Henry Brewerton | |
|---|---|
 Henry Brewerton | |
| Born | (1801-09-25)September 25, 1801 New York City,New York |
| Died | April 17, 1879(1879-04-17) (aged 77) Wilmington,Delaware |
| Place of burial | |
| Allegiance | United States of America Union |
| Service | United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1819–1867 |
| Rank |  Colonel Brevetbrigadier general |
| Commands | Superintendent, United States Military Academy |
| Battles / wars | American Civil War |
Henry Brewerton (September 25, 1801 – April 17, 1879) was a career engineering officer in theUnited States Army, serving as the superintendent of theUnited States Military Academy and then as acolonel in theUnion Army during theAmerican Civil War. He was nominated for appointment to the grade ofbrevetbrigadier general in theRegular Army (United States) byPresidentAndrew Johnson on December 11, 1866, to rank from March 13, 1865, and theUnited States Senate confirmed the appointment on February 23, 1867.
Henry Brewerton was born in New York City, New York.[1] He lost his parents at a very early age, but, under the guardianship of future governor of New York and vice president of the United StatesDaniel D. Tompkins, entered theUnited States Military Academy atWest Point, New York, two months before his 12th birthday – making him the youngest cadet in the history of West Point.
He graduated on July 1, 1819, 5th in a class of 29 cadets and was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant the same day.[1] He was not yet 18 years old at the time of his commencement.[1][2] After a brief tour atRouses Point helping to survey and establish the 45th parallel along the border between the United States andCanada, Brewerton taught engineering at the academy. Apparently, his survey of Rouse's Point was inaccurate as it was later discovered thatFort Montgomery had been built on land that really belonged to Canada. This resulted in the boundary line being shifted.
After a year at West Point, Brewerton had a number of temporary assignments building fortifications in Delaware, Georgia and New York Harbor. He oversaw construction ofFort Jackson in Louisiana from 1824 to 1827 and atFort Adams inNewport, Rhode Island, from 1827 to 1828. During his stay in Newport his wife died. He was promoted to 1st lieutenant on January 1, 1825.
Brewerton then served as superintending engineer of the construction of the defenses ofCharleston harbor from 1828 to 1832 and then of theCumberland Road (a.k.a. National Road), one of the country's first highways, in Ohio from 1832 to 1836. He was promoted to captain on September 21, 1836.[1] He then oversaw the improvement of theHudson River in New York from 1836 to 1842 and of the construction of Ft. Montgomery, Rouse's Point, New York from 1841 to 1845.
He returned to West Point assuperintendent of the military academy on August 15, 1845.[1] Replaced on September 1, 1852, byRobert E. Lee, he then took charge of the construction ofFort Carroll nearBaltimore, Maryland, for the next few years. Brewerton was promoted tomajor of engineers on August 23, 1856, after almost 19 years in the rank ofcaptain.[1][3]
At the outset of the conflict in April 1861, Brewerton was on an extended tour of Western Europe, Greece,Palestine, andEgypt, escorted byZealous B. Tower. Promoted tolieutenant colonel, on August 6, 1861, Brewerton was thereafter superintending engineer of the fortifications and improvements ofBaltimore Harbor,Fort Monroe, andHampton Roads. He was promoted to colonel on April 22, 1864.[1]
On December 11, 1866,PresidentAndrew Johnson nominated Brewerton for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general in the regular army, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the United States Senate confirmed the appointment on February 23, 1867.[4]
Brewerton retired on March 7, 1867, 12 days after his appointment as a brevet brigadier general was confirmed by the US Senate. He had served in the U.S. Army for more than 47 years active service, not including his almost 6 years as a cadet at West Point.[1] He spent his last years inDelaware.
Brewerton died atWilmington, Delaware, on April 17, 1879, and is buried with his wife, who had pre-deceased him, at theIsland Cemetery inNewport,Rhode Island.[1]
His sonGeorge Douglas Brewerton was a noted painter, poet, and journalist. Another son was Major Henry F. Brewerton, a Civil War veteran, who served in the 5th Artillery from 1861 until his retirement in 1892.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Superintendents of the United States Military Academy 1845 - 1852 | Succeeded by |
