John Gray Foster
Born: May 27, 1823
Birthplace: Whitefield, New Hampshire
Father: Perley Foster 1792 – 1843
Mother: Mary Molly Gray 1797 –
1st Wife: Mary Susan Moale 1829 – 1871
(Buried: New Cathedral Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland)
2nd Wife: Anna Johnson Davis 1850 – 1916
(Buried: Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)
Children:
Annie Moale Foster Seton 1852 – 1928
(Buried: New Cathedral Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland)
Education:
Attended Hancock Academy
1846: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (4th in class)
Occupation before War:
1846 – 1848: Brevet 2nd Lt. United States Army, Corps of Engineers
1846: Assistant Engineer for Engineer Bureau in Washington, D.C.
1847: Served in the Siege of Vera Cruz, Mexico
1847: Served in the Battle of Cerro Gordo, Mexico
1847: Served in the Battle of Contreras, Mexico
1847: Served in the Battle of Churubusco, Mexico
1847: Brevetted 1st Lt. for his gallantry in two Mexican War Battles
1847: Wounded in the leg at Battle of Molino del Rey, Mexico
1847: Brevetted Captain for Gallantry at Molino del Rey
1847 – 1848: Absent from the army due to disabling wounds
1848 – 1852: Assistant Engineer for building Fort Carroll in Maryland
1848 – 1854: 2nd Lt. United States Army Corps of Engineers
1852 – 1854: At Coast Survey Office in Washington, D.C.
1854: Assistant Engineer for building Fort Carroll in Maryland
1854 – 1860: 1st Lt. United States Army, Corps of Engineers
1855 – 1857: Assistant Engineering Professor at West Point
1857: Superintendent Engineer at fort at Willett’s Point
1857 – 1858: Superintendent Engineer building of Fort at Sandy Hook
1858 – 1861: Superintendent Engineer at Forts Sumter and Moultrie
1858 – 1861: in charge of Forts Macon and Creswell
1860 – 1863: Captain United States Army, Corps of Engineers
Civil War Career:
1860 – 1863: Captain United States Army Corps of Engineers
1860: Chief Engineer of the Fortifications at Charleston Harbor
1860: Brevetted Major for his part in transfer of Fort Moultrie
1860 – 1861: Served in the Defenses of Fort Sumter
1861: Served in the Bombardment of Fort Sumter and its surrender
1861: Assistant Engineer in Engineer Bureau in Washington, D.C.
1861: Superintendent Engineer Construction of Sandy Hook
1861: Declined the rank of Major of United States Army, 11th Infantry
1861 – 1862: Brigadier General of Union Army Volunteers
1861: Commander of troops at Annapolis, Maryland
1861 – 1862: Served in General Burnside’s Expedition
1862: Served in the capture of Roanoke Island, North Carolina
1862: Brevetted Lt. Colonel for Gallantry at Roanoke Island
1862: Served in the capture of Newbern, North Carolina
1862: Served in the Bombardment of Fort Macon
1862: Brevetted Colonel for Gallantry at New Bern, North Carolina
1862 – 1863: Commander of Department of North Carolina
1862 – 1866: Major General of Union Army, Volunteers
1862: Conductor of Expedition to burn Goldsboro Railroad Bridge
1862: Commander of Action at Southwest Creek
1862: Successful Commander at the Battle of Kinston, North Carolina
1862: Union Commander at the Battle of White Hall, North Carolina
1862: Successful Commander at the Battle of Goldsboro Bridge
1863 – 1867: Major of United States Army, Corps of Engineers
1863: Served in the Defenses of Washington, D.C.
1863: Commander of Department of Virginia and North Carolina
1863 – 1864: Commander of Army and Department of the Ohio
1864: Fell from his horse and had to relinquish command
1864: on Sick leave in Baltimore, Maryland awaiting Orders
1864 – 1865: Commander of Union Army Department of the South
1865: Brevetted Brigadier General for gallantry Capture of Savannah
1865: Brevetted Major General for his service in the war
1865 – 1866: Commander of Union Army, Department of Florida
1866: Mustered out of the Union Army on September 1st
Occupation after War:
1863 – 1867: Major of United States Army Corps of Engineers
1867: On Troop Duty for Engineer Bureau in Washington, D.C.
1867 – 1874: Lt. Colonel United States Army Corps of Engineers
1867 – 1871: Served in the improvement of Boston Harbor
1868 – 1871: Served in the improvement of Provincetown Harbor
1871 – 1874: Assistant the U.S. Army Chief of Engineers in Washington, D.C.
1874: Superintendent Engineer Merrimac River and Harbors
Died: September 2, 1874
Place of Death: Nashua, New Hampshire
Cause of Death: Consumption
Age at time of Death: 51 years old
Burial Place: Universalist Church Cemetery, Nashua, New Hampshire
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