Oscar Veniah Dayton was a commercial agent and broker, and an officer

Officer (armed forces)

An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...

 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...

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Early life

Dayton was born at Catskill

Catskill (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....

, New York, the son of John Harvey Dayton and Charlotte Tompkins.

Civil War

Dayton enlisted in the 62nd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment

62nd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment

The Anderson Zouaves was a New York volunteer regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.It was raised under special authority of the War Department in New York City by Col...

, the Anderson Zouaves, at New York, NY on April 22, 1861 and was commissioned Major on July 3, 1861.

He served under John Lafayette Riker

John Lafayette Riker

John Lafayette Riker was an American attorney and an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was killed in action at the Battle of Fair Oaks during the Peninsula Campaign.-Early life:...

. Following Riker's death at the Battle of Fair Oaks on May 31, 1862, David John Nevin

David John Nevin

David John Nevin was an American officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Early life:Prior to enlisting in the Anderson Zouaves Infantry Regiment of New York , Nevin had worked as a coal merchant in New York City.-Civil War:Nevin enlisted in the Union Army on April 27, 1861, at New...

 was promoted to Colonel and Dayton was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on the field.

He was wounded at Malvern Hill

Malvern Hill

Malvern Hill stands on the north bank of the James River in Henrico County, Virginia, USA, about eighteen miles southeast of Richmond. On 1 July 1862, it was the scene of the Battle of Malvern Hill, one of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War....

 on July 1, 1862. Dayton was discharged from the Regiment on 21 November 1862, and transferred to the Veterans Reserve Corps, where he was first Lieutenant Colonel of the 1st VRC, then Colonel and commander of the 19th VRC. He was brevetted Brigadier General, US Volunteers on March 13, 1865 for "faithful and meritorious services".

Later life

Dayton died in London, England, and is buried there, at Brompton Cemetery

Brompton Cemetery

Brompton Cemetery is located near Earl's Court in South West London, England . It is managed by The Royal Parks and is one of the Magnificent Seven...

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