Orris S. Ferry

{{Short description|American politician (1823–1875)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder |name=Orris Sanford Ferry |image =Orris S. Ferry - Brady-Handy.jpg |jr/sr=United States Senator |state= [[Connecticut]] |term_start=March 4, 1867 |term_end=November 21, 1875 |predecessor=[[Lafayette S. Foster]] |successor=[[James E. English]] |state1=[[Connecticut]] |district1={{ushr|CT|4|4th}} |term_start1=March 4, 1859 |term_end1=March 3, 1861 |predecessor1=[[William D. Bishop]] |successor1=[[George C. Woodruff (representative)|George C. Woodruff]] |office2=Member of the [[Connecticut Senate]] from the [[Connecticut's 12th Senate District|12th]] district |term_start2=1855 |term_end2=1857 |predecessor2=[[William T. Minor]] |successor2=[[James H. Hoyt]] |birth_date=August 15, 1823 |birth_place=[[Bethel, Connecticut]] |death_date={{death date and age|1875|11|21|1823|8|15}} |death_place=[[Norwalk, Connecticut]] |resting_place=Union Cemetery Norwalk, Connecticut |alma_mater=[[Yale College]] |profession=Politician, Lawyer, Judge |spouse=Charlotte Bissell |party=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]], [[Liberal Republican Party (United States)|Liberal Republican]] |branch=[[United States Army]] [[Union Army]] |unit=[[5th Connecticut Infantry Regiment]] |rank= [[File:Union Army brigadier general rank insignia.svg|35px]] [[Brigadier general (United States)|Brigadier General]] [[File:Union Army major general rank insignia.svg|35px]] [[Brevet (military)|Bvt.]] [[Major general (United States)|Major General]] |battles=[[American Civil War]] |signature = Signature of Orris Sanford Ferry (1823–1875).png |footnotes= }}

'''Orris Sanford Ferry''' (August 15, 1823 – November 21, 1875) was a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[United States|American]] lawyer and politician from [[Connecticut]] who served in the [[United States House of Representatives]] and the [[United States Senate]]. He was also a [[Brigadier general (United States)|brigadier general]] in the [[Union Army]] during the [[American Civil War]].

==Early life== Ferry was born on August 15, 1823, in [[Bethel, Connecticut]].<ref name=Bio>[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=F000094 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, Orris S. Ferry]</ref> He attended the [[Hopkins School]], and worked at his father's shoe factory as a boy.<ref name=Obituary/> It was here that he realized his love of books. At age 17, Ferry entered [[Yale]], where he served as one of the editors of the ''[[Yale Literary Magazine]]''<ref name=Williams>Williams pp. 277–281</ref> and was a member of [[Skull and Bones]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iCN-AAAAIAAJ | title=The twelfth general catalogue of the Psi Upsilon Fraternity | access-date=March 24, 2011 | year=1917| last1=Fraternity | first1=Psi Upsilon }}</ref>{{rp|70}} He graduated in 1844. Ferry first settled in [[Fairfield, Connecticut]], where he studied law under [[Thomas Burr Osborne (US representative)|Thomas B. Osborne]]. He then settled in [[Norwalk, Connecticut]], and served in the office of [[Thomas B. Butler]]. Ferry married Charlotte Bissell, the daughter of [[Clark Bissell|Governor Clark Bissell]]. He was admitted to the bar in 1846.<ref name=Obituary/> The following year, he was commissioned a [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|lieutenant colonel]] in the [[12th Regiment of Connecticut Militia]].<ref name=Williams/> During his time in the militia, Ferry did not fight in any battle or war.<ref name=Williams/>

==Early political career== Ferry served as a [[probate judge]] soon after being admitted to the bar.<ref name=Obituary/> At age 32, he was elected to a term in the [[Connecticut Senate]] representing the [[Connecticut's 12th Senate District|12th District]]. He then served as the [[State's Attorney]] for [[Fairfield County, Connecticut|Fairfield County]] from 1856 to 1859.<ref name=Bio/> Ferry was a member of the [[Toleration Party]], but in 1856 became a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]. After joining the party, he campaigned for [[John C. Frémont]]. In 1857, Ferry was nominated to serve in the [[United States House of Representatives]], but lost the election.<ref name=Bio/><ref name=Obituary/> In 1859, he was again nominated, and this time he won.<ref name=Obituary/>

