Gershom Mott
Encyclopedia
Gershom Mott was a United States Army
officer and a General in the Union Army
, a commander in the Eastern Theater
of the American Civil War
.
, a town outside of Trenton
. He was the grandson of American Revolutionary War
Captain John Mott
, who guided General George Washington
’s army down the Delaware River
to the celebrated victory at the Battle of Trenton
. The reliability of this claim has recently come under question. His parents were Gershom and Phebe (or Phoebe) Rose Scudder Mott. Gershom Mott was the youngest of five children. He received his education at the Trenton Academy, which is now the Trenton Public Library (Main Branch). Gershom Mott began to work when he was only fourteen years old as a sales clerk in a dry goods store in New York City
. He became a second lieutenant in the 10th U.S. Infantry during the Mexican-American War. On August 8, 1849, Gershom Mott married Elizabeth Smith. They had one child, Kate, who recorded and published the family genealogy in later years. From 1849 to 1861, Mott held a variety of jobs in New Jersey with the Lamberton Port, Bordentown, Delaware & Raritan Canal Co., and the Bordentown Bank.
of the 5th New Jersey Infantry, part of the Army of the Potomac
. His regiment fought in the Peninsula Campaign
and shortly after the Battle of Williamsburg
he was promoted to colonel
and command of the 6th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry
. He was commended for bravery in the Battle of Seven Pines
, but he and his regiment saw little action in the Seven Days Battles
.
During the Second Battle of Bull Run
, Mott was severely wounded in the arm and for his bravery was promoted to brigadier general
on September 7, 1862. He was forced to recuperate during the Battle of Antietam
and returned to the Army just after the Battle of Fredericksburg
. Mott led a brigade in the III Corps
at the Battle of Chancellorsville
, but was again seriously wounded and missed the subsequent Gettysburg Campaign
. His brigade was commanded by Colonel George C. Burling
during that engagement.
Mott returned to duty in the fall of 1863 and led his brigade in the Bristoe
and Mine Run campaigns. He commanded the 4th Division of the II Corps
during the 1864 Overland Campaign
. At the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
his division suffered such heavy losses during an assault on the Mule Shoe that they were dispersed and the division discontinued despite Mott's protests. In addition, Mott and his division, once the proud command of Maj. Gen.
Joseph Hooker
, were thought unreliable by Winfield S. Hancock and Francis C. Barlow
. Mott continued as a brigade commander under Maj. Gen. David B. Birney
and was restored to division command (3rd Division, II Corps) in July, performing well during the Siege of Petersburg
and the Appomattox Campaign
. He was one of the few Union officers to be commended for his actions in the disastrous Battle of the Crater
, for which he was given a brevet
promotion to major general. Three days before the Confederate surrender at Appomattox, Mott was wounded in the leg at the Battle of Amelia Springs
. (Régis de Trobriand
served as acting division commander for the remainder of the campaign.) He attained by war's end a reputation for competency and bravery. On December 1, 1865, he was promoted to major general, effective May 26, 1865.
, and major general and commander of the New Jersey National Guard
(1873–1884). He died in New York City
and was given a full military funeral. He is buried in Riverview Cemetery in Trenton.
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...
officer and 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...
, a commander in the Eastern Theater
Eastern Theater of the American Civil War
The Eastern Theater of the American Civil War included the states of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, and the coastal fortifications and seaports of North Carolina...
of 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...
.
Early life
General Mott was born in Lamberton, New JerseyLamberton, New Jersey
Lamberton was the name of a port community in New Jersey in the United States of America. It was located on the Delaware River and is now considered an area that is part of Trenton, New Jersey....
, a town outside of Trenton
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
. He was the grandson 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...
Captain John Mott
John Mott (captain)
John Mott was a Captain in the 1st Hunterdon Regiment of the New Jersey militia during the American Revolutionary War. He served as a guide to General George Washington and the Continental Army during their march down along the Delaware River prior to the Battle of Trenton.- Early life :Captain...
, who guided General George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
’s army down the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
to the celebrated victory at the Battle of Trenton
Battle of Trenton
The Battle of Trenton took place on December 26, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, after General George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River north of Trenton, New Jersey. The hazardous crossing in adverse weather made it possible for Washington to lead the main body of the...
. The reliability of this claim has recently come under question. His parents were Gershom and Phebe (or Phoebe) Rose Scudder Mott. Gershom Mott was the youngest of five children. He received his education at the Trenton Academy, which is now the Trenton Public Library (Main Branch). Gershom Mott began to work when he was only fourteen years old as a sales clerk in a dry goods store in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He became a second lieutenant in the 10th U.S. Infantry during the Mexican-American War. On August 8, 1849, Gershom Mott married Elizabeth Smith. They had one child, Kate, who recorded and published the family genealogy in later years. From 1849 to 1861, Mott held a variety of jobs in New Jersey with the Lamberton Port, Bordentown, Delaware & Raritan Canal Co., and the Bordentown Bank.
Civil War
In the summer after the start of the Civil War, Mott was appointed the lieutenant colonelLieutenant 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...
of the 5th New Jersey Infantry, part of the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
. His regiment fought in the Peninsula Campaign
Peninsula Campaign
The Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The operation, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B...
and shortly after the Battle of Williamsburg
Battle of Williamsburg
The Battle of Williamsburg, also known as the Battle of Fort Magruder, took place on May 5, 1862, in York County, James City County, and Williamsburg, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War...
he was promoted to colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
and command of the 6th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry
6th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry
The 6th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry was regiment of infantry from New Jersey that served in the Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War.-Service:...
