Lewis Cass Hunt
Lewis Cass Hunt (February 23, 1824 – September 6, 1886) was a United States Army officer who served as a general in the American Civil War.
Lewis Cass Hunt | |
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| Born | 23 February 1824 Green Bay, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | 6 September 1886 (aged 62) Fort Union, New Mexico Territory |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ | United States Army |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
| Unit | 4th U.S. Infantry Regiment 20th U.S. Infantry Regiment |
| Commands held | 92nd New York Infantry Regiment 14th U.S. Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Pig War American Civil War |
Early life
Hunt was born on 23 February 1824 at Fort Howard in Green Bay, Wisconsin.[1] He was the son of Samuel Wellington Hunt, his brother being fellow general Henry Jackson Hunt.[2] He entered the United States Military Academy in 1843 and graduated in 1847, ranking 33rd out of 38.[1][3] Serving in the 4th U.S. Infantry Regiment; after being promoted to captain Hunt served as the commander of the U.S. force on San Juan Island in 1859.[1] Hunt was relieved from duty on San Juan Island in April 1860 by George Pickett.[4]
Civil War
When the civil war began Hunt accepted a commission in the United States Volunteers and became Colonel of the 92nd New York Infantry Regiment. With his regiment he participated in the Peninsula Campaign in 1862 and was wounded during the Battle of Seven Pines.[1][5] While recovering in North Carolina, on 29 November 1862, he was made a Brigadier General in the volunteers.[3] In this position he served in the attack against Kingston.[1] Hunt received a brevet promotion to Lieutenant Colonel in the regular army for his actions at Kingston.[3] He then led various brigades of the XVIII Corps down in the Carolinas, became Major of the 14th U.S. Infantry Regiment and in mid-1863 transferred back north. He commanded a draft depot in Connecticut until early 1864 and then served in New York for the rest of the war.[3] Hunt received the rank of Brevet Brigadier General in the Regular Army for meritorious service during the war with rank from 13 March 1865[1] and was then mustered out on 1 September 1865.[6]
Later life
After the Civil War, Hunt served at multiple military installations including Fort Wayne, Indiana and Fort Totten, North Dakota.[1] During this period he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the army as well as Colonel in the 14th Infantry in 1881.[1][3] Due to a history of dysentery, Hunt was sent to Fort Union, New Mexico, in August 1886 for health problems.[1] He died there on 6 September 1886 of dysentery.[1] He is buried at the National Cemetery in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.[3]
References
- Warner, Ezra J. (1964). Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders. United States: LSU Press. p. 243. ISBN 9780807108222.
- Unknown, Unknown (1891). Magazine of New England History, Volumes 1-3. United States: Risbrough Hammett Tilley. p. 100. ISBN 9781141505159.
- Eicher, John; Eicher, David (2002). Civil War High Commands. United States: Stanford University Press. p. 310. ISBN 9780804780353.
- "Civil War Connections - San Juan Island National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2021-05-01.
- Heitman, Francis Bernard (1903). Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army: From Its Organization, September 29, 1789, to March 2, 1903, Volume 1. United States: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1903. p. 556. ISBN 9781528219921.
- Reid, Whitelaw (1868). Ohio in the War, Her Statesmen, Generals and Soldiers. United States: Eclectic Publishing Company. p. 390. ISBN 9781177893015.