Amos Beebe Eaton
Encyclopedia
Amos Beebe Eaton was a career officer in the United States Army
, serving as a general for the Union
during the American Civil War
.
. He graduated from West Point in 1826; he was an infantry
lieutenant
until the Florida
campaigns of the late 1830s. After that, his only fighting experiences took place in the Mexican-American War, for which service he was appointed a brevet
major
. Eaton served for 12 years as a field officer in the U.S. Army, then joined the commissary department for 23 years.
Appointed a lieutenant colonel
and assistant commissary general in 1861, Eaton was given the task of creating an effective supply system for the fledgling Union army. The large number of troops entering the Army at the beginning of the war was overloading the existing system. His work provisioning and distributing supplies to the troops led to President Abraham Lincoln's
July 6, 1864 appointment of Eaton to the rank of brigadier general
, U.S. Army, to rank from June 29, 1864. President Lincoln formally nominated Eaton for the appointment on June 30, 1864 and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on July 2, 1864. Eaton took over the position of commissary general of the Regular Army
at the same time due to the death of Brigadier General Joseph P. Taylor on June 29, 1864. On March 8, 1866, President Andrew Johnson
nominated Eaton for appointment to the brevet
grade of major general
to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination on May 4, 1866 and re-confirmed it on July 14, 1866 in order to have line officers precede staff officers in rank. He retired May 1, 1874, with the grade of brigadier general, USA, and commissary general of subsistence. He then moved to New Haven, Connecticut
. Eaton died in New Haven, on February 21, 1877, and was buried there.
. They were the parents of U.S. Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson
's wife Mabel Wellington Stimson and women's suffrage
leader Elizabeth Selden Rogers
.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, serving as a general for the Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Biography
Amos B. Eaton was born in Catskill, New YorkCatskill (town), New York
Catskill is a town in the southeast part of Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 11,775 at the 2010 census. The western part of the town is in the Catskill Park....
. He graduated from West Point in 1826; he was an infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
until the Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
campaigns of the late 1830s. After that, his only fighting experiences took place in the Mexican-American War, for which service he was appointed a brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
. Eaton served for 12 years as a field officer in the U.S. Army, then joined the commissary department for 23 years.
Appointed a lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
and assistant commissary general in 1861, Eaton was given the task of creating an effective supply system for the fledgling Union army. The large number of troops entering the Army at the beginning of the war was overloading the existing system. His work provisioning and distributing supplies to the troops led to President Abraham Lincoln's
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
July 6, 1864 appointment of Eaton to the rank of brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
, U.S. Army, to rank from June 29, 1864. President Lincoln formally nominated Eaton for the appointment on June 30, 1864 and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on July 2, 1864. Eaton took over the position of commissary general of the Regular Army
Regular Army
The Regular Army of the United States was and is the successor to the Continental Army as the country's permanent, professional military establishment. Even in modern times the professional core of the United States Army continues to be called the Regular Army...
at the same time due to the death of Brigadier General Joseph P. Taylor on June 29, 1864. On March 8, 1866, President Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
nominated Eaton for appointment to the brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
grade of major general
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination on May 4, 1866 and re-confirmed it on July 14, 1866 in order to have line officers precede staff officers in rank. He retired May 1, 1874, with the grade of brigadier general, USA, and commissary general of subsistence. He then moved to New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
. Eaton died in New Haven, on February 21, 1877, and was buried there.
Relations
His daughter Frances Spencer Eaton married Charles Atwood White, the great-grandson of American founding father Roger ShermanRoger Sherman
Roger Sherman was an early American lawyer and politician, as well as a founding father. He served as the first mayor of New Haven, Connecticut, and served on the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration of Independence, and was also a representative and senator in the new republic...
. They were the parents of U.S. Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson
Henry L. Stimson
Henry Lewis Stimson was an American statesman, lawyer and Republican Party politician and spokesman on foreign policy. He twice served as Secretary of War 1911–1913 under Republican William Howard Taft and 1940–1945, under Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt. In the latter role he was a leading hawk...
's wife Mabel Wellington Stimson and women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
leader Elizabeth Selden Rogers
Elizabeth Selden Rogers
Elizabeth Selden White Rogers was a civic reformer working to improve the New York public schools, and to win suffrage for women in the state of New York and the nation.-Biography:...
.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals (Union)