Henry Ware Lawton

Henry Ware Lawton
Major-General Henry Ware Lawton, Meserve Collection
Born	(1843-03-17)March 17, 1843 Maumee, Ohio
Died	December 19, 1899(1899-12-19) (aged 56)
Place of burial	initially Manila's North Cemetery then Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1861–1865, 1866–1899
Rank	Major-General
Unit	Company A, 30th Indiana Infantry
Battles/wars	American Civil War Battle of Philippi Battle of Laurel Hill Battle of Corrick's Ford Battle of Shiloh Battle of Corinth Battle of Chickamauga Atlanta Campaign Texas-Indian Wars Battle of Palo Duro Canyon Apache Wars Geronimo Campaign Spanish–American War Battle of Las Guasimas Battle of El Caney Siege of Santiago Philippine–American War Battle of Santa Cruz Battle of Zapote Bridge Battle of San Isidro Battle of Paye
Awards	Medal of Honor

American Civil War

Texas-Indian Wars

Apache Wars

Spanish–American War

Philippine–American War

Henry Ware Lawton (March 17, 1843 – December 19, 1899) was a highly respected U.S. Army officer who served with distinction in the Civil War, the Apache Wars, the Spanish–American War and was the only U.S. general officer to be killed during the Philippine–American War. The city of Lawton, Oklahoma, takes its name from General Lawton, and also a borough in the city of Havana, Cuba.

Lawton was born on March 17, 1843, in Maumee, Ohio. He was the son of George W. Lawton, a millwright, and Catherine (née Daley) who had been married in December 1836. Henry had two brothers, George S., and Manley Chapin.

In 1843, Lawton's father moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, to work on a mill. The family followed him the same year. George went to California in 1850 to build shakers for the gold miners. He returned to Ft. Wayne later in 1853 and shortly after, on January 21, 1854, his wife Catherine died. She had been living with family members in or near Birmingham and Sandusky, Ohio during George's absence. According to accounts given by Andrew J. Barney, a resident of the area and family friend, given years later, Henry attended public school in Florence Twp., Ohio 1850 to 1854. Mr. Barney married the sister of Henry's mother in 1856 and for a time, Henry lived with the Barney family, and with his aunt, Marie Lawton, of Sandusky. He traveled with his father to Iowa and Missouri in 1857, returning to Ft. Wayne in 1858. He enrolled at the Methodist Episcopal College in 1858 and was studying there when the Civil War began.

Lawton was among the first to respond to President Lincoln's call for three-month volunteers. He enlisted in Company E of the 9th Indiana Volunteers, and was mustered into service on 24 April 1861 as one of the four company sergeants. He saw action at Philippi, Laurel Hill, and Corrick's Ford, in what is now West Virginia. He was mustered on 29 July 1861 and returned home. Colonel Sion S. Bass was then organizing the 30th Indiana Infantry, and Lawton re-enlisted.