John Newton graduated 2nd in his class of 56 from the U.S Military Academy in 1842. His branch of service was the engineers. After graduating he taught engineering at West Point for three years and then devoted himself to the construction of fortifications. The outbreak of the Civil War found him Chief Engineer of the Department of Pennsylvania and he assisted in preparing the defenses of Washington. The rank of Brigadier General of Volunteers was given to him in September, 1861, and he remained with the organization which was eventually to became the First Corps, Army of the Potomac.

As Brigade and Division commander, he was made Major General of Volunteers in March, 1863. He fought at Gaines' Mill, Glendale, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg.

At Gettysburg, he succeeded to the command of the Corps after Reynolds' death on July 1, 1863, and led it until it was discontinued on March 24, 1864. His appointment as Major General of Volunteers expired in April ,1864 and with his former title, he succeeded Sheridan in a Division of the Fourth Corps, Army of the Cumberland. In the Atlanta Campaign, he commanded the Second Division, Fourth Corps, Army of the Cumberland at Rocky Face Ridge, Dalton, Adairsville, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, Jonesboro and Lovejoy. He was breveted for Antietam, Gettysburg, Peach Tree Creek and war service.

After the war, he continued in the regular army and reached the grade of Brigadier General in 1884, being retired in 1886.

Biography: Confederate Gen. Nathan "Shanks" Evans

Back to The Zouave Vol X No. 1 Table of Contents
© Copyright 1996 The American Civil War Society

This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com