Charles Kinnaird Graham | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1824-06-03)June 3, 1824 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | April 15, 1889(1889-04-15) (aged 64) Lakewood, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Place of burial | Woodlawn Cemetery,The Bronx, New York |
| Allegiance | United States of America Union |
| Branch | United States Navy United States Army Union Army |
| Service years | 1841–1848 (Navy) 1861–1865 (Army) |
| Rank |  Midshipman (Navy) Brigadier General (Army) BrevetMajor General |
| Commands | 74th New York Infantry 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division,III Corps 1st Brigade, 1st Division,III Corps 3rd Division,III Corps (temporary) Naval Brigade,XIII Corps |
| Conflicts | |
| Spouse | Mary (died 1888) |
Charles Kinnaird Graham (June 3, 1824 – April 15, 1889) was a sailor in theantebellumUnited States Navy, attorney, and later abrigadier general in theUnion Army during theAmerican Civil War. As acivil engineer, he helped plan and lay outCentral Park inNew York City.
Charles Kinnaird Graham was born on June 3, 1824, in the ninth ward ofNew York City, to John A. Graham.[1][2][3] His father was a lawyer.[3] He entered the Navy in October 1841, at the age of 17 and served as amidshipman in theGulf of Mexico during theMexican–American War, resigning his commission in May 1848. Later he studied civil engineering and was for several years after 1857 constructing engineer of theBrooklyn Navy Yard. During this time he was amajor,lieutenant colonel and, finally,colonel in theNew York Militia.[1][2]
At the outbreak of theAmerican Civil War, on May 26, 1861, he entered theUnion Army ascolonel of the74th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment,[1] of one of theregiments of the "Excelsior Brigade." He resigned on April 10, 1862, but was restored to the colonelcy of the regiment during thePeninsula Campaign on May 26, 1862.[1][2] On November 9, 1862, he was appointedbrigadier general of volunteers to rank from November 29, 1862[4] and assumed command of the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division,III Corps. At theBattle of Chancellorsville he commanded the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, III Corps. Upon the mortal wounding ofAmiel W. Whipple, Graham assumed command of the 3rd Division, III Corps on the last day of the battle, May 4, 1863, through June 20, 1863.[1] He returned to command the 1st Brigade, 1st Division in June during theGettysburg campaign. During theBattle of Gettysburg, Graham's brigade defended the Union position along the Emmitsburg Road, particularly the area of theSherfy peach orchard. He was wounded in the hip and shoulders on July 2 and taken prisoner by the Confederates.[1] He was sent to a prison camp inRichmond until he wasexchanged (forJames L. Kemper) on September 19, 1863.[1]
Upon his recovery, he was assigned byMajor GeneralBenjamin Butler to the command of agunboat flotilla on theJames River labeled the "Naval Brigade" and was attached to theXVIII Corps,Army of the James from April 28, 1864, to February 17, 1865.[1][2] Graham led the Naval Brigade during theFirst Battle of Fort Fisher. When the Union forces of the First Fort Fisher expedition returned to Virginia, Graham commanded the defenses ofBermuda Hundred, February 19, 1865, to March 19, 1865, and later the garrison ofNorfolk, Virginia from March 19, 1865, to July 1865.[1] He was mustered out of the volunteers on August 24, 1865.[1]
On January 13, 1866,PresidentAndrew Johnson nominated Graham for appointment to the grade ofbrevetmajor general of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, and theUnited States Senate confirmed the appointment on March 12, 1866.[2][5]
After the war, Graham returned to New York and resumed the practice of civil engineering. From 1873 to 1875, he was chief engineer of the dock department. From 1878 to 1883, he was surveyor of the port of New York.[2] He held the post of naval officer from 1883 to 1885.[2] He also worked with the Broadway Pavement Commission and the Beach Pneumatic Transit Company.[6]
Graham married Mary. His wife died in 1888.[2][7]
He died ofpneumonia at the Laurel House inLakewood, New Jersey, on April 15, 1889.[1][2] He was buried inWoodlawn Cemetery,The Bronx,New York City.[1][8]
Attribution
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Wilson, J. G.;Fiske, J., eds. (1891)."Graham, Charles Kinnaird".Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. New York: D. Appleton.
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