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Civil War Soldiers - Morton

Morton, James S., brigadier-general, U.S. Army, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., Sept. 24, 1829. He was graduated at the United States military academy in 1851, standing second in his class, and prior to the Civil war was employed on various engineering works and as assistant professor of engineering at West Point ; and he commanded the Chiriqui expedition to Central America in 1860. He was superintending engineer during the construction of Fort Jefferson at Tortugas, Fla., 1861-62, and of the repairs of Fort Mifflin, Pa., in 1862; was promoted captain, Aug. 6, 1861, and in May, 1862, reported to Gen. Don Carlos Buell as chief engineer of the Army of the Ohio. He became chief engineer in the Army of the Cumberland in Oct., 1862, commanded the bridge brigade in that army and on Nov. 29, 1862, was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers. He constructed the intrenchments about Murfreesboro, Tenn., and was present at the capture of Chattanooga, was wounded at Chickamauga, and superintended the engineering operations under Gen. William S. Rosecrans. He was promoted major, July 3, 1863, and was mustered out of the volunteer service on Nov. 7 of that year ; served as superintending engineer of the construction of the defenses of Nashville, Murfreesboro, Clarksville and Fort Donelson from Nov. 14, 1863 to Jan. 30, 1864, and was from the latter date to May of that year assistant to the chief engineer at Washington. He was chief engineer of the 9th army corps during the campaign before Richmond in 1864, and was engaged in the battles of North Anna, Totopotomy, Bethesda Church, and the assault on Petersburg, where he was killed while leading the attack, June 17, 1864. He was brevetted lieutenant-colonel, Jan. 2, 1863, for gallant and meritorious services at the battle of Stone's river; colonel, Sept. 20, 1863, for good conduct at Chickamauga, Ga., and after his death he was given the brevet of brigadier-general U. S. A., to date from June 17, 1864, for "gallant and meritorious services at the assault on Petersburg, Va."

Source: The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States 1861-1865, Volume 8 Biographical, 1908
 


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