James St. Clair Morton
| James St. Clair Morton | |
|---|---|
Brig. Gen. James St. Clair Morton
|
|
| Born |
September 24, 1829 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Died | June 17, 1864 (aged 34) Petersburg, Virginia † |
| Place of burial | Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Allegiance |
United States of America Union |
| Service/branch |
United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1851–1864 |
| Rank |
 Brigadier General
|
| Commands held |
Chief Engineer, Army of the Ohio Pioneer Brigade, Army of the Cumberland Chief Engineer, IX Corps |
| Battles/wars | |
Chief Engineer, Army of the Ohio
Pioneer Brigade, Army of the Cumberland
James St. Clair Morton (September 24, 1829 – June 17, 1864) was an American soldier, engineer and writer. He served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War, primarily serving in the Western Theater.
Morton was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Samuel George Morton and Rebecca Pearsall, the oldest of eight children. At the age of 14, he entered the University of Pennsylvania and when he was 18, he attended the United States Military Academy, where, in 1851, he graduated 2nd in a class of 42. He was assigned to the Corps of Engineers and was the assistant engineer of construction of forts around Charleston, SC, such as Fort Sumter, from 1851 to 1852. Afterwards, he was the assistant engineer of construction at Fort Delaware until 1855, when he returned to the United States Military Academy to teach as an assistant professor of mathematics and military engineering for two years. On April 1, 1854, Morton was promoted to second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers.
Rejecting the contemporary military strategy of the time, Morton became a strong advocate of Dennis Hart Mahan and was considered one of his best-known students. He would write essays to Secretary of War John B. Floyd regarding Mahan's principals, and on request from Floyd, evaulated Colonel Joseph Totten's plans to defend New York City. The findings were presented to Floyd in his Memoir on the Dangers and Defenses of New York City, which showed that improvement was needed.
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