John Watts De Peyster Jr. (December 2, 1841 – April 12, 1873) was a Union Army officer during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

and a member of the famous de Peyster family of New York. His father was Brevet Major General

John Watts De Peyster John Watts de Peyster, Sr. (March 9, 1821 – May 4, 1907) was an American author on the art of war, philanthropist, and the Adjutant General of New York.Allaben, p. 205 He served in the New York State Militia during the Mexican–American War, M ...

of the New York Militia.

Biography

John Watts De Peyster Jr. was born in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. In March 1862, while attending the

Columbia Law School Columbia Law School (CLS) is the Law school in the United States, law school of Columbia University, a Private university, private Ivy League university in New York City. The school was founded in 1858 as the Columbia College Law School. The un ...

, he decided to join the staff of his father's first cousin, Union Army Major General

Philip Kearny Philip Kearny Jr. (; June 1, 1815 – September 1, 1862) was a United States Army officer, notable for his leadership in the Mexican–American War and American Civil War. He served in Emperor of the French, French Emperor Napoleon III's Imperial ...

as volunteer aide. After Kearny's death at the

Battle of Chantilly The Battle of Chantilly (or Ox Hill, the Confederate name) took place on September 1, 1862, in Fairfax County, Virginia, as the concluding battle of the Northern Virginia Campaign of the American Civil War. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's corps ...

, he then joined the 11th New York Cavalry Regiment in June 1862 as a lieutenant, but was mustered out the same month, and assigned to the 1st New York Light Artillery as a major and served until 1863 when he joined the staff of General John J. Peck. He was then stricken by a severe illness of several months and was unable to return to the field until late 1863. For actions in the Chancellorsville campaign and in the

Battle of Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. The combat between the Union Army, Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Major general ( ...

, he was promoted to

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

. He remained with the army until the summer of 1864, when his increasing weakness compelled him to resign. He later received a brevet promotion to brigadier general of the New York Militia in 1865. His brothers Frederic and Johnston de Peyster also served in the war. He died on April 12, 1873, in New York City.

Notes

References

* * 1841 births 1873 deaths Columbia Law School alumni People of New York (state) in the American Civil War De Peyster family Livingston family Schuyler family Van Cortlandt family {{AmericanCivilWar-bio-stub