# William Cogswell

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American politician

For other people named William Cogswell, see [William Cogswell (disambiguation)](/source/William_Cogswell_(disambiguation)).

William Cogswell William Cogswell while a U.S. Representative Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts In office March 4, 1887 – May 22, 1895 Preceded by Eben F. Stone Succeeded by William Henry Moody Constituency 7th district (1887–93) 6th district (1893–95) Member of the Massachusetts Senate In office 1885–1886 Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives In office 1870–1871 In office 1881–1883 16th and 19th Mayor of Salem In office September 26, 1867[1] – 1869 Preceded by David Roberts Succeeded by Nathanial Brown In office 1873–1874 Preceded by Samuel Calley Succeeded by Henry Laurens Williams Personal details Born August 23, 1838 Bradford, Massachusetts, U.S. Died May 22, 1895(1895-05-22) (aged 56) Washington, D.C., U.S. Party Republican Spouse(s) Emma Thorndike Proctor (m. 1865, d. 1877) Eva M. Davis (m. 1881) Children William Emma Silsby Education Atkinson Academy Kimball Union Academy Phillips Academy Alma mater Dartmouth College Harvard Law School Profession Attorney Military service Allegiance United States Union Branch/service United States Army Union Army Years of service 1861 - 1865 Rank Colonel Brevet Brigadier General Commands 2nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, XX Corps Battles/wars American Civil War

**William Cogswell** (August 23, 1838 – May 22, 1895) was a [U.S. representative](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives) from [Massachusetts](/source/Massachusetts) and a [colonel](/source/Colonel_(United_States)) in the [Union Army](/source/Union_Army) during the [American Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War) who was appointed to the grade of [brevet](/source/Brevet_(military)) [brigadier general](/source/Brigadier_general_(United_States)), [U.S. Volunteers](/source/U.S._Volunteers).

## Biography

Cogswell was born in [Bradford, Massachusetts](/source/Bradford%2C_Massachusetts), to George Cogswell and Abigail (Parker) Cogswell. Cogswell's father was a well-respected surgeon and one of the founders of the Massachusetts Republican Party. His grandfather, [William Cogswell](/source/William_Cogswell_(New_Hampshire_physician)), was a [surgeon's mate](/source/Surgeon's_mate) in the Revolutionary War who practiced medicine in [Atkinson, New Hampshire](/source/Atkinson%2C_New_Hampshire), and gave land for the [Atkinson Academy](/source/Atkinson_Academy). Abigail's[*[clarification needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify)*] mother died when he was about 7 years old.

Cogswell attended [Atkinson Academy](/source/Atkinson_Academy), [Kimball Union Academy](/source/Kimball_Union_Academy) in [Meriden, New Hampshire](/source/Meriden%2C_New_Hampshire), [Phillips Academy](/source/Phillips_Academy) in [Andover, Massachusetts](/source/Andover%2C_Massachusetts), and [Dartmouth College](/source/Dartmouth_College) in [Hanover, New Hampshire](/source/Hanover%2C_New_Hampshire).

Cogswell entered Dartmouth in 1855, leaving it soon after. From 1856 to 1857 he went on a voyage around the world, spending two years as a sailor. When Cogswell returned from his voyage he entered [Harvard Law School](/source/Harvard_Law_School).

## Law practice

On September 8, 1860, Cogswell was [admitted to the bar](/source/Admission_to_the_bar_in_the_United_States) in [Essex County, Massachusetts](/source/Essex_County%2C_Massachusetts). He worked for a while in the office of Attorney William D. Northend, and in April 1861 Cogswell opened his own office in [Salem, Massachusetts](/source/Salem%2C_Massachusetts).

## Military service

William Cogswell, circa 1861.

Cogswell was a private in the Second Corps of Cadets, a militia organization of the [Commonwealth of Massachusetts](/source/Commonwealth_of_Massachusetts). Cogswell served in the Second Corps of Cadets during the winter of 1860–1861.

