Henry Stanton Burton(1818–1869) was a graduate ofWest Point,a career American Army officer who served in theSecond Seminole War,Mexican–American Warand theAmerican Civil War.
Henry Stanton Burton | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | September 1818 West Point, New York,U.S. |
| Died | April 4, 1869 (aged 50) Fort Adams,Newport, Rhode Island,U.S. |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service |  United States ArmyUnion Army |
| Years of service | 1839–1869 |
| Rank |  Colonel BrevetBrigadier General |
| Unit | 3rd U.S. Artillery Regiment 1st Regiment of New York Volunteers |
| Commands | Fort Delaware 5th U.S. Artillery Regiment Artillery Reserve,Army of the Potomac |
| Battles / wars | |
| Spouse(s) | María Amparo Ruiz(m. 1849) |
Early life
editHenry Stanton Burton was born in September 1818 atWest Point, New York,[1]where his father was employed as asutler.He studied atNorwich Universityfrom 1832 to 1835[2]before being appointed to theUnited States Military Academyat West Point fromVermontin 1835. Burton graduated on July 1, 1839, and was appointed 2nd Lieutenant,3rd U.S. Artillery Regiment.From 1839 to 1842, he served in theFlorida Indian Warand on November 11, 1839, was promoted1st lieutenant.From 1843 to 1846 he was assistant instructor of infantry and artillery tactics at West Point.
Mexican War and duty in California
editDuring theMexican–American Warhe becamelieutenant colonelofU.S. Volunteersand served as second in command of the1st Regiment of New York Volunteers.Accepted by the U.S. Army in August 1846, the regiment was transported aroundCape HorntoCaliforniawhere it served as garrisons. Elements of the Volunteers under Lt Colonel Burton were involved in operations of thePacific Coast CampaigninBaja California,fighting in theBattle of La Paz,Siege of La Pazand in the final defeat of the Mexican forces at theSkirmish of Todos Santos.His command remained as a garrison in Baja California until the peace treaty returned it to Mexico.
As the war drew to a close, it appeared that Baja California would remain a Mexican state, while Alta California would become territory of the United States. Burton offered to help residents of Baja California move to Alta California and become United States citizens. Burton returned to Monterey with his command and the evacuated Mexicans. On July 9, 1849, he married one of the refugees,Maria Amparo Ruizat Monterey. After his Volunteer regiment disbanded in October 1848, Burton, unlike most of them who rushed to the gold fields, returned to his regular army service; having been promoted to Captain on September 22, 1847. In 1852, he boughtRancho Jamulnear San Diego and homesteaded it on March 3, 1854. In 1855, he went to San Diego, to serve as commander of thePost at Mission San Diego de Alcaláwhere he first establishedCamp Burton,as a temporary position before occupying permanent quarters in the abandoned Mission San Diego de Alcalá. While there he was living at Rancho Jamul with his family.[3][4]
Civil War
editCaptain Burton remained in California on duty in various forts until 1862, when, having been promoted tomajoron May 14, 1861, theAmerican Civil Warbegan. He was ordered toDelaware,where he commandedFort Delawaremilitary prison until 1863. On July 25, 1863, he was promotedlieutenant colonel,4th U.S. Artillery Regiment.On August 11, 1863, he was promotedcolonel,5th U.S. Artillery Regiment;and commanded the Artillery Reserve of theArmy of the Potomacfrom 1863 to 1864. He was inspector of artillery in theRichmond Campaignin theDepartment of the East.From 1864 he was a member of the retiring board. On March 13, 1865, he was promotedbrevetbrigadier generalU. S. Army, for the capture ofPetersburg, Virginia.
Later life
editFollowing the Civil War, Burton subsequently commanded the 5th U.S. Artillery Regiment atFort Monroe,Virginia, atColumbia, South Carolina,atRichmond, Virginia,and atFort Adams,Rhode Island. From October 1868 to March 1869 he was on court martial duty at New York City. He died April 4, 1869, atFort Adams,inNewport, Rhode Island,and was buried atWest Point.[5]
External links
editReferences
edit- ^Eicher, John; Eicher, David (June 1, 2002)."Burton, Henry Stanton".Civil War High Commands.Stanford University Press. p. 156.ISBN978-0804780353.Retrieved2022-08-17.
- ^Ellis, William Arba (1911)."Bvt. Brig.-Gen. Henry Stanton Burton, U. S. A.".Norwich University 1819-1911: Her History, Her Graduates, Her Roll of Honor.Vol. 2. Montpelier, Vermont: The Capital City Press. p. 282.Retrieved2022-08-17.
- ^The California State Military Museum,Historic California Posts: Camp Burton
- ^The California State Military Museum,Historic California Posts, Post at Mission San Diego de Alcalá
- ^George Washington Cullum, Volume 1 of Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U. S. Military Academy at West Point, N. Y.,: From Its Establishment, in 1802, to 1890, Houghton, Mifflin, Cambridge, 1891. pp.744-745