Catharinus P. Buckingham
Encyclopedia
Catharinus Putnam Buckingham (March 14, 1808 – August 30, 1888) was an American
soldier, college professor, author, and industrialist. He served as a general in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
, and was the main assistant to the U.S. Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton
, during part of the first term of the Lincoln Administration.
, the only child of Ebenezer and Catharine Putnam Buckingham. He was a grandson of Rufus Putnam
of American Revolutionary War
fame. He graduated from the United States Military Academy
sixth in the Class of 1829. He subsequently served as a second lieutenant in the 3rd U.S. Artillery on topographical duty. Buckingham married Mary Gird on July 5, 1830, in Utica, New York
. He was Assistant Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy at West Point from October 1830 to August 28, 1831. He resigned from the Army in 1831.
From 1833 to 1836, he was a professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at Kenyon College
. During that time, he remarried, this time to Mary P. Turner on August 24, 1835. He was later the proprietor of the Kokosing Iron Works in Knox County, Ohio
.
Buckingham married a third time, on August 26, 1845, to Marion A. Hawkes.
of the Ohio Commissary in May 1861 and was promoted to adjutant general in July. A year later, in July 1862, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general
of U.S. Volunteers, and was assigned to special duty as assistant to the Secretary of War at the War Department
in Washington, D.C.
and served until he resigned on February 11, 1863.
After his war service, he authored a textbook, New Arithmetic on the Unit System, (Philadelphia, 1869). He is also credited as having written Principles of Arithmetic in 1871. He became president of the Chicago Steel Works
in 1873 and was a professor of experimental philosophy at West Point until he retired in 1881. He served as a member of the Board of Visitors for the academy in 1879.
Buckingham died in Chicago, Illinois, at the age of 80, and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Zanesville. He is one of six former Civil War generals buried in that city.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soldier, college professor, author, and industrialist. He served as a general in the Union Army
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...
, and was the main assistant to the U.S. Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton
Edwin M. Stanton
Edwin McMasters Stanton was an American lawyer and politician who served as Secretary of War under the Lincoln Administration during the American Civil War from 1862–1865...
, during part of the first term of the Lincoln Administration.
Early life and career
Buckingham was born and raised in the Putnam section of Zanesville, OhioZanesville, Ohio
Zanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. The population was 25,586 at the 2000 census.Zanesville was named after Ebenezer Zane, who had constructed Zane's Trace, a pioneer road through present-day Ohio...
, the only child of Ebenezer and Catharine Putnam Buckingham. He was a grandson of Rufus Putnam
Rufus Putnam
Rufus Putnam was a colonial military officer during the French and Indian War, and a general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War...
of American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
fame. He graduated from the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
sixth in the Class of 1829. He subsequently served as a second lieutenant in the 3rd U.S. Artillery on topographical duty. Buckingham married Mary Gird on July 5, 1830, in Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
. He was Assistant Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy at West Point from October 1830 to August 28, 1831. He resigned from the Army in 1831.
From 1833 to 1836, he was a professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at Kenyon College
Kenyon College
Kenyon College is a private liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio, founded in 1824 by Bishop Philander Chase of The Episcopal Church, in parallel with the Bexley Hall seminary. It is the oldest private college in Ohio...
. During that time, he remarried, this time to Mary P. Turner on August 24, 1835. He was later the proprietor of the Kokosing Iron Works in Knox County, Ohio
Knox County, Ohio
Knox County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of 2010, the population was 60,921. Its county seat is Mount Vernon and is named for Henry Knox, an officer in the American Revolutionary War who was later the first Secretary of War....
.
Buckingham married a third time, on August 26, 1845, to Marion A. Hawkes.
Civil War and postbellum career
At the outbreak of the Civil War, he was appointed assistant adjutant generalAdjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
of the Ohio Commissary in May 1861 and was promoted to adjutant general in July. A year later, in July 1862, he was promoted 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...
of U.S. Volunteers, and was assigned to special duty as assistant to the Secretary of War at the War Department
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and served until he resigned on February 11, 1863.
After his war service, he authored a textbook, New Arithmetic on the Unit System, (Philadelphia, 1869). He is also credited as having written Principles of Arithmetic in 1871. He became president of the Chicago Steel Works
Inland Steel Company
The Inland Steel Company was a U.S. steel company active in 1893-1998. Its history as an independent firm thus spanned much of the 20th century. It was headquartered in Chicago, Illinois at the landmark Inland Steel Building....
in 1873 and was a professor of experimental philosophy at West Point until he retired in 1881. He served as a member of the Board of Visitors for the academy in 1879.
Buckingham died in Chicago, Illinois, at the age of 80, and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Zanesville. He is one of six former Civil War generals buried in that city.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals
Further reading
- Arney, Chris, West Point's Scientific 200: Celebration of the Bicentennial. Biographies of 200 of West Point's Most Successful and Influential Mathematicians, Scientists, Engineers, and Technologists, 2002.