Newton Martin Curtis

Newton Martin Curtis
Newton Martin Curtis
Born	(1835-05-21)May 21, 1835 De Peyster, New York
Died	January 8, 1910(1910-01-08) (aged 74) New York City, New York
Place of burial	Ogdensburg Cemetery, Ogdensburg, New York
Allegiance	United States of America Union
Service/branch	United States Army Union Army
Years of service	1861–1866
Rank	Brigadier General Brevet Major General
Unit	16th New York Infantry
Commands held	142nd New York Volunteer Infantry
Awards	Medal of Honor
Other work	New York Congressman

Newton Martin Curtis (May 21, 1835 – January 8, 1910) was a Union officer during the American Civil War and a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York.

Curtis was born in De Peyster, New York. Upon graduating from the Gouverneur Wesleyan Seminary, Curtis became a teacher, lawyer, and postmaster of De Peyster. In the year prior to the Civil War, he was working as a farmer.

Curtis stood an impressive 6' 7" tall and weighed 225 pounds. His enormous size for the time period prompted even Abraham Lincoln to quip, "Mr. Curtis, how do you know when your feet are cold?" His stature became an issue of concern to his family when the Civil War began as they felt he would surely be an easy target for enemy bullets.

On May 15, 1861, Curtis volunteered in the Union Army as a captain in Company G of the 16th New York Infantry. He fought in the Peninsula Campaign and was wounded in a minor engagement at West Point, Virginia. On October 23, 1862, he transferred to the 142nd New York Volunteer Infantry, serving as lieutenant colonel until his promotion to colonel on January 21, 1865. As commander of the 142nd New York Infantry, he fought in the Bermuda Hundred Campaign of May 1864. He took command of the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, X Corps, during the Siege of Petersburg. Curtis received a brevet promotion to brigadier general on October 28, 1864, for his actions at the Battle of New Market Heights.