John F. Reynolds

John Reynolds
Maj. Gen. John F. Reynolds
Born	(1820-09-20)September 20, 1820 Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Died	July 1, 1863(1863-07-01) (aged 42) Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Place of burial	Lancaster Cemetery, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Allegiance	United States of America Union
Service/branch	United States Army Union Army
Years of service	1841–1863
Rank	Major General
Commands held	I Corps, Army of the Potomac
Battles/wars	Mexican-American War Battle of Monterrey Battle of Buena Vista American Civil War Seven Days Battles Second Battle of Bull Run Battle of Fredericksburg Battle of Chancellorsville Battle of Gettysburg  †

Mexican-American War

American Civil War

John Fulton Reynolds (September 20, 1820 – July 1, 1863) was a career United States Army officer and a general in the American Civil War. One of the Union Army's most respected senior commanders, he played a key role in committing the Army of the Potomac to the Battle of Gettysburg and was killed at the start of the battle.

Reynolds was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, one of nine surviving children of John Reynolds (1787–1853) and Lydia Moore Reynolds (1794–1843). Two of his brothers were James LeFevre Reynolds, Quartermaster General of Pennsylvania, and Rear Admiral Will Reynolds. Prior to his military training, Reynolds studied in nearby Lititz, about 6 miles (9.7 km) from his home in Lancaster. Next he attended a school in Long Green, Maryland, and finally the Lancaster County Academy.

Reynolds was nominated to the United States Military Academy in 1837 by Senator James Buchanan, a family friend, and graduated 26th of 50 cadets in the class of 1841. He was commissioned a brevet second lieutenant in the 3rd U.S. Artillery, assigned to Fort McHenry. From 1842 to 1845 he was assigned to St. Augustine, Florida, and Fort Moultrie, South Carolina, before joining Zachary Taylor's army at Corpus Christi, Texas, for the Mexican-American War. He was awarded two brevet promotions in Mexico—to captain for gallantry at Monterrey and to major for Buena Vista, where his section of guns prevented the Mexican cavalry from outflanking the American left. During the war, he became friends with fellow officers Winfield Scott Hancock and Lewis A. Armistead.