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John Newton Biography

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NEWTON, John (1823-95). An American military and civil engineer and soldier. He was born in Virginia and was educated at West Point, receiving a commission in the Corps of Engineers on his graduation in 1842. After serving as assistant professor of engineering at the United States Military Academy for three years, he was occupied with the construction of fortifications and river and harbor improvement on the Atlantic coast. During the Civil War, after receiving the rank of brigadier general of volunteers, he was summoned to assist in constructing the defenses of Washington. He took part in the battles of Gaines's Mill, Glendale, South Mountain, and Antietam, and in command of a division he was present at Fredericksburg, at Salem, and at Gettysburg. In the invasion of Georgia he led a division of the Army of the Cumberland through all the engagements preceding the capture of Atlanta, and March 13, 1865, he was made brevet major general in the United States army. After the war he was occupied in strengthening the defenses of New York harbor, in removing the obstacles to navigation at Hell Gate (q.v.) and other portions of the East River, in harbor improvements at Lake Champlain and in New York harbor. On June 30, 1879, he attained the rank of colonel in the Corps of Engineers; in 1884 was made brigadier general and chief of engineers; retired in 1886. He was commissioner of public works, New York City, 1887-88, a position which he resigned to become president of the Panama Railroad Company in 1888.