STEEDMAN, James Barrett, soldier, born in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, 30 July, 1818; died in Toledo, Ohio, 18 October, 1883. He went to Ohio in 1837 as a contractor on the Wabash and Erie canal, and in 1843 was chosen to the legislature of that state as a Democrat. In 1849 he organized a company to cross the plains to California in search of gold, but he returned in 1850, and in 1851 became a member of the Ohio board of public works. During Buchanan's administration he was public printer at Washington, and in 1860 he was a delegate to the National Democratic convention at Charleston, advocating the nomination of Stephen A. Douglas. At the opening of the civil war he became colonel of the 4th Ohio regiment, and was ordered to western Virginia. After taking part in the battle of Philippi he joined General Don Carlos Buell in Kentucky, was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers, 17 July, 1862, and rendered valuable service at Perryville, arriving on the battle-field just in time to drive back the enemy, who had broken the National line and were pushing a heavy column toward the gap. In July, 1863, he was placed in command of the 1st division of the reserve corps of the Army of the Cumberland. At the battle of Chickamauga he re-enforced General George H. Thomas at a critical moment, and it has been claimed that he thus saved the day, though credit for ordering the movement is usually given to General Gordon Granger. For his services here he was promoted major-general, 24 April, 1864. He was afterward active in the Atlanta campaign, relieving the garrison at Dalton and defeating General Joseph G. Wheeler's cavalry in June, 1864. When Sherman marched to the sea he joined General Thomas, and did good service at Nashville. He resigned on 19 July, 1866, after serving as provisional governor of Georgia, and was appointed United States collector of internal revenue at New Orleans by President Johnson, whose close friend he was. Here his lack of business ability involved him in financial trouble, and he returned to Ohio, where in 1879 he was chosen to the state senate, but was defeated in a second canvass. In the May before his death he became chief of police of Toledo, and he was editor and nominal owner of the "Weekly Ohio Democrat." On 26 May, 1887, a fine monument was dedicated to his memory in Toledo.