On April 19, 1861, word reached Salem that the Sixth Massachusetts had been attacked in [Baltimore](/source/Baltimore) while on its way to defend [Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.) Cogswell turned his office into a recruiting station and in 24 hours raised a full company, the first company in the country recruited for the war. This became Company C of the Second Massachusetts Volunteers, with Cogswell as captain in command.

Cogswell was commissioned a captain in the Second Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, May 11, 1861. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on October 23, 1862, and to colonel on June 25, 1863.

Colonel Cogswell was appointed [brevet](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brevet_(Military)&action=edit&redlink=1) [brigadier general](/source/Brigadier_general_(United_States)) of volunteers by appointment of President [Abraham Lincoln](/source/Abraham_Lincoln) on December 12, 1864, to rank from December 15, 1864, and the appointment was confirmed by the [United States Senate](/source/United_States_Senate) on February 14, 1865.[2] Colonel and Brevet Brigadier General Cogswell was mustered out of the U.S. Volunteers on July 24, 1865.[3]

After the Civil War Cogswell resumed the practice of his profession.

## Political activities

He served as mayor of [Salem](/source/Salem%2C_Massachusetts) 1867–1869, 1873, and 1874. He served as member of the [Massachusetts House of Representatives](/source/Massachusetts_House_of_Representatives) 1870, 1871, and 1881–1883. He served in the [Massachusetts State Senate](/source/Massachusetts_State_Senate) in 1885 and 1886. He served as delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1892.

## Congressional service

Cogswell was elected as a [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) to the [50th United States Congress](/source/50th_United_States_Congress) and to the four succeeding Congresses and served from March 4, 1887, until his death in [Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.), May 22, 1895. He was interred in [Harmony Grove Cemetery](/source/Harmony_Grove_Cemetery), [Salem, Massachusetts](/source/Salem%2C_Massachusetts).

## Personal life

Cogswell married Emma Thorndike Proctor on June 20, 1865. They had two children, William and Emma Silsby Cogswell. Emma died on April 1, 1877. Cogswell remarried to Eva M. Davis on December 12, 1881 and they remained married until his death, having no children.

## See also

- [American Civil War portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:American_Civil_War)

- [List of American Civil War brevet generals (Union)](/source/List_of_American_Civil_War_brevet_generals_(Union))

- [List of Massachusetts generals in the American Civil War](/source/List_of_Massachusetts_generals_in_the_American_Civil_War)

- [Massachusetts in the American Civil War](/source/Massachusetts_in_the_American_Civil_War)

- [List of members of the United States Congress who died in office (1790–1899)](/source/List_of_members_of_the_United_States_Congress_who_died_in_office_(1790%E2%80%931899))

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Hist_Essex_Cty1888_pg226_1-0)** Hurd, Duane Hamilton (1888), *History of Essex County, Massachusetts: with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Volume 1, Issue 1*, Philadelphia, PA: J.W. Lewis & Co., p. 226

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Eicher, John H. and Eicher, David J. *Civil War High Commands*. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2001. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8047-3641-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8047-3641-1), p. 742.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Eicher and Eicher, 2001, p. 179

## References

- Eicher, John H. and [Eicher, David J.](/source/David_J._Eicher) *Civil War High Commands*. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2001. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8047-3641-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8047-3641-1).

- *[Memorial Addresses on the Life and Character of William Cogswell (late a Representative from Massachusetts)](https://books.google.com/books?id=Av0UAAAAYAAJ): Delivered in the House of Representatives and Senate, [Fifty-fourth Congress](/source/54th_United_States_Congress), First and Second Sessions* (1897).

