Lieutenant
James B. Breese
28 Feb
1844 - 7 Feb 1887
WEST POINT
ACADEMY
01
Sept 1861 - 4 July 1862
70th ILLINOIS INFANTRY REGIMENT
4 July
1862 – 23 Oct 1862
10th U.S. INFANTRY
Date
Unknown – 15 May 1863
4th U.S. CAVALRY
15 May
1863 – 18 March 1864
UNITED STATE MARINE CORPS
18
March 1864 – 5 Dec 1879
Lieutenant James Buchanan Breese was born on
28 February 1844 or 1845 in Mound Farm, Clinton
Illinois and was the son of a prominent figure
from the state of Illinois:
Chief Justice Sidney Breese. Some documents place his birth year
either 1844 or 1845. One could surmise that Chief Justice Breese was
a close friend of President James Buchanan because he named his son after the
President. In fact, on April 27, 1859 he wrote the President
and requested the name of his son "James B.
Breese" be placed on the list of applicants for a cadet to West Point, and
signed the letter "the Presidents Friend" Sidney Breese. The younger Breese in fact entered the U.S.
Military Academy in 1860 as one of the at-large appointments, probably through
the efforts of the President. James B.
Breese received his appointment and began his military career at the United States Military
Academy, West Point, New York
on September 1st, 1861 where he was listed as a Fourth
Class member in the academy's “Official Register” dated June 1862. The
following July, Breese enlisted and was commissioned in the 70th
Illinois Infantry Regiment as the units' adjutant. He was mustered
in on July 4, 1862 with an enlistment/date-of-rank of July 23, 1862. The
70th Regiment was organized at Camp
Butler, Illinois for
a three-month enlistment, and mustered out October 23, 1862.
There is mystery surrounding Breese’s military career
for the next two years, as records are missing or incomplete. His father documents that he fought at Shiloh but there are no other details. There are two representations that he then
served in the 10th United States Infantry, though there is a lack of records to
document this fact. There is ample evidence, however, that young Breese liked
the service but found marching a trial. This finally led his father to
intervene for him, using as a conduit a man who had been the Illinois Supreme
Court reporter throughout his chief justice ship; Ebenezer Peck, who was a
personal friend of President Lincoln, and had just been named judge of the
Court of Claims in Washington.
Original letter from Judge Breese, Ottawa, Illinois,
May 4, 1863, to Peck. “I have this moment
received another letter from my son Lieut. Breese of the 10th U.S. Infantry,
and he assures me he will ‘have to resign’ if he cannot get some relief, which
he and I would regret above all things. He is disabled from marching and still
is devoted to the service. Can’t you get him leave of absence or a staff
appointment in which he will not have to march on foot much? He is a brave
fellow, fought well at Shiloh and likes the
Army. Do help him if you can. I know the President would take pleasure in
obliging him if he knew his condition. Many officers less meritorious than he
is have had no trouble in getting temporary relief. Do the best you can for him
and I know you will succeed...” The request seems reasonable
enough, though it was clearly outside of normal military channels for an
officer to write his father to get the President to have him transferred to
lighter duty. Peck wrote a note on the back of the letter and sent it to the
President, suggesting “I wish very much that
Judge Breese’s desires should be gratified. If nothing [else] can be done,
assign him to Gen. J.D. Webster.” Joseph D. Webster was Grant’s
chief of staff and chief engineer from 1861 until Vicksburg fell in July 1863. He then held the
same positions for General Sherman. Sending Breese to Webster was the
equivalent of finding him a non-strenuous but high-level staff position.
On May 12, Lincoln
added his endorsement, addressed to Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. “The writer of this letter is a Justice of our Illinois Supreme Court;
and I would like for him to be accommodated in the matter he requests for his
son, if the thing can be consistently done.”
Saying straight out that he wanted Breese to be accommodated was
actually very strong terminology for Lincoln to use with Stanton, as the
sensitive Stanton considered such military details his bailiwick, and did not
much like the President’s interference. Lincoln
was thus forever couching requests in diplomatic language that would move Stanton to agree without
getting offended, with phrases like “if the thing can be
consistently done.”
