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Dromo's Den
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[Up] [Dromo's Den] James Ricketts Biography RICKETTS,
James Brewerton (1817-87). An American soldier, born in New York City. He
graduated at West Point in 1839. and after receiving his commission as
lieutenant of artillery served in the Mexican War. At
the outbreak of the Civil War he participated in the
defense of Washington and at Bull Run was wounded and taken prisoner. On his
release in 1862 he returned to duty with the grade of brigadier general and took
part in the second battle of Bull Run. Later he led a division in the northern
Virginia, Maryland, and Richmond campaigns, and at Antietam lost a third of his
troops. He participated in the Virginia campaign in the spring of. 1864, but in
July was ordered north to join in the defense of Washington, which was then
threatened by General Early, and participated, under Sheridan,
in the pursuit of Early through the Shenandoah valley. At Cedar Creek, where he
commanded a corps, he received a wound which disabled him for the winter. He was
brevetted major general in the regular army in 1865, and from July, 1865, until
April, 1866, when he was mustered out of the volunteer service, he commanded a
district in Virginia. In 1867 he was retired from the regular service with the
rank of major general. |