief of the Old War and Navy Division. In 1895, President Grover Cleveland promoted him to First Deputy Commissioner of Pensions. However, President William McKinley removed him from this job in 1897.

In 1894, a special act of the United States Congress allowed Dana to be commissioned as a captain in the U.S. Army for a short time. This allowed him to be placed on the retired list and receive a pension. Dana spent his final years in Washington, D.C. He died in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in 1905, and was buried there.

His experiences in the Mexican War were published in a book called Monterrey is Ours! in 1990.