Here, in addition to seeing Lincoln
at work, we see Stanton
also. He certainly saw the wisdom of assisting a prominent Democrat who
supported the war in such a small matter, yet he appeared peeved (perhaps by
the young Breese going outside of channels for a personal favor) and unwilling
to be too forthcoming. So he exerted his authority and complied with the letter
though not perhaps the spirit of the request. “Referred
to the Provost Marshal Genl. to assign Lt. Breese to some duty if his service
be needed on report.” So Breese would be taken off heavy duty, but
rather than assign him to some interesting post like on Webster’s staff, he
ordered that he be sent somewhere only if “his service be needed.” On
May 15, 1863, the Provost Marshal General, James B. Fry, reported the
resolution - Breese was to be sent to a unit stationed at home! “Respectfully referred to the Adjutant General of
the Army with the request that he will order Lieut. Breese to report to
Lt.-Col. Oakes, 4th Cav. at Springfield,
Illinois.” Between
marching and protocol, James B. Breese seems to have lost his taste for the
Army but not for the military. On March 18, 1864, he was commissioned a 2nd
Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps and served with the Marines for 15 years.
Breese was commissioned and appointed from the State
of Illinois as a 2nd Lieutenant in
the United States Marine Corps, and assigned to Marine Barracks, Washington, DC.
Official records dated 15 June, 1864 document Lt. Breese as being assigned as a
member of a general Court Martial board for Private Francis Connell.
National Archive records indicate that Lieutenant
Breese was actively involved in the Red River
campaign in 1864. On file is a report received from the Flag Ship
Black Hawk, Mound City, Illinois July 16th 1864, which reads as
follows:
"Sir,
I have the honor to enclose a prize list
of the officers and crew of this vessel for captured during the months of
April and May and amounting to 63 bales.
Very
Respectfully Your Obt. Servant J B Breese"
On 11 August 1864,
Lt. Breese served as a member of a Court Martial board
at Marine Barracks, Brooklyn,
NY. Lt. Breese also served
with the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron 1864-65. On February 14,
1865, Lt. Breese files the following report from Portsmouth Virginia
of a house burning:
"Sir,
I have to report to you that the conduct of the Marines at this
station, or rather some of them, is intolerable. A party of 5 or 6
marines behaved most disgracefully on Saturday night, they attacked a negro
kitchen at Mrs. Pears, late in the night, broke open door smashed up the
crockery to which caused the negroes to be terribly frightened they screaming
the cry of murder to the top of their voices arousing the neighbors in the
place, nor would the marines desist from their hellish purpose until apprised
of the approach of the guard from Portsmouth.
Last night a party of three marines set fire to the house that I
am repairing. Three times Mrs. Pear and her son saw them set fire to the house
and put the fire out each time as soon as the marines would leave.
May I not
hope that you will endeavor to put a stop to such unlawful proceedings."
On the morning of February 23 1865, the supply
steamer USS Flambeau embarked with 155 Marines under the command of Second
Lieutenant James B. Breese, USMC, at Bay Point, transporting them to Charleston Harbor. There the entire Marine
force was transferred to the USS Pawnee, for the last leg of the journey to Georgetown SC.
On February 24 1865, the tug Catalpa eased alongside the Pawnee and took
Breese aboard, six non-commissioned officers and fifty privates for a trip to
Battery White, Charleston SC. Eventually, Breese would end
up at Fort Sumter where he was second in command of
the Marine Battalion (acting Major) for the ceremonies
repatriating the fort. As the guest passed through the flowered adorned
archway, they would be saluted by Lt. Breese and a detachment of Marines.
In April 1865, Breese served on the steamer ship USS
Pontiac under the command of the renowned Naval Officer Lieutenant Commander
Stephen B. Luce. On April 22, 1865, a Transfer Pay receipt and Muster
Roll of 13 Marines transferred from the U.S. Steamer Pontiac” documented the
detachment of 11 privates, 1 Sergeant and 1 Corporal by name and the times
served aboard the Pontiac.
