Samuel P. Jennison

Samuel Pearce Jennison (May 9, 1830 – November 30, 1909), sometimes written as Samuel Pierce Jennison, was a Minnesota politician, teacher, librarian, lawyer, and Brigadier General during the American Civil War. During his service in the Union army Jennison began his military career as the adjutant of the 2nd Minnesota Infantry Regiment, by the end of the war Jennison held the rank of Brigadier General. During his political career in Minnesota Jennison served as the Chief Clerk of the Minnesota House of Representatives, the Secretary of the Minnesota Senate, and served as the Minnesota Secretary of State.

Early life Samuel Pearce Jennison was born on May 9, 1830, in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, he was the son of James Jennison and Mary Lamb Jennison. Jennison eventually studied law under John B. Sanborn and C. C. Lund in New Hampshire and passed the New Hampshire bar in 1857. While in Minnesota Jennison also studied college-level law under Edward Duffield Neill.

In his free time Jennison helped to organize the Olympic Baseball Club of St. Paul alongside Russell C. Munger in December 1858, Jennison was also the first captain of the Olympic Baseball Club. Governor Alexander Ramsey appointed Jennison as the head librarian of the Minnesota State Law Library from January 2, 1860 to January 24, 1861. From 1860 to 1861 Jennison also worked as the personal secretary of Governor Ramsey. Jennison was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant on January 17, 1862 and was appointed as the Regimental Adjutant under Colonel Horatio P. Van Cleve. Jennison served with the 2nd Minnesota for its first two engagements at the Battle of Mill Springs and the Siege of Corinth. Jennison was eventually promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in August 1862 and was sent back to Minnesota to assist in raising the 10th Minnesota Infantry Regiment under Colonel James Heaton Baker.

10th Minnesota Infantry Regiment Jennison served as the Lieutenant Colonel of the 10th Minnesota from its muster in August 1862 until being mustered out in August 1865. The 10th Minnesota had been raised in Minnesota during the Dakota War of 1862 and portions of the unit, primarily Company B of the regiment, fought in several engagements including relieving the Battle of Fort Ridgely and the Battles of New Ulm, as well as fighting in the Battle of Acton, the Attack on Hutchinson, and the Battle of Wood Lake. Following the Dakota War Jennison fought in Sibley's 1863 Campaign against the Dakota people at the Battle of Big Mound where he led a battalion of the 10th Minnesota made up of companies A, C, F, and K. The 10th Minnesota would later take part in the Battle of Dead Buffalo Lake and the Battle of Stony Lake. Jennison later fought with the 10th Minnesota at the Battle of Tupelo from July 14–15, 1864 against Forrest's Cavalry Corps. During Price's Missouri Expedition Jennison and the 10th Minnesota fought under Colonel Joseph Jackson Woods as part of the First Division, 2nd Brigade of the XVI Corps at the Battle of Westport. After being wounded at Nashville Jennison would recuperate until he rejoined the regiment on February 5, 1865. Jennison's appointment to Brigadier General, however, was not approved by the United States Senate until March 12, 1866. Jennison wrote an article in 1887 titled "The Illusions of a Soldier" which is featured in the 1887 book Glimpses of the Nations Struggle: a Series of Papers Read Before the Minnesota Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.

Political career Following the war Jennison had an ample amount of influence, he used this to his advantage and worked in the field of Minnesota politics from 1867 until retiring to California in 1897. Starting in 1871 Jennison ran for the office of Minnesota Secretary of State. Jennison won the 1871 Minnesota Secretary of State election against his Democratic political opponent Erik N. Falk. Jennison ran for a second term in the 1873 Minnesota Secretary of State election against Minnesota Democrat John H. Stevens. Aside from political offices, Jennison was also the private political secretary for the following Governors of Minnesota: Alexander Ramsey (1860–1861), William Rainey Marshall (1867–1870), and Lucius Frederick Hubbard (1882–1887). Jennison died on November 30, 1909 in Covina, California. His burial details are currently unknown.