==House of Representatives== During his time in [[United States House of Representatives|Congress]], Ferry was known for [[extemporaneous]] speaking. He gave numerous speeches against slavery. Ferry was chosen as Connecticut's representative to the [[Corwin amendment|Committee of Thirty-Three]].<ref name=Croffut/> This Committee was created in the hopes that peace could be settled between the [[Union (American Civil War)|Northern]] and [[Confederate States of America|Southern states]]. However, Southern states continued to secede from the Union, and the committee was disbanded.<ref name=Croffut>Croffut p. 32</ref> Ferry also served on the [[United States House Committee on Revolutionary Claims|Committee of Revolutionary Claims]].<ref name=Williams/> In 1861, he was renominated for his seat, but lost the election.<ref name=Obituary/> [[File:Jackson Valley Campaign Part2.png|thumb|left|300px|''Battle of Winchester, 1862'' Ferry served in McDowell's Division {{legend|#ff0000|Confederate}} {{legend|#0000ff|Union}} ]]

==American Civil War== At the outbreak of the [[American Civil War]], and before regiments of Northern troops had arrived to defend [[Washington D.C.|Washington]], there was a report of a plot to burn the capital. On April 18, 1861, this report mobilized loyal citizens, including Ferry, and state senator [[A. Homer Byington]], also of Norwalk, to form a militia. This militia was led by [[Cassius Marcellus Clay (politician)|Cassius Marcellus Clay]], and came to be known as the Cassius Clay Guard.<ref name=Obituary>[http://www.cslib.org/memorials/ferryo.htm Obituary of Orris S. Ferry]</ref><ref name="patch">[http://norwalk.patch.com/groups/editors-picks/p/norwalkers-orris-ferry-and-a-homer-byington-help-guar5be1584424 Norwalk Patch]</ref>

On July 23, 1861, he was put in command of the [[5th Connecticut Infantry Regiment|5th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry]], and given the rank of [[Colonel (United States)|colonel]].<ref name=Eicher>Eicher pp. 233–234</ref> The original regiment was the [[1st Regiment Colts Revolving Rifles of Connecticut]] and was supposed to be led by [[Samuel Colt]], but the unit never took the field.<ref name=History/> Its organization failing, the regiment was reorganized in May 1861.<ref name=History>History of Battle-Flag Day p. 139</ref> In early March 1862, Ferry led his troops across the [[Potomac River]], and attacked the Confederates at [[Winchester, Virginia]].<ref name=Williams/> This action would later lead to what became the [[First Battle of Winchester]]. Ferry was well praised for his ability as a leader and as a military strategist. Ferry was promoted to brigadier general on March 17, 1862.<ref name=Eicher/> He was then put under the command of [[James Shields (politician, born 1810)|General James Shields]], whose division joined that of Gen. [[Irvin McDowell]]. It was under McDowell that Ferry fought at the First Battle of Winchester.<ref name=Williams/> Ferry continued to serve under Shields, during the [[Jackson's Valley Campaign|Valley Campaign]].<ref name=Warner>Warner pp. 151-152</ref>

===Battle of Cedar Mountain=== [[File:Orris S. Ferry.jpg|thumb|right|Orris Ferry during the American Civil War]] Shortly after the First Battle of Winchester, Ferry and the 5th Connecticut Infantry were put under the command of Maj. Gen. [[Nathaniel Prentice Banks|Nathaniel Banks]].<ref name=Sixties>Sixties p. 83</ref> On August 9, Ferry, under Banks, encountered [[Stonewall Jackson]] at the [[Battle of Cedar Mountain]].<ref name=Sixties/> The Union troops attacked to gain early advantage, but a Confederate counterattack repulsed Banks's corps and won the day.<ref name=Salmon>Salmon pp. 134-135</ref> Later that day, Union reinforcements under Maj. Gen. [[John Pope (general)|John Pope]] arrived. This led to a two-day stand-off between the two armies. The battle ended in a Confederate victory.<ref name=McDonald>McDonald p. 81</ref>

===Services and resignation=== During the war, Ferry served in the [[VII Corps (Union Army)|VII Corps]], [[X Corps (Union Army)|X Corps]], and [[XVIII Corps (Union Army)|XVIII Corps]]. He was also the head of the [[District of Lehigh]], from August 20, 1863, until May 1864,<ref name=Eicher831>Eicher p. 831</ref> and served as the head of the [[District of Philadelphia]] from December 16, 1864, until July 15, 1865.<ref name=Eicher842>Eicher p. 842</ref> Ferry was [[Brevet (military)|brevet]]ted a [[Major general (United States)|major general]] of volunteers in recognition of his services during the [[Peninsula Campaign]].<ref name=Eicher/> He resigned from the military on July 15, 1865.<ref name=Eicher/> His resignation followed the Confederate surrender.<ref name=Williams/>