Lt. Commander Luce signed the record, and it was also “Witnessed” 13 times by
Marine 2nd Lt. “J.B. Breese”. This would indicate that Breese
was the senior Marine Officer on the Pontiac
at that time. This is significant because it places him aboard this
ship when it was actively involved in the war against the South.
The Pontiac
was a Sassacus Class, “double-ender” side-wheel steamer assigned to the South
Atlantic Blockading Squadron. This ship was ordered to participate with
General Sherman in the capture of Charleston,
SC. The Pontiac
steamed 40 Mile up the Savannah River to protect the left wing of Sherman’s
army, which was crossing the river at Sister’s Ferry, Georgia, and covered its
initial movement by water on the march north that would soon cause the fall of
Charleston. On March 1865, she captured the Confederate Steamer Amazon,
and undoubtedly all the crew shared in the prize money from this valuable
catch. On April 27, 1865 the Pontiac was
dispatched to the eastern coast of Florida
to prevent Confederate President Jefferson Davis from escaping to Cuba.
After the Civil War, Breese remained on active duty
and was assigned on board the Receiving Ship Vermont, New York 1866-1867, and Marine Barracks, Brooklyn, New York1866-1869. In May, 1866 Lt.
Breese was one of several officers that signed a letter requesting a
reduction of sentence for a Marine in ill-health and dying.
Eventually, Breese is appointed and accepts a
promotion to 1st Lieutenant on May 1, 1868. He serves as
the Judge Advocate for several court martial proceedings at Marine
Barracks Brooklyn, N.Y. between Oct - Nov
1869, and is later transferred to the USS Alaska, European
Fleet, 1870-1872. The USS Alaska was a gunboat, which served from
1869-1883, saw service with the Asiatic, European and Pacific
Squadrons. The hand written records of Marine Musical Joseph George
Streeper, “Voyage of the USS Alaska (1870-1873)” identifies “1st
Lieut. of Marines James B. Breese” as being on the ship when commission in
Boston Mass, December 7th 1869, and the Marine guard consisted of 1
Lieutenant, 1 Orderly Sergeant, 2 Corporals, 2 musicians and 30 privates.
On 9 April 1870, Alaska
got underway from New York in company with
Rear Admiral John Rodger's flagship, the screw frigate Colorado. However, the two warships soon
parted company, and Alaska steamed
independently to the Far East where she
visited many of the more important ports to show the flag until May 1871. At
that time, Alaska joined four other ships of
the Asiatic Squadron in a visit to Korea
in order to secure a treaty to open the "Hermit Kingdom"
to the west. The five ships departed Nagasaki, Japan on 16 May 1871 and arrived at Roze Roads
near the mouth of the Salee
River on the 24th. Due to
her deep draft, Alaska
herself was unable to ascend the river. Nevertheless, her commanding officer
was placed in charge of the surveying expedition—consisting of Palos, Monocacy,
and some steam launches from the larger ships, which ascended the river.
When the American vessels drew fire from a
trio of Korean forts, Rear Admiral John Rodgers decided upon a punitive action
to capture and destroy the forts in reprisal. Again Alaska's Comdr. Blake took command of the
enterprise which was made up of 769 sailors, four Marine officers (one of which
was 1st Lieutenant James B. Breese), 105 enlisted Marines,
seven 12-pounder howitzers, four steam launches, and numerous boats. Palos and
Monocacy provided the distant, heavy support. The force, after initial
difficulty getting ashore across tidal mud flats, quickly occupied the first of
the three forts—abandoned by its garrison—and consolidated its beachhead in
preparation for the assault on the remaining forts the following day. On that
morning—thanks to Monocracy’s heavy ordnance—the second fort fell just as
easily as the first had done. Palos had been damaged by an uncharted rock the
previous evening and had to be withdrawn from the action. The main fort,
however, had to be taken by storm and hand-to hand combat.
Discipline and modern weapons triumphed over
greatly superior numbers and by the end of the day on the 11th all three Korean
forts belonged to the Americans. The next day officers and men of the landing
force re-embarked in their ships to await the Korean government's response to
the punitive expedition. By 3 July, It became apparent that the Korean
government would make no official response to the action and that the desired
treaty was not in the offing. Accordingly, Alaska and her consorts got underway to
resume their duties on the Asiatic station. That duty continued until 28
October 1872 when the steamer departed Hong Kong, bound for New York.
