Thomas Edwin Greenfield Ransom was born on November 29, 1834 at Norwich, Vermont, the son of Truman Bishop and Margaret Morrison (Greenfield) Ransom. His father, a distinguished educator and soldier, was killed at the storming of Chapultepec. He was a descendant of Joseph Ransom who settled at Lynn, Connecticut, about 1715.
Thomas entered the preparatory course at Norwich University, a military college of which his father was then president. During the Mexican War he studied practical engineering on the Rutland and Burlington Railroad, under the tutelage of and older relative. He reëntered Norwich in 1848 and completed the civil engineering course in 1851.
After graduation, he went to Illinois to practise engineering and later he embarked in the real-estate business. When the Civil War began, he was living in Fayette County. He raised a company which was incorporated in the 11th Illinois Infantry. He became major, and, on reorganization three months later, lieutenant-colonel. The command and instruction of the regiment soon devolved upon him, and he brought it to a high state of discipline and training. He served as a volunteer aide in the surprise of a Confederate force at Charleston, Missouri, on August 19, 1861, and was wounded in personal combat with a Confederate officer, whom he killed.
At Fort Donelson his regiment bore the shock of the Confederate sortie with veteran steadiness. Surrounded on the retreat of supporting forces, it cut its way out, losing more than half its strength.
Ransom, though severely wounded, refused to leave the field and retained command throughout the day. For his skill and bravery in this action, he was promoted to the rank of colonel. At Shiloh, his regiment surpassed its previous brilliant record. He was seriously wounded early in the action, but again refused to leave the battlefield and continued in command with conspicuous valor and success until late in the afternoon, when he was carried to the rear. He served on the staff of Gen. John Alexander McClernand in the Corinth campaign and subsequently he commanded a brigade. Appointed brigadier-general, he led his brigade in the Vicksburg campaign with such ability that Grant rated him equal to the command of a corps.
After the surrender of Vicksburg he was put in charge of an expedition against Natchez.
In October 1863, Ransom joined the Texas expedition, and during the next three months conducted successful operations along the Gulf coast from Aransas Pass to Matagorda Peninsula. In March 1864, he took command of the XIII Corps, a part of the army concentrated for the Red River expedition. He commanded the advance guard at Sabine Cross-Roads, and with one tired division met the attack of three Confederate divisions.
Due to faulty dispositions and to interference by his superiors, he was overwhelmed. Though badly wounded while rallying his troops, he retained command until the attack had been checked. When only partially recovered from his wound, he reported to Sherman on August 2, 1864, and was assigned to command the 4th Division, XVI Army Corps. He took part in the siege of Atlanta; and after General Dodge was wounded on August 19, commanded the corps in the turning movement south of Atlanta which terminated in a victory at Jonesboro, Georgia.
He was brevetted major-general of volunteers on September 1, 1864, for gallant and meritorious service in the Atlanta campaign. He was next assigned to command the XVII Corps, pursuing Hood's army in north Georgia during the month of October.
He was ill at the beginning of the campaign, but refused to quit the field and accompanied his command in an ambulance until the pursuit ended at Gaylesville, Alabama, on October 21. Here his illness became critical, and an escort started to carry him to Rome, Georgia, on a litter.
He died while resting at a house six miles west of Rome. His body was sent to Chicago and interred in Rosehill Cemetery.
One of the most capable volunteer soldiers developed by the Civil War, Ransom was a man of irreproachable character and Cromwellian religious faith. Besides exceptional personal courage, power of physical endurance, and coolness in action, he displayed qualities of leadership of high order.
Quotes from others about the person
Grant wrote of him, "He has always proved himself the best man I have ever had to send on expeditions. He is a live man and of good judgment".
