James M. J. Sanno

James Madison Sanno was born in New Hampton, New Jersey, on December 10, 1840, the son of William P. Sanno and Hannah (Zeller) Sanno. He was raised and educated in New Hampton. While serving as sergeant-at-arms in 1856, William Sanno appointed James Sanno as his deputy. In 1859, Sanno was appointed to the United States Military Academy. He graduated in 1863 ranked 24th of 25. On June 11, 1863, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 7th Infantry Regiment. Shortly after graduation, Sanno added the second middle name Johnston. ==Start of career==

Sanno served with the 7th Infantry as part of the Union Army during the American Civil War. Shortly after the July 1863 Battle of Gettysburg, the 7th Infantry was ordered to New York City to take part in the response to the draft riots. Sanno was promoted to first lieutenant in December 1863. The regiment remained in the city through the end of the war in May 1865, then deployed to Florida for post-war occupation duty during the Reconstruction era. From September 1864 to May 1869, Sanno served as regimental adjutant. In July 1866, he was offered promotion to captain in the 28th Infantry, which he declined in order to remain with the 7th Infantry. He served as acting assistant adjutant of the District of East Florida from November 1865 to December 1866. Sanno was inspector general for the Freedmen's Bureau in Florida from September 1867 to June 1868. He was assistant adjutant and inspector general for the District of Florida from September 1868 to March 1869. ==Continued career==

Sanno served on frontier duty at Fort Fred Steele, Wyoming, as the 7th Infantry's adjutant from June to September 1869. Sanno served with the 3rd Infantry at Fort Snelling, Minnesota from July 1895 to April 1898, including detached service from June to August 1896, when he took part in the deportation of Cree Indians from Montana to their reservation in Canada. In April 1897, he took part in relief efforts following flooding along the Red River of the North in Minnesota and North Dakota. ==Later career==

Sanno took part in the Spanish–American War as acting inspector general of the Department of the Missouri from April 20, 1898, to June 30, 1898, and acting inspector general of the Department of Dakota and the Department of the Lakes from July to December 1898. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the 4th Infantry in August 1898. During the Philippine–American War, Sanno commanded the 4th Infantry in the Philippines. From June to July 1899, he commanded 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Eighth Army Corps at Las Piñas. During his Philippines service, Sanno took part in engagements against Filipino insurgents at La Loma Church on March 24, 1899, near Taytay on June 3 and 4, 1899, and near Dasmariñas on June 19 and 20. Sanno was on sick leave in Japan from July to November 1899, and in Manila from November 1899 to January 1900. He was promoted to colonel in the 18th Infantry in December 1899. After being assigned to command the 18th Infantry, Sanno served from January to August 1900 as a member of the army board in Manila that audited wartime claims against the United States. After returning to the United States and going on sick leave in late 1900, he was on duty at Plattsburg Barracks, New York, from February to August 1901 as commander of the 27th Infantry. He commanded the regiment until July 1903, including service at Fort D. A. Russell, Wyoming and at Camp Bumpus, Philippines. In November and December 1901 and March to April 1902, Sanno was commander of the Department of Colorado. Sanno requested retirement in July 1903. He was promoted to brigadier general on July 30, 1903, in recognition of his 40 years of service, and he retired on July 31. ==Commendations==

In 1877, Sanno was commended by 7th Infantry commander John Gibbon in Gibbon's report of the Nez Perce War, and Gibbon also recommended Sanno for the Medal of Honor. In 1890, he received a promotion to major by brevet in recognition of his heroism at the Battle of Big Hole. In 1896, he was commended by Governor Benjamin F. Potts of Montana Territory and Department of the Platte commander John R. Brooke for his efforts during the deportation of Cree. In 1899, he was recommended for brevet promotion to colonel by Henry Ware Lawton, the commander of the 1st Division in the Philippines. Loyd Wheaton, commander of an expedition in Cavite during the war in the Philippines, commended Sanno in his official report of the expedition. ==Retirement and death==

Sanno was an active member of the Freemasons and attained the 33rd degree of the Scottish Rite. He died of stomach cancer on May 4, 1907, while visiting his daughter Mary and her husband at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. Sanno was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. ==Family==

In June 1868, Sanno married Mary T. Sprague. Mary Sanno was the wife of Brigadier General James Joseph Hornbrook. ==References==