==Senate career== After the Civil War, Ferry returned to both his political career and law practice. In 1866, he ran against [[Lafayette S. Foster]], the incumbent of the [[List of United States senators from Connecticut#Class III Senators|Class III Connecticut Senate seat]].<ref name=Obituary/> Ferry won the election, and took his place in the [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]] on March 4, 1867. He became very active in committees,<ref name=Bio/><ref name=Obituary/> and favored amnesty for members of the Confederacy.<ref name=Williams/> Ferry participated in the [[Impeachment of Andrew Johnson|Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson]], voting to convict.<ref name=Warner/> In 1869, Ferry was attacked by a rare disease of his spine.<ref name=Obituary/> This disease led to a slow deterioration of his spine.<ref name=Williams/> This slowed his workings in the Senate, but he continued to play an active role. From 1870 to 1871, he served as the chairman of the [[United States Senate Committee to Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate|Committee to Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses]]. From 1871 to 1875, he was chairman of the [[United States Senate Committee on Patents|Committee on Patents]]. Ferry also served on the [[United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions]].<ref name=Bio/> Ferry was considered a [[Liberal Republican Party (United States)|Liberal Republican]], but he declined to officially associate with the breakaway party.<ref name=NYT>[https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1875/11/22/105200573.pdf New York Times Obituary of Orris S. Ferry, 1875]</ref> In 1872, Ferry was reelected for a second term. His main supporters were [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]] and Liberal Republicans.<ref name=Warner/>

===Alexander Caldwell scandal=== In 1871, [[Alexander Caldwell]] was elected to the [[United States Senate|Senate]] from Kansas. From the start, allegations of corruption and pay-offs emerged.<ref name=Grossman>Grossman p. 44</ref> In 1873, [[Sidney Clarke|Congressman Sidney Clarke]], who assisted in Caldwell's election, testified that Caldwell's campaign had claimed that it would pay $250,000 to secure the election.<ref name=Grossman/> [[Thomas Carney|Kansas Governor Thomas Carney]] testified that he was paid $15,000 to drop out of the race. An investigation followed; its final report asked the Senate to expel Caldwell for not being "duly and legally elected". On March 21, 1873, Ferry took to the floor of the Senate and gave a speech asking the Senate to expel Caldwell: "The crime of bribery goes down to the very foundations of the institutions under which we live. We all know it and ... we shall stifle our consciences if we do not vote to expel." After a survey of the Senate, Caldwell saw his inevitability of being expelled, and resigned, on March 23.<ref name=Grossman/>

{{quote box |align=left |width=35% |quote=I see around me the life-long friends and neighbors of Senator Ferry, now no more; a man whom I cherished as a dear companion and associate, and to whom I looked up as one of the foremost men of the republic, in talent, integrity and patriotic spirit. More than almost any one I knew did he possess those qualities of mind and character which just at this period of our history are so greatly needed for the guidance of public affairs ... Had his body been as strong as his mind and heart, he would beyond doubt have compelled universal recognition as one of the very first of statesmen in American history. |source= —Senator [[Carl Schurz]], from his speech during Ferry's funeral, 1875<ref name=Obituary/> }}

===Later Senate career=== In 1874, Ferry gave a speech against the future [[Civil Rights Act of 1875]]. After speaking, [[Charles Sumner|Senator Charles Sumner]], both a friend of Ferry's and the proposer of the bill, stood up and said, "Mr. Ferry, your speech is far the most damaging blow my measure has yet received".<ref name=Williams/> The [[Civil Rights Act of 1875|Civil Rights Act]] would eventually pass, but was deemed unconstitutional by the [[United States Supreme Court|Supreme Court]], on the basis that Congress did not have the power to regulate the conduct of individuals. His last speech in Congress was considered an uncommonly eloquent dissertation on his former friend, [[William Alfred Buckingham]].<ref name=Williams/>

==Death== After his final speech, Ferry left the capital for a new medical treatment. The treatment was to help heal his decaying spine, but the procedure failed.<ref name=Williams/> On November 20, 1875, Ferry's friends and doctors helped take him home. He died of his spine disease the next day.<ref name=Williams/> His funeral was attended by dignitaries such as Schurz. Ferry was interred at Union Cemetery in Norwalk.<ref name=Obituary/><ref name=Eicher/>

