★  King, Rufus

Rufus King

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King.jpg


Born: January 26, 1814

Birthplace: New York City, New York

Father: Charles King 1789 – 1867
(Buried: Grace Episcopal Churchyard, Jamaica, New York)​

Mother: Eliza Gracie 1790 – 1825
(Buried: Grace Episcopal Churchyard, Jamaica, New York)​

1st Wife: Ellen Eliot

2nd Wife:
Susan McCown Eliot 1826 – 1892
(Buried: Grace Episcopal Churchyard, Jamaica, New York)​

Children:

Lt. Rufus King Jr. 1838 – 1900​
(Buried: Evergreen Cemetery, Hillside, New Jersey)​
Captain Charles King 1844 – 1933​
(Buried: Forest Home Cemetery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin)​

Education:

1829: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (4th in class)

Occupation before War:

1833 – 1836: Brevet 2nd Lt., United States Army Corps of Engineers

1833 – 1834: Assistant Engineer Construction of Fort Monroe, Virginia

1834 – 1836: Surveyor on boundary line of Ohio and Michigan

1836: Resigned from United States Army on September 30th

1836 – 1838: Assistant Engineer New York and Erie Railroad

1839 – 1843: Adjutant General for the State of New York

1839 – 1841: Editor of the Albany Advertiser Newspaper

1841 – 1845: Associate Editor of Albany Evening Journal Newspaper

1845 – 1861: Editor of Milwaukee Sentinel and Gazette Newspaper

1847 – 1848: Member of Wisconsin State Constitution Convention

1848 – 1861: Regent of University of Wisconsin

1849: Member of Board of Visitors at West Point Military Academy

1857 – 1861: Colonel of Wisconsin State Militia

1859 – 1861: Superintendent of Milwaukee Wisconsin School System

Civil War Career:

1861: United States Minister to Italy​
1861: Brigadier General of Wisconsin State Volunteers​
1861 – 1863: Brigadier General of Union Army Volunteers​
1861 – 1862: Served in the Defenses of Washington, D.C.​
1862: Division Commander on the Rappahannock​
1862: Guarded the Fords of the Rapidan​
1862: Served in the Second Battle of Bull Run, Virginia​
1862: Served in the Army of the Potomac during Maryland Campaign​
1862: Hospitalized with an epileptic seizure​
1862: Served in the Defenses of Washington, D.C.​
1862 – 1863: Member Court Martial of Major General Fitz John Porter​
1863: Union Army Commander in Yorktown, Virginia​
1863: Commander of Division at Fairfax Court House​
1863: Garrison Duty at Fort Monroe, Virginia​
1863: Military Governor of Norfolk, Virginia​
1863: Resigned from the Union Army on October 20th
1863 – 1867: United States Minister to the Papal States​

Occupation after War:

1863 – 1867: United States Minister to the Papal States​
1867 – 1869: Deputy Collector of Customs, Port of New York​

Died: October 13, 1876

Place of Death: New York City, New York

Cause of Death:
Not Listed

Age at time of Death: 63 years old

Burial Place: Grace Episcopal Churchyard, Jamaica, New York
 
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I've always had a soft spot for this general because his career was ruined by something he absolutely couldn't help - epilepsy. He missed Second Bull Run due to falling off his horse during a seizure - and then had a series of seizures lasting most of a week. The after effects were not good, either, and he was blamed for South Mountain. About a week after this series of seizures he was relieved of duty. John Fitz Porter, who was court-martialed for his actions at Second Bull Run, took Rufus King (who was on the court-martial board) down with him by accusing him of being drunk. King didn't fight the charge - epilepsy had an even bigger stigma attached to it than drunkenness - but he was hospitalized for some time and resigned field service. He had a respectable career after the war, and was indeed involved in the capture of Surrat. King had formed the Iron Brigade, who loved him because he was very accessible to anybody from a private to a general, and was inspirational. Very interesting life - surveyed the Utah territory as well. He died of pneumonia.
 
Who took who down? Fitz-John Porter may have taken King down with him but didn't King sit on the panel that removed Porter from the Army? There is no report how he voted but one can imagine.
 
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At 2nd Manassas King suffered from Epileptic Seizures and spent most of the battle in an ambulance and command was turned over to a gen. John P. Hatch.Hatch remained in command up to the battle of South Mountain where he was wounded (shot in the leg). Command then went to a Col. Walter P. Phelps. It was the Epileptic incident at 2nd Manassas where King was accused of being drunk.
 
His son Rufus King Jr.was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at White Oak Swamp. The war time action was on June 30, 1862 and the Medal was issued on April 2, 1898.
 
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