Newton Martin Curtis (May 21, 1835 – January 8, 1910) was a Union 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

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

from

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Early life

Curtis was born in

De Peyster, New York DePeyster is a town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 998 at the 2010 census. The name is taken from that of one of the land owners of the region, Frederic de Peyster, grandfather of John Watts de Peyster. ...

. Upon graduating from the Gouverneur Wesleyan Seminary, Curtis became a teacher, lawyer, and postmaster of De Peyster. In the year prior to the Civil War, he was working as a farmer. Curtis stood an impressive 6' 7" tall and weighed 225 pounds. His enormous size for the time period prompted even

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

to quip, "Mr. Curtis, how do you know when your feet are cold?" His stature became an issue of concern to his family when the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

began, as they felt he would surely be an easy target for enemy bullets.

Civil War

On May 15, 1861, Curtis volunteered in the Union Army as a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

in Company G of the 16th New York Infantry. He fought in the

Peninsula Campaign The Peninsula campaign (also known as the Peninsular campaign) of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March to July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The oper ...

and was wounded in a minor engagement at

West Point, Virginia West Point (formerly Delaware) is an incorporated town in King William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 3,414 at the 2020 census. Geography West Point is located at (37.543733, −76.805366). The York River is formed at Wes ...

. On October 23, 1862, he transferred to the 142nd New York Volunteer Infantry, serving as lieutenant colonel until his promotion 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 ...

on January 21, 1865. As commander of the 142nd New York Infantry, he fought in the Bermuda Hundred Campaign of May 1864. He took command of the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division,

X Corps 10th Corps, Tenth Corps, or X Corps may refer to: France * 10th Army Corps (France) * X Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars Germany * X Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army * ...

, during the

Siege of Petersburg The Richmond–Petersburg campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War. Although it is more popularly known as the siege of Petersburg, it was not a c ...

. Curtis received a brevet promotion to brigadier general on October 28, 1864, for his actions at the

Battle of New Market Heights A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force co ...

. His brigade became part of the expedition against

Fort Fisher Fort Fisher was a Confederate fort during the American Civil War. It protected the vital trading routes of the port at Wilmington, North Carolina, from 1861 until its capture by the Union in 1865. The fort was located on one of Cape Fear Riv ...

in December 1864. Curtis' brigade was among the few troops to go ashore yet the first attack against Fort Fisher was defeated. He took part in the second attack in January 1865, in which his brigade played a key role in the Union victory. During the fighting a suggestion of entrenching reached Curtis. He angrily grabbed a handful of shovels and threw them over the

traverse Traverse may refer to: Places * Traverse, Michigan, an unincorporated community * Traverse City, Michigan * Traverse County, Minnesota, a county in Minnesota Other * Traverse (climbing), moving horizontally on a climbing or mountaineering route ...

shouting "Dig Johnnies! I'm coming for you!" Curtis made good on his promise and continued the attack. He was wounded at the head of his brigade and received a full promotion to brigadier general of volunteers and was also received the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

. He remained in the army until January 1866, receiving a brevet to major general of volunteers on March 13, 1865.

Political career

After the war, Curtis was a collector of customs in the district of Oswegatchie, New York, in 1866 and then a Special Agent for the

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from 1867 until 1880. He was in the Department of Justice from 1880 until 1882. He was a member of the

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(St. Lawrence Co., 1st D.) in

1884 Events January * January 4 – The Fabian Society is founded in London to promote gradualist social progress. * January 5 – Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera '' Princess Ida'', a satire on feminism, premières at the Savoy The ...

1885 Events January * January 3– 4 – Sino-French War – Battle of Núi Bop: French troops under General Oscar de Négrier defeat a numerically superior Qing Chinese force, in northern Vietnam. * January 17 – Mahdist ...

1886 Events January * January 1 – Upper Burma is formally annexed to British rule in Burma, British Burma, following its conquest in the Third Anglo-Burmese War of November 1885. * January 5–January 9, 9 – Robert Louis Stevenson ...

1887 Events January * January 11 – Louis Pasteur's anti-rabies treatment is defended in the Académie Nationale de Médecine, by Dr. Joseph Grancher. * January 20 ** The United States Senate allows the United States Navy to lease Pearl Har ...

1888 Events January * January 3 – The great telescope (with an objective lens of diameter) at Lick Observatory in California is first used. * January 12 – The Schoolhouse Blizzard hits Dakota Territory and the states of Montana, M ...

1889 Events January * January 1 ** The total solar eclipse of January 1, 1889 is seen over parts of California and Nevada. ** Paiute spiritual leader Wovoka experiences a vision, leading to the start of the Ghost Dance movement in the Dakotas ...

and

1890 Events January * January 1 – The Kingdom of Italy establishes Eritrea as its colony in the Horn of Africa. * January 2 – Alice Sanger becomes the first female staffer in the White House. * January 11 – 1890 British Ultimatum: The Uni ...

. Curtis was elected as a Republican to the

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Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Leslie W. Russell. He was re-elected to the

53rd 53 may refer to: * 53 (number) * one of the years 53 BC, AD 53, 1953, 2053 * FiftyThree, an American privately held technology company that specializes in tools for mobile creation and visual thinking * 53rd Regiment Alabama Cavalry * 53rd Regiment ...

and 54th Congresses, holding office from November 3, 1891, to March 3, 1897. He was Chairman of the House Committee on the Election of the President, Vice President and Representatives in Congress (54th Congress).

Later life and legacy

He wrote a book titled ''From Bull Run to Chancellorsville'', published in 1906. In 1910, he was the assistant inspector general of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. He was a companion of the New York Commandery of the

Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS), or, simply, the Loyal Legion, is a United States military order organized on April 15, 1865, by three veteran officers of the Union Army. The original membership was consisted ...

. He died in

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and is buried at Ogdensburg Cemetery in

Ogdensburg, New York Ogdensburg is a city in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 10,064 at the 2020 census. In the late 18th century, European-American settlers named the community after American land owner and developer Samuel Ogden. T ...

, where a statue stands in his honor. The General Newton Martin Curtis Camp #142 of the

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) is an American congressionally chartered fraternal organization that carries out activities to preserve the history and legacy of the United States Armed Forces veterans who fought during the Civil ...

was named for Curtis.

Medal of Honor citation

At the Second Battle of Fort Fisher: the first man to pass through the stockade, he personally led each assault on the traverses and was 4 times wounded.

References

* Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J., ''Civil War High Commands'', Stanford University Press, 2001, . * Fonvielle, Jr., Chris E. ''Last Rays of Departing Hope:The Wilmington Campaign.'' Campbell, CA.: Savas Publishing Company, 1997. Retrieved on 2008-02-24

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Curtis, Newton Martin 1835 births 1910 deaths Union army generals United States Army Medal of Honor recipients People of New York (state) in the American Civil War Republican Party members of the New York State Assembly American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) People from St. Lawrence County, New York 19th-century members of the New York State Legislature 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives