★  Wheaton, Frank

Frank Wheaton

Born: May 8, 1833
Wheaton.jpg


Birthplace: Providence, Rhode Island

Father: Dr. Francis Levison Wheaton 1804 – 1895
(Buried: North Burial Ground, Providence, Rhode Island)​

Mother: Amelia Smith Burrill 1802 – 1880

1st Wife: Sarah Maria Cooper 1836 – 1858
(Buried: Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)​

Father – in – law: C.S. General Samuel Cooper 1798 – 1876

2nd Wife: Emma Twiggs Mason 1836 – 1864
(Buried: Mount Olivet Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)​

3rd Wife: Maria Bleecker Miller 1846 – 1924
(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​

Children:

Amelia Burrill Wheaton 1867 – 1885​
(Buried: Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, New York)​
Catherine Wheaton 1873 – 1873​
(Buried: San Francisco National Cemetery, San Francisco, California)​
Catherine Navarre Wheaton 1874 – 1878​
(Buried: Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, New York)​
Frank Wheaton Jr. 1876 – 1878​
(Buried: Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, New York)​
Frank Wheaton II. 1882 – 1884​
(Buried: Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, New York)​

Education:

Attended Brown University until withdrawing​
1865: Receiver Honorary A. M. Degree from Brown University​

Occupation before War:

Member of Mexican – American Boundary Commission​
1855 – 1861: 1st Lt. United States Army, 1st Cavalry Regiment​
Participated in the Campaign against the Cheyenne Indians​
Participated in the Utah War​

Civil War Career:

1861 – 1866: Captain of United States Army, 1st Cavalry Regiment​
1861: Lt. Colonel of 2nd Rhode Island Infantry Regiment​
1861: Served in the First Battle of Bull Run, Virginia​
1861 – 1862: Colonel of 2nd Rhode Island Infantry Regiment​
1862: Regimental Commander at Battle of Williamsburg, Virginia​
1862: Served in the rear during the Battle of Antietam – (no action)​
1862 – 1866: Brigadier General, Union Army Volunteers​
1862: Present at the Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia​
1863: Led his regiment into heavy fighting at Chancellorsville​
1863: Acted as Division Commander at the Battle of Gettysburg​
1864: Brigade Commander during the Overland Campaign​
1864: Brigade Commander during the Siege of Petersburg, Virginia​
1864: His men were hurried to Washington, D.C. for Defense of Capital​
1864: Served under Major General Philip Sheridan in Shenandoah​
1865: Suffered from the effects of Piles​
1865: His Division captured Major General George W. Custis Lee​
1865: Brevetted to the rank of Major General for service in war​
1865: Brevetted to the rank of Colonel in United States Army​
1865 – 1866: Commander of U.S. Army District of Omaha, Nebraska​
1866: Mustered out of Volunteer Service on April 30th

Occupation after War:

Member of Military Order of the Loyal Legion​
1866 – 1874: Lt. Colonel of United States Army, 39th Infantry Regiment​
1866: Presented a Sword by the state of Rhode Island​
1866: Recommended a pardon for C.S.A. General George H. Steuart​
1867: Suffered from the effects of Yellow Fever​
Served in Oregon and California Prior to the Modoc War​
1873: Served in the First Battle of the Stronghold​
1873: Relieved of command during the First Battle of the Stronghold​
1874 – 1892: Colonel in United States Army​
1892 – 1897: Brigadier General of United States Army​
Served a minor role in Yaqui uprising at Ambos Nogales​
1897: Major General of United States Army retiring one month later​
1897: Retired from United States Army on May 8th
Spent two years traveling in Europe​
1898: Speaker at Thanksgiving dinner in Berlin, Germany​
1899 – 1900: Suffered from Deterioration of the right eye​
1900: Had his right eye removed to preserve his left eye​

Died: June 18, 1903

Place of Death: Residence in Washington, D.C.

Cause of Death: Cerebral hemorrhage from arteriosclerosis

Age at time of Death: 70 years old

Burial Place: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia
 
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As second in command he took over the 2nd Rhode Island Infantry at 1st Bull Run when it's commander,Colonel John Slocum, was killed. His promotion to Col. was effectivecJuly 21, 1861. He commanded this brigade during the Peninsula Campaign. He and his brigade did not see any action as they were held in reserve and kept in the rear.
 
He again found himself commanding a division when the 1st Division Commander, David Allen Russell, was killed at the 3rd Battle of Winchester. He filled this vacancy and this is the division that captured Gen. George Washington Custis Lee at Saylers Creek.
 
I believe of the various corps of the Army of the Potomac, the 6th Corps had the best pool of division, brigade and regimental officers on average. Wheaton is a perfect demonstration of that, as he was superb in all three aforementioned levels.
 
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