==See also== {{Portal|American Civil War}} * [[List of American Civil War generals (Union)]] * [[List of United States representatives from Connecticut]] * [[List of United States senators from Connecticut]] * [[List of members of the United States Congress who died in office (1790–1899)]] {{clear}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==Sources== * Croffut, William Augustus, Morris, John Moses; [https://books.google.com/books?id=3TUyuhpp9zoC&dq=Orris+Ferry+house+of+representatives&pg=PA32 ''The military and civil history of Connecticut during the war of 1861-65: comprising a detailed account of the various regiments and batteries, through march, encampment, bivouac, and battle; also instances of distinguished personal gallantry, and biographical sketches of many heroic soldiers...''], Ledyard Bill, 1869 * Eicher, John H., [[David J. Eicher|Eicher, David J.]]; [https://books.google.com/books?id=Fs0Ajlnjl6AC&q=Orris+Ferry&pg=PA15 ''Civil War High Commands''], Stanford University Press, 2001, {{ISBN|978-0-8047-3641-1}} * Grossman, Mark; [https://archive.org/details/politicalcorrupt0000gros/page/44  ''Political corruption in America: an encyclopedia of scandals, power, and greed''], ABC-CLIO, 2003 {{ISBN|978-1-57607-060-4}} * [https://books.google.com/books?id=QiowAAAAYAAJ&q=Orris+Ferry+colonel&pg=PA139 ''History of Battle-Flag Day, September 17, 1879''], Lockwood & Merritt, 1879 * Hutchins, Edward Ridgeway; [https://books.google.com/books?id=nT8vAAAAYAAJ&dq=Orris+Ferry+civil+war&pg=PA83 ''The War of the Sixties''], The Neale Publishing Co., 1912 * McDonald, William N., [https://archive.org/details/ahistorylaurelb00washgoog ''A History of the Laurel Brigade''], 1907. * [http://www.cslib.org/memorials/ferryo.htm Obituary of Orris S. Ferry] * {{CongBio|F000094}} Retrieved on 2008-02-12 * [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F02E2DF163BE333A25751C2A9679D946490D7CF Orris S. Ferry Obituary in the New York Times, November 22 1875] * Salmon, John S., [https://books.google.com/books?id=f_B3ToTmp1oC&q=Cedar+Mountain ''The Official Virginia Civil War Battlefield Guide''], Stackpole Books, 2001, {{ISBN|978-0-8117-2868-3}}. * Warner, Ezra J.; [https://books.google.com/books?id=2PSgcaLic-AC&q=Ezra+Warner ''Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders''], LSU Press, 1964, {{ISBN|978-0-8071-0822-2}} * Williams, H. Clay; [https://books.google.com/books?id=vK4rAAAAYAAJ&dq=Orris+Ferry+spine&pg=PA281 ''Biographical encyclopaedia of Connecticut and Rhode Island of the nineteenth century''], Metropolitan Pub. and Engraving Co., 1881

==External links== {{commons category}} * {{Find a Grave|5840246}} * [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F02E2DF163BE333A25751C2A9679D946490D7CF Orris S. Ferry Obituary in the New York Times, November 22 1875] * {{Cite Americana|wstitle=Ferry, Orris Standford|year=1920 |short=x}}

{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-hs}} {{s-bef|before=[[William D. Bishop]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States representatives from Connecticut|U.S. House of Representatives]] from [[Connecticut's 4th congressional district]]|years=March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861}} {{s-aft|after=[[George C. Woodruff (representative)|George C. Woodruff]]}} |- {{s-par|us-sen}} {{U.S. Senator box |state=Connecticut|class=3 |before=[[Lafayette S. Foster]] |after=[[James E. English]] |longside= [[James Dixon]], [[William A. Buckingham]], and [[William W. Eaton]] |years=March 4, 1867 – November 21, 1875}} {{s-par|us-ct-sen}} {{succession box |title=Member of the [[Connecticut Senate]] from Connecticut's [[Connecticut's 12th Senate District|12th]] Senate district |before=[[William T. Minor]] |after=[[James H. Hoyt]] |years=1855–1856 }} {{end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ferry, Orris S.}} [[Category:1823 births]] [[Category:1875 deaths]] [[Category:Connecticut Liberal Republicans]] [[Category:Connecticut state senators]] [[Category:Hopkins School alumni]] [[Category:Liberal Republican Party United States senators]] [[Category:Lawyers from Fairfield, Connecticut]] [[Category:Politicians from Norwalk, Connecticut]] [[Category:People of Connecticut in the American Civil War]] [[Category:People of the Six Years' War]] [[Category:Republican Party United States senators from Connecticut]] [[Category:Union army generals]] [[Category:Yale College alumni]] [[Category:Military personnel from Connecticut]] [[Category:Republican Party United States representatives from Connecticut]] [[Category:19th-century American lawyers]] [[Category:Members of Skull and Bones]] [[Category:19th-century United States representatives]] [[Category:19th-century United States senators]] [[Category:19th-century members of the Connecticut General Assembly]]