. He was commended for bravery in the Battle of Seven Pines
Battle of Seven Pines
The Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks or Fair Oaks Station, took place on May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive up the Virginia Peninsula by Union Maj. Gen....
, but he and his regiment saw little action in the Seven Days Battles
Seven Days Battles
The Seven Days Battles was a series of six major battles over the seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, away from...
.
During the Second Battle of Bull Run
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...
, Mott was severely wounded in the arm and for his bravery was promoted to 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...
on September 7, 1862. He was forced to recuperate during the Battle of Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
and returned to the Army just after the Battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
. Mott led a brigade in the III Corps
III Corps (ACW)
There were four formations in the Union Army designated as III Corps during the American Civil War.Three were short-lived:*In the Army of Virginia:**Irvin McDowell ;**James B...
at the Battle of Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign. It was fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville. Two related battles were fought nearby on...
, but was again seriously wounded and missed the subsequent Gettysburg Campaign
Gettysburg Campaign
The Gettysburg Campaign was a series of battles fought in June and July 1863, during the American Civil War. After his victory in the Battle of Chancellorsville, Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia moved north for offensive operations in Maryland and Pennsylvania. The...
. His brigade was commanded by Colonel George C. Burling
George C. Burling
George Childs Burling was a United States Union Army officer during the American Civil War, serving mostly as colonel and commander of the 6th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry. Burling was born in Burlington County, New Jersey, raised on his father's farm and educated at a private school in...
during that engagement.
Mott returned to duty in the fall of 1863 and led his brigade in the Bristoe
Bristoe Campaign
The Bristoe Campaign was a series of minor battles fought in Virginia during October and November 1863, in the American Civil War. Maj. Gen. George G. Meade, commanding the Union Army of the Potomac, began to maneuver in an unsuccessful attempt to defeat Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern...
and Mine Run campaigns. He commanded the 4th Division of the II Corps
II Corps (ACW)
There were five corps in the Union Army designated as II Corps during the American Civil War.* Army of the Cumberland, II Corps commanded by Thomas L. Crittenden , later renumbered XX Corps...
during the 1864 Overland Campaign
Overland Campaign
The Overland Campaign, also known as Grant's Overland Campaign and the Wilderness Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and June 1864, in the American Civil War. Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all Union armies, directed the actions of the Army of the...
. At the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania , was the second major battle in Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Overland Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the bloody but inconclusive Battle of the Wilderness, Grant's army disengaged...
his division suffered such heavy losses during an assault on the Mule Shoe that they were dispersed and the division discontinued despite Mott's protests. In addition, Mott and his division, once the proud command of Maj. Gen.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Joseph Hooker
Joseph Hooker
Joseph Hooker was a career United States Army officer, achieving the rank of major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Although he served throughout the war, usually with distinction, Hooker is best remembered for his stunning defeat by Confederate General Robert E...
, were thought unreliable by Winfield S. Hancock and Francis C. Barlow
Francis C. Barlow
Francis Channing Barlow was a lawyer, politician, and Union General during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
. Mott continued as a brigade commander under Maj. Gen. David B. Birney
David B. Birney
David Bell Birney was a businessman, lawyer, and a Union General in the American Civil War.-Early life:Birney was born in Huntsville, Alabama, the son of an abolitionist from Kentucky, James G. Birney. The Birney family returned to Kentucky in 1833, and James Birney freed his slaves...
and was restored to division command (3rd Division, II Corps) in July, performing well during the Siege of Petersburg
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...
and the Appomattox Campaign
Appomattox Campaign
The Appomattox Campaign was a series of battles fought March 29 – April 9, 1865, in Virginia that culminated in the surrender of Confederate General Robert E...
. He was one of the few Union officers to be commended for his actions in the disastrous Battle of the Crater
Battle of the Crater
The Battle of the Crater was a battle of the American Civil War, part of the Siege of Petersburg. It took place on July 30, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert E. Lee and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Major General George G. Meade The...
, for which he was given 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...
promotion to major general. Three days before the Confederate surrender at Appomattox, Mott was wounded in the leg at the Battle of Amelia Springs
Battle of Amelia Springs
The Battle of Amelia Springs, Virginia was a minor engagement that occurred on April 5, 1865 during the Appomattox Campaign of the American Civil War...
. (Régis de Trobriand
Régis de Trobriand
Philippe Régis Denis de Keredern de Trobriand was a French aristocrat, lawyer, poet, and novelist who emigrated at a young age to the United States...
served as acting division commander for the remainder of the campaign.) He attained by war's end a reputation for competency and bravery. On December 1, 1865, he was promoted to major general, effective May 26, 1865.
Postbellum
Mott resigned his volunteer commission on February 20, 1866. In 1868 he was offered a commission as colonel in the regular army, but chose to remain in civilian life. He served briefly as an executive with the Camden & Amboy Railroad and as a banker, but spent the remainder of his life in various offices in the state government of New Jersey: state treasurer, warden of the New Jersey State PrisonNew Jersey State Prison
The New Jersey State Prison , formerly known as Trenton State Prison, is a state prison in Trenton, New Jersey operated by the New Jersey Department of Corrections. It accommodated over 1,900 prisoners as of January, 2005....
, and major general and commander of the New Jersey National Guard
New Jersey National Guard
The New Jersey Army National Guard consists of over 9000 Guardsmen. The Guard is currently engaged in several worldwide and homeland missions. Units have deployed to Iraq, Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, Germany and Egypt...
(1873–1884). He died in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and was given a full military funeral. He is buried in Riverview Cemetery in Trenton.
Namesake
For Gershom Mott's dedication to New Jersey and his country the residents of the city of Trenton renamed the Sixth Ward School Gershom Mott Elementary School in 1896.See also
- List of American Civil War generals