★  Η Barnes, Joseph K.

Joseph K. Barnes

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Barnes 1.jpg


Born: July 21, 1817

Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Father: Judge Joseph Barnes 1779 – 1839
(Buried: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)​

Mother: Annie Dean 1785 – 1850
(Buried: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)​

Wife: Mary Thurston Fauntleroy 1824 – 1912
(Buried: Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)​

Children:
Dr. Joseph Dean Barnes 1841 – 1882​
(Buried: Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)​
Anna Fauntleroy Barnes Heath 1854 – 1899​
(Buried: Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)​

Education:

Studied medicine at Harvard University Briefly​
1838: Graduated University of Pennsylvania Medical School​

Occupation before War:

Resident Physician at Blockley Hospital​
Visiting Physician Northwestern District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania​
1840: Appeared before Army Examining Board for Assistant Surgeon​
1840 – 1856: Assistant Surgeon in the United States Army​
Assigned to his first duty at West Point Military Academy​
Served in Harney’s Expedition to the Florida Everglades​
1842 – 1846: Assistant Surgeon at Fort Jesup, Louisiana​
1846 – 1848: Served as Assistant Surgeon in Mexican – American War​
1856 – 1863: Surgeon and Major in United States Army​

Civil War Career:

1861: Medical Director for the forces under Major General Hunter
Barnes.jpg
1862: Medical Director for the U.S. Army Department of Kansas​
1862: Attending Physician for the City of Washington, D.C.​
1863: Lt. Colonel and Medical Inspector in Washington, D.C.​
1863: Colonel and Medical Inspector in Washington, D.C.​
1863: “Empowered to take charge of the bureau of Medical Dept.”​
1864 – 1882: Brigadier General in United States Army​
1864 – 1882: Surgeon General of United States Army​
1865: Brevetted Major General for his service in the war​
1865: Attended the death bed of President Abraham Lincoln​
1865: Overseen the autopsy of President Lincoln’s body​

Occupation after War:

1864 – 1882: Brigadier General in United States Army​
1864 – 1882: Surgeon General of United States Army​
1865: Issued report upon the extent and nature of Material Available​
1881: One of the Surgeons who attended President James A. Garfield​

Died: April 5, 1883

Place of Death:
Washington, D.C.

Cause of Death: Cirrhosis of the kidneys

Age at time of Death: 65 years old

Burial Place: Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, D.C.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Barnes predecessor Gen. W.A. Hammond was a friend of General McClellan which is one of the reasons he was named Surgeon General. He was however not liked by Secretary of War Stanton which is probably why Barnes ended up with the job in August 1864.
 
A bio that I'm presently reading states that He was recalled from Fort Vancouver in Washington Territory on June 4th 1861 and then assigned to duty in Washington. While at Fort Vancouver he was second in command to Edward Ord.
 
The previous Surgeon General, William Alexander Hammond, was court martialed and dismissed in August 1864 for alleged "irregularities in the distribution of liquor contracts". The charge was later removed.
 
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