Brigadier General Solomon Meredith, of Cambridge City, Indiana

GENERAL SOL MEREDITH. May 29, 1810 ~ October 21, 1875

Solomon Meredith walked to Wayne County from North Carolina at the age of 19.  Sol, (later he would be called “Long Sol”) had a commanding presence… (even before he became a General in the Army)  he stood  6′ 7″ and was well received in this County. He easily won the Sheriff’s election for Wayne County in 1834… at the age of 24 and was re-elected at age 26. In 1849, President Taylor appointed  Solomon to the position of a U.S. Marshall.

IMPRESSIVE RESUME: Other positions held by General Meredith,  (he held  several more,  not  mentioned here)  included; Elected to the Legislature, 1846, 1847 & 1848; In 1854, he was again elected to Legislature and served as Chairman for the Ways & Means Committee; He was the Financial Agent for the Indiana Central Railroad and President of the Cincinnati & Chicago Railroad; In 1859, he was elected Clerk  of the Wayne County Circuit Courts;

He entered the United States Military service in 1861 (as a Colonel  in the 19th Regiment Of Indiana Volunteer Infantry) and served to the end of that war. He was appointed Brigadier General in 1862 and brevetted a Major General in 1864. (General Meredith lost two sons  as a result of  the injuries they received  during the Civil War). In 1866, he was appointed as the Assessor of Internal Revenue for this Congressional District.  Near the end of his dedicated service record, (1867-1869) he was appointed Surveyor General, of the Montana Territory.

The Following Words Were Taken From His Monument in the Riverside Cemetery, at Cambridge City, Indiana.

A gallant soldier and just man ” Major-General Solomon Meredith. Born in Guilford county, North Carolina, May 29th, 1810; died at Oakland farm, near Cambridge City, Indiana, October 21st, 1875. A man of good heart, pure patriotism and generous hospitality; distinguished for energy of character, in the promotion of public improvement, liberal education, and progress in agriculture. He was a member of the Legislature, and held, with honor, many offices of public trust, under both general and state governments. In the war for the Union, he commanded the Nineteenth Regiment, Indiana Volunteers, in the battles of Gainsville, South Mountain and Antietam, and on other well-fought fields. He was promoted for gallantry, and led the ” Iron Brigade ” through all its marches and battles until severely wounded at Gettysburg. He then commanded the Western District of Kentucky until the close of the war.

General Meredith’s impressive monument at Riverside Cemetery, Cambridge City, Ind.

Source: History of Wayne County, Indiana; Andrew W. Young- 1872

The morning of July 1 found the Iron Brigade marching toward Gettysburg on the Emmitsburg Road. After nearing to within a mile of the battlefield, the brigade broke into a double-quick step, arriving at McPherson’s Ridge around 10:30 A.M., with Meredith riding the rear of the column. In the next hour, Meredith’s men enveloped Archer’s Brigade, routed it with heavy casualties, captured General Archer and a substantial number of his brigade, and broke the initial charge of Heth’s Division. Meredith pulled his brigade back after its successful envelopment of the surprised Confederates and was reforming his line when a shell exploded near him. According to the August 28 Richmond [Indiana] Palladium newspaper , Meredith “was stuck in the head by a fragment of the shell and stunned, at the same moment, and by the same fire, that his horse was struck by four balls and a shell, and fell dead, his body crushing the General’s leg and side frightfully. The wound in the head fractured the skull and affected the brain very seriously. The fall broke several ribs and tore them loose from the breastbone at the same time, and so seriously injured the right leg that it is yet after nearly two months, greatly discolored.” The battle was over for Meredith.   Source  (*note: The Battle of Gettysburg took place on July 1-3, 1863.)

Have you heard about  the feud General Solomon had with U.S. Congressman G.W. Julian (of Centreville, Indiana)? Read about it here.

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General Sol. Meredith

General S. Meredith

General Solomon Meredith

There was another General Meredith in the Civil War… General Sullivan A. Meredith,  and apparently, he was also 6’7″

Perhaps Sullivan was a 16th inch  taller than Solomon