Sgt. Major James McGowan, Infantry

 
James McGowan was born 
in May 1829 in Southern
Illinois.  
James enlisted in the 31st
Illinois Infantry in 1861 
at the out break of the 
Civil War and was assigned 
to Co. D.  
James served as a foot 
soldier and a hospital orderly
during his tenure with the 
31st.  They fought in 
numerous battles, some of 
which were Belmont, Missouri,
Forts Henry and Donnelson,
Corinth (with Rosecrans),
Iuka and Vicksburg.

Pvt. James McGowan
James re-enlisted as a Veteran at Black Lick,
Mississippi in 1863 and finally mustered out in July 1865.

 James died Jan 3 1897 and is buried in Poplar
Bluff, Missouri.

Sergeant Major McGowen

Monte McGowen graduated from Montpelier
High School in 1968 and in 1971 entered
the Ohio Highway Patrol Academy in
Columbus, Ohio.

He spent almost 28 years as a State Trooper. 
He retired in 1999 as a Sergeant working at
General Headquarters as a plain clothes
detective.

He is currently working for an insurance
company as a Special Investigator. 

 

Monte portrays his Great-grandfather,
James McGowan in the
Rosecrans Headquarters Unit. 

Monte McGowen as
Sgt. Maj. James McGowan
 
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(04/22/2011)