★ ★  Newton, John

John Newton

:us34stars:
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Born: August 24, 1822

Birthplace: Norfolk, Virginia

Father: U.S. Congressman Thomas V. Newton Jr. 1768 – 1847
(Buried: Cedar Grove Cemetery, Norfolk, Virginia)​

Mother: Margaret Jordan 1783 – 1861
(Buried: Cedar Grove Cemetery, Norfolk, Virginia)​

Wife: Anna Morgan Starr 1831 – 1914
(Buried: U.S. Military Academy Post Cemetery, West Point, New York)​

Married: August 30, 1849, in New London, Connecticut

Children:

Infant Son Newton​
(Buried: U.S. Military Academy Post Cemetery, West Point, New York)​

Virginius M. Newton 1852 – 1929​
(Buried: Saint Columba Cemetery, Chester, New York)​
John Thomas Newton 1855 – 1942​
(Buried: Saint Columba Cemetery, Chester, New York)​
Anna Maria Newton 1859 – 1862​
(Buried: Saint Pauls Old Catholic Cemetery, Delaware City, Delaware)​
Francis Julian Newton 1862 – 1863​
(Buried: Saint Pauls Old Catholic Cemetery, Delaware City, Delaware)​
Mary Newton 1874 – 1958​
(Buried: U.S. Military Academy Post Cemetery, West Point, New York)​

Education:

1842: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (2nd in class)​

Occupation before War:

1842 – 1852: 2nd Lt. United States Army, Corps of Engineers​
1842 – 1843: Assistant to U.S. Army, Board of Engineers​
1843 – 1844: Assistant Engineering Professor at West Point​
1844 – 1846: Principal Assistant Engineering Professor at West Point​
1846: Assistant Engineer in Construction of Fort Warren in Boston​
1846 – 1849: Assistant Engineer for Construction of Fort Trumbull​
1849 – 1852: Superintendent Engineer Construction of Fort Wayne​
1852 – 1856: 1st Lt. United States Army, Corps of Engineers​
1852 – 1853: Superintendent Engineer Surveys of Cobscook Bay​
1853 – 1854: Superintendent Engineer Improvements in Florida​
1853: Member of Commission for devising improvements at St Johns​
1856: Member of Board to Examine Pensacola Dock, Florida​
1856 – 1861: Captain, United States Army, Corps of Engineers​
1858: Chief Engineer of Utah Expedition​
1858 – 1861: Superintendent Engineer Construction of Fort Delaware​

Civil War Career:

1861: Chief Engineer for the Department of Pennsylvania​
1861 – 1865: Major of United States Army Corps of Engineers​
1861: Chief Engineer for the Department of Shenandoah​
1861- 1862: Engineer in Construction of Washington D.C. Defenses​
1861 – 1862: Brigade Commander in Washington, D.C. Defenses​
1861 – 1863: Brigadier General of Union Army, Volunteers​
1862: Served in the Virginia Peninsular Campaign​
1862: Served in the Battle of Antietam, Maryland​
1862: Brevetted Lt. Colonel for Gallantry at Battle of Antietam​
1862: Served in the Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia​
1863 – 1864: Major General of Union Army Volunteers​
1863 – 1864: Union Army Commander of First Army Corps​
1863: Brevetted Colonel for Gallantry at Battle of Gettysburg​
1864 – 1866: Brigadier General of Union Army Volunteers​
1864: Served in the Atlanta Georgia Campaign​
1864 – 1865: Union Army Commander of District of Key West, Florida​
1865: Brevetted Brigadier General for Gallantry at Peachtree Creek​
1865: Union Army Commander at the Battle of Natural Bridge Florida​
1865: Brevetted Major General for his service in the War​
1865: Union Army Commander, District of Middle Florida​
1865 – 1866: Union Army Commander, Middle, Southern, and Western Florida​
1865 – 1884: Lt. Colonel in United States Army, Corps of Engineers​
1866: Mustered out of the Union Army on January 15th

Occupation after War:

1865 – 1884: Lt. Colonel in United States Army, Corps of Engineers​
1884 – 1886: Brigadier General, and Chief of Engineers for U.S. Army​
1886: Retired from Active Service after 40 years​
1886 – 1888: New York City Commissioner of Public Works​
1888 – 1895: President of Panama Railroad Company​

Died: May 1, 1895

Place of Death: New York City, New York

Cause of Death: Acute articular rheumatism and endocarditis

Age at time of Death: 78 years old

Burial Place: U.S. Military Academy Post Cemetery, West Point, New York
 
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At Gettysburg Meade tapped Newton to command the 1st Corps after the fall of John Reynolds. He continued in command of this unit fhrough the Bristoe and the Mine Run campaigns. Until the spring of 1864 when army went through a reorganization. This was where he was sent west and commanded a division in the 4th Corps in the Army of the Cumberland.
 
In early January, 1863, a few weeks after the Battle of Fredericksburg, Newton and BG John Cochrane traveled to Washington DC. The two generals had intended to meet with congressional leaders concerning the state of the Army of the Potomac, but Congress was not in session. Cochrane, a former NY Congressman used his pull to arrange a meeting with Secretary of State William Seward. After hearing them out Seward arranged for Newton and Cochrane to meet Lincoln. The generals told Lincoln that Burnside had lost the confidence of the Army and that another defeat would have disastrous consequences. The meeting initiated a chain of events that led to Burnside's removal.
 
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John Newton is the only Federal general whose autograph I own (Joe Wheeler is likewise the only Confederate general) and it's on the reverse of this cabinet card dated N. Y. - Nov 15 '88. The image however is of a much younger Newton, likely dating from his visit to Washington following the Fredericksburg debacle because though he's wearing the brand-new shoulder straps of his new rank as Major General, he's wearing them on his brigadier's coat, obvious from the button number and placement. I believe Newton must've been sensitive about aging because in his brief message he has changed the text from "The likeness is genuine but not now good. - J. Newton" to "The likeness is genuine but is not good."

Newton 001.jpg
 
In early January, 1863, a few weeks after the Battle of Fredericksburg, Newton and BG John Cochrane traveled to Washington DC. The two generals had intended to meet with congressional leaders concerning the state of the Army of the Potomac, but Congress was not in session. Cochrane, a former NY Congressman used his pull to arrange a meeting with Secretary of State William Seward. After hearing them out Seward arranged for Newton and Cochrane to meet Lincoln. The generals told Lincoln that Burnside had lost the confidence of the Army and that another defeat would have disastrous consequences. The meeting initiated a chain of events that led to Burnside's removal.

It also led to Cochrane's resignation and contributed to Newton's promotion to major general never being confirmed by Congress which is why he served as a brigadier general through the rest of the war.

Ryan
 
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