Charles Memorial Hamilton
Encyclopedia
Charles Memorial Hamilton (November 1, 1840 – October 22, 1875) was a US Representative from Florida
.
, Clinton County, Pennsylvania
; attended the public schools and was graduated from the Columbia Law School, Columbia, Pennsylvania
.
During the American Civil War
, Hamilton entered the Union Army
as a private
in 1861 and served in Company A, Fifth Regiment, Pennsylvania Reserves
; appointed judge advocate of the general court-martial and general pass officer for the Army of the Potomac
; served on the staff of the Military Governor of Washington, D.C.
, until transferred to Marianna, Florida
in 1865.
He was admitted to the bar in 1867 and commenced practice in Marianna, Fla.; upon the readmission of the State of Florida to representation was elected as a Republican
to the Fortieth and Forty-first Congresses and served from July 1, 1868, to March 3, 1871; unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1870; appointed senior major general of the Florida Militia in February 1871; postmaster
of Jacksonville, Florida
from July 27, 1871, to March 1, 1872; appointed collector of customs at Key West, Florida
, in February 1873; resigned on account of ill health; died in Pine Creek Township, Clinton County, Pa.; interment in Jersey Shore Cemetery.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
Biography
Born in Pine Creek TownshipPine Creek Township, Pennsylvania
Pine Creek Township is the name of some places in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania:*Pine Creek Township, Clinton County, Pennsylvania*Pine Creek Township, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania...
, Clinton County, Pennsylvania
Clinton County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 37,914 people, 14,773 households, and 9,927 families residing in the county. The population density was 43 people per square mile . There were 18,166 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
; attended the public schools and was graduated from the Columbia Law School, Columbia, Pennsylvania
Columbia, Pennsylvania
Columbia, once colonial Wright's Ferry, is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 28 miles southeast of Harrisburg on the left bank Susquehanna River across from Wrightsville and York County. Originally, the area may have been called Conejohela Flats, for the many islands and islets in the...
.
During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Hamilton entered the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in 1861 and served in Company A, Fifth Regiment, Pennsylvania Reserves
Pennsylvania Reserves
The Pennsylvania Reserves were an infantry division in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Noted for its famous commanders and high casualties, it served in the Eastern Theater, and fought in many important battles, including Antietam and Gettysburg....
; appointed judge advocate of the general court-martial and general pass officer for the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
; served on the staff of the Military Governor of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, until transferred to Marianna, Florida
Marianna, Florida
Marianna is a city in Jackson County, Florida, United States. The population was 6,230 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 6,200 . It is the county seat of Jackson County and is home to Chipola College...
in 1865.
He was admitted to the bar in 1867 and commenced practice in Marianna, Fla.; upon the readmission of the State of Florida to representation was elected as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to the Fortieth and Forty-first Congresses and served from July 1, 1868, to March 3, 1871; unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1870; appointed senior major general of the Florida Militia in February 1871; postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
of Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
from July 27, 1871, to March 1, 1872; appointed collector of customs at Key West, Florida
Key West, Florida
Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 , Sigsbee Park , Fleming Key , and Sