Sullivan Amory Meredith

Sullivan Amory Meredith (1816–1874) was an American businessman and volunteer army officer. He became a Colonel in the Union Army at the outset of the American Civil War, serving throughout the war, raising and leading two regiments of volunteers, and rising to the rank of brigadier general. In 1868 he penned a series of letters to the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, in which he attacked Robert Ould, the former Confederate Commissioner for the exchange of prisoners of war. Early life Sullivan Amory Meredith was the grandson of Jonathan and Elizabeth Meredith, who were born in Herefordshire, England, and settled In Philadelphia about the year 1750. His father was William Meredith, who graduated at the University of Pennsylvania, studied law, and became a prominent member of the legal profession. By his mother he was a descendant of Lewis Morris, Provincial Governor of New Jersey, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He was one of six brothers. His brother Jonathan stood in his time in the front rank of the Baltimore Bar with such men as William Pinkney, Reverdy Johnson and others. His brother William Morris Meredith who died on August 17, 1873, was for many years one of the great lawyers of the Philadelphia Bar. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 5, 1816. It is not certain where he was educated. According to his obituary in the Buffalo Courier, Meredith received his early education at the University of Pennsylvania, and was probably graduated with honors. According to the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, he was educated at William and Mary College, Virginia. He engaged in various pursuits, but did not study for any profession. He had a great desire to travel, which he subsequently gratified, devoting several years of his early manhood to travel and observation. He twice made the voyage to China, and visited various other parts of the world. He was in California at the beginning of the gold excitement in 1848.