The Official Report by the senior Marine
officer, Captain McLane Tilton states:
“The command, to a man,
acted in a very creditable manner, and all deserve equal mention. The
officers of the marines were Lieutenants Breese, Mullany, and McDonald, who
were always to be found in the front."
On file at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential
Library & Museum is a letter sent from Lieutenant Breese to his father.
It is from the U.S.S. Alaska at sea dated Aug 10th
1871, and Lieutenant Breese writes reference the Korean expedition:
“As far as Admiral Rodgers
was concern he did well to get all the glory there was in the
expedition. We fought & whipped them hands only.
I suppose it mit be gratifying to you to know that I was in front throughout
the whole expedition. Brown & myself entered the citadel together and
but a second later than the lamented McKee if not simultaneously but on
opposite sides. I have never heard of more desperate fighting than the
Coreans did quite worthy of a better cause. They stood at their
forts until every one was either killed or wounded. Had they
better implements & more skills in using them it would be no holiday work
to take their Capital." As it is, I think five thousand good troops
(marines for instance) could take & hold their country......"
Following his tour of duty on the U.S.S
Alaska, Lt. Breese was assigned to Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. 1873-1874,
and then to the Assistant Quartermaster's office, Philadelphia, 1875.
That same year he would marry Josephine Ormsby Yard of Trenton, N.J.,
and later have four children. From 1876-1877 he was assigned to the
receiving ship USS St. Louis, and to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. He was
transferred and served on one of the most famous naval ship in American
history, the USS Constitution (Old Ironside) 1877-1879.
The USS Constitution Log dated 19 July 1877 – 19
January 1878 has an entry on 3 Aug 1877, which states:
“Carpenter's
Mate Jno H. Hennessy, Coal Heaver Wm Kelly, Seaman Andrew Robinson, and Moore
and Blackmore AWOL -- 2/c Boy Geo L. Walker given 1 day on bread and water
"for applying an opprobreous epithet to a shipmate" -- Lieutenant J.
B. Breese, USMC, mentioned.”
The USS Constitution Log
dated 20 January –25 July 1878 has an entry on 20 Jan 1878, which list “First
Lieutenant James B. Breese (Breeze), USMC” as the senior Marine of the 26
Marines on board.
At the Paris Exhibition in 1878 he served as
military aide to the American Commission.
On 4 Jan 1879, First Lieutenant J.B. Breese
(Breeze) detached from the USS Constitution, European Station to return the United States
According to the 1879 volume of letters received from
Marine Corps officers by the Secretary of the Navy, Lieutenant Breese reported
his arrival to the United
States on the Steamer Amerique on January
21, 1879. Breese reported to the USS Minnesota on May 29, 1879, and was
again assigned to Marine Barracks, Brooklyn,
N.Y., and served on another
General Court Martial on 8 April, 1879. On August 23, 1879, Captain Law
(Breese’s father-in-law) reported that Breese was ill at home in Trenton, N.J.
and was unable to report to his ship. Breese's request for six months
leave and his resignation were enclosed with Law’s letter. In response to
this letter, the Acting Secretary of the Navy stated that the letter was not a
resignation, but a proposition to resign, and "if you will tender your
resignation absolutely to take effect three months from date, it will be
granted." Lt. Breese submitted the resignation request and it was
granted for 5 December, 1879.
Lieutenant Breese’s military career began on 1
September 1861 when he entered the military academy at West
Point and ended when he resigned due to illness 5 December, 1879,
a period that spanned 18 years. In that time, he served both in the Army
and the Marine Corps, was assigned to several ships, including the steamer USS
Pontiac that was actively involved in the Civil War, the USS Alaska, which was
actively involved in a Naval engagement in Korea, and the USS
Constitution. Breese died on 7 February, 1887 in Trenton, Mercer New Jersey and was buried on 8 Feb 1887 in
Riverview Cemetery,
Trenton, Mercer, New Jersey.