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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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