★  Morton, James St. Clair

James St. Clair Morton

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Born: September 24, 1829

Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Father: Dr. Samuel George Morton 1799 – 1851
(Buried: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)​

Mother: Rebecca Grellet Pearsall 1805 – 1864
(Buried: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)​

Education:

Attended University of Pennsylvania​
1851: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (2nd in class)​

Occupation before War:
1851 – 1854: Brevet 2nd Lt. United States Army, Corps of Engineers​
1851 – 1852: Assistant Engineer, Construction of Charleston Defenses​
1852 – 1855: Assistant Engineer, Building of Fort Delaware​
1854 – 1856: 2nd Lt. United States Army, Corps of Engineers​
1855 – 1857: Assistant Engineering Professor at West Point​
1856 – 1861: 1st Lt. United States Army, Corps of Engineers​
1857 – 1858: Assistant Engineer, Construction of Sandy Hook Fort​
1858 – 1859: Light – house Engineer of 3rd District Gooseberry Point​
1859 – 1860: In Charge of Potomac Water Works​
1860: Engineer for “Chiriquí Expedition” in Central America​

Civil War Career:

1861 – 1863: Captain, United States Army, Corps of Engineers​
1861 – 1862: Engineer for Construction of Fort Jefferson in Florida​
1862: Engineer of the repairs of Fort Mifflin, Pennsylvania​
1862: Chief Engineer, Union Army of the Ohio​
1862 – 1863: Chief Engineer, Union Army of the Cumberland​
1862 – 1863: Brigadier General of Union Army, Volunteers​
1862 – 1863: In Command of Pioneer Brigade for 14th Army Corps​
1863: Chief Engineer, Union Army of the Cumberland​
1863: Brevetted Lt. Colonel for Gallantry Battle of Stone River, Tennessee​
1863 – 1864: Major in the United States Army, Corps of Engineers​
1863: Wounded in the Battle of Chickamuga, Georgia​
1863: Brevetted Colonel for Gallantry, Battle of Chickamuga​
1863: Mustered out of the Union Army on November 7th
1863 – 1864: Superintendent Engineer, Defenses of Nashville​
1864: Assistant to the Chief Engineer in Washington, D.C.​
1864: Chief Engineer for 9th Army Corps, in Richmond Campaign​
1864: Served in the Battle of North Anna, Virginia​
1864: Served in the Battle of Totopotomoy Creek, Virginia​
1864: Served in the Battle of Bethesda Church, Virginia​
1864: Brevetted Brig. General for the Assault at Petersburg​

Died: June 17, 1864

Place of Death: Petersburg, Virginia

Cause of Death: Killed in the assault at Petersburg, Virginia

Age at time of Death: 35 years old

Burial Place: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
 
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That Chirqui Expedition in 1860 was the examination of the isthmus of Panama to see if it was feasible to build a railroad across it. Morton concluded the railroad was possible but contacted malaria while in the area.
 
Right after the Battle of Stones River, Morton also directed the building of Fortress Rosecrans. It was the largest Fort built during the Civil War covering 255 acres.It was an earthen fort with wooden planks reinforcing the structure with a ditch or moat and sharpened sticks. Today it is part of the park in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
 
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