## External links

- Media related to [William Cogswell](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:William_Cogswell) at Wikimedia Commons

- United States Congress. ["William Cogswell (id: C000595)"](http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=C000595). *[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress](/source/Biographical_Directory_of_the_United_States_Congress)*. Retrieved on 2008-02-12

- [William Cogswell](http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?ils:3:./temp/~pp_VdTD::@@@mdb=fsaall,app,brum,detr,swann,look,gottscho,pan,horyd,genthe,var,cai,cd,hh,yan,bbcards,lomax,ils,prok,brhc,nclc,matpc,iucpub,tgmi,lamb) as a member of the 50th Congress Massachusetts Delegation.

This article incorporates [public domain material](/source/Copyright_status_of_works_by_the_federal_government_of_the_United_States) from [*Biographical Directory of the United States Congress*](http://bioguide.congress.gov). [Federal government of the United States](/source/Federal_government_of_the_United_States).

Political offices Preceded by David Roberts Mayor of Salem, Massachusetts September 26, 1867 – 1869 Succeeded by Nathanial Brown Preceded by Samuel Calley Mayor of Salem, Massachusetts 1872 – 1872 Succeeded by Henry Laurens Williams U.S. House of Representatives Preceded by Eben F. Stone Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 7th congressional district March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1893 Succeeded by William Everett Preceded by Henry Cabot Lodge Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 6th congressional district March 4, 1893 – May 22, 1895 Succeeded by William H. Moody

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF FAST WorldCat National United States People US Congress Other Open Library SNAC Yale LUX

v t e United States representatives from Massachusetts 1st district F. Ames Dexter Goodhue Holten Sedgwick Skinner Sedgwick J. Bacon Eustis Quincy Ward Jr. Mason Gorham Webster Gorham N. Appleton Gorham A. Lawrence Fletcher A. Lawrence Winthrop N. Appleton Winthrop S. Eliot W. Appleton Scudder T. D. Eliot Hall T. D. Eliot Buffington Crapo R. Davis Randall Wright G. Lawrence Treadway Heselton Conte Olver Neal 2nd district Goodhue Foster W. Lyman Sedgwick Ward Sr. W. Lyman Shepard J. Crowninshield Story Pickman W. Reed Pickering Silsbee Barstow B. Crowninshield Choate Phillips Saltonstall D. King Rantoul Fay Crocker Buffington O. Ames Harris Long E. Morse Gillett Churchill Bowles Kaynor Granfield Clason Furcolo Boland Neal McGovern 3rd district Gerry Bourne Coffin S. Lyman Mattoon Cutler Nelson Livermore White Pickering Nelson Varnum Nelson Osgood Cushing A. Abbott Duncan Edmands Damrell C. Adams Thomas A. Rice Twichell Whiting I Pierce Field B. Dean Field Ranney L. Morse J. Andrew Walker J. R. Thayer R. Hoar C. Washburn J. A. Thayer Wilder Paige F. Foss Casey Philbin Drinan Donohue Early Blute McGovern N. Tsongas Trahan 4th district Sedgwick Dearborn G. Thatcher Wadsworth Foster L. Lincoln Sr. Hastings Varnum W. Richardson Dana Stearns Fuller E. Everett Sa. Hoar Parmenter Thompson Palfrey Thompson Sabine Walley Comins A. Rice Hooper Frost J. Abbott L. Morse Collins O'Neil Apsley Weymouth Tirrell Mitchell Wilder Winslow Stobbs P. Holmes Donohue Drinan Frank Kennedy III Auchincloss 5th district Partridge Bourne Freeman L. Williams T. Dwight Ely Mills Lathrop Sibley J. Davis L. Lincoln Jr. Hudson C. Allen W. Appleton Burlingame W. Appleton Hooper Alley Butler Gooch Banks Bowman L. Morse Hayden Banks Sh. Hoar Stevens Knox B. Ames J. Rogers E. Rogers B. Morse Cronin P. Tsongas Shannon Atkins Meehan N. Tsongas Markey Clark 6th district G. Thatcher Leonard J. Reed Sr. J. Smith Taggart S. Allen Locke Kendall Grennell Alvord Baker Ashmun G. Davis Upham T. Davis Alley Gooch Banks Butler Thompson Loring Stone Lovering Lodge Cogswell Moody Gardner Lufkin A.P. Andrew G. Bates W. Bates Harrington Mavroules Torkildsen Tierney Moulton 7th district Leonard Ward Sr. Leonard Bullock Bishop Mitchell Barker Baylies Turner Baylies Hulbert Shaw H. Dwight S. Allen Grennell Briggs J. Rockwell Goodrich Banks Gooch Boutwell Brooks Esty E. Hoar Tarbox Butler W. Russell Stone Cogswell W. Everett Barrett Roberts Phelan Maloney W. Connery L. Connery Lane Macdonald Markey Capuano Pressley 8th district Grout G. Thatcher F. Ames Otis Eustis L. Williams Green Gardner Green J. Reed Jr. Baylies Sampson Hobart Lathrop Bates Calhoun J. Adams Mann Wentworth Knapp Train Baldwin G. Hoar J. M. S. Williams Warren Claflin Candler W Russell C. H. Allen Greenhalge Stevens McCall Deitrick Dallinger H. Thayer Dallinger Healey Goodwin Macdonald O'Neill Kennedy II Capuano Lynch 9th district Varnum Bishop J. Dean Wheaton J. Reed Jr. Folger J. Reed Jr. H. Dwight Briggs Jackson Hastings H. Williams Hale Fowler Little De Witt E. Thayer Bailey A. Walker W. Washburn Crocker G. Hoar W. Rice T. Lyman Ely Burnett Candler G. Williams O'Neil Fitzgerald Conry Keliher Murray Roberts Fuller Underhill Luce R. Russell Luce T. H. Eliot Gifford Nicholson Keith McCormack Hicks Moakley Lynch Keating 10th district Goodhue Sewall Read Hastings Upham J. Allen Brigham Wheaton Morton F Baylies Bailey H. A. S. Dearborn W. Baylies Borden H. Williams Borden Burnell Grinnell Scudder Dickinson Chaffee Delano Dawes Crocker Stevens Seelye Norcross W. Rice J. E. Russell J. Walker McEttrick Atwood Barrows Naphen McNary O'Connell Curley Murray Tague Fitzgerald Tague Douglass Tinkham Herter Curtis Martin Heckler Studds Delahunt Keating 11th district Bradbury Bartlett Cutler Stedman A. Bigelow Brigham B. Adams J. Russell Hobart J. Richardson J. Adams J. Reed Jr. Burnell Goodrich Trafton Dawes Chapin Robinson Whiting II Wallace Coolidge Draper Sprague Powers Sullivan Peters Tinkham Douglass Higgins Flaherty Curley Kennedy O'Neill Burke Donnelly 12th district H. Dearborn I. Parker Lee S. Thatcher Skinner Larned Bidwell Bacon Dewey Hulbert Strong Kendall L. Bigelow Baylies Hodges J. Adams Robinson F. Rockwell Crosby E. Morse Lovering Powers Weeks Curley Gallivan McCormack Keith Studds 13th district Wadsworth Seaver Ruggles Dowse Eustis J. Reed Jr. Randall Simpkins Greene Weeks Mitchell Carter Luce Wigglesworth Burke 14th district G. Thatcher Cutts C. King J. Holmes Lovering E. Foss Harris Gilmore Olney Frothingham Wigglesworth Martin 15th district Wadsworth Ilsley Whitman Widgery Bradbury Whitman Greene Leach Martin Gifford 16th district S. Thatcher Cook Tallman S. Davis Brown Orr Hill Thacher Walsh Gifford 17th district Bruce Chandler Gannett F. Carr Wood J. Carr Wilson Kinsley 18th district Wilson T. Rice J. Parker 19th district J. Parker Conner Gage Cushman 20th district Hubbard Parris E. Lincoln At-large Cobb

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [William Cogswell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Cogswell) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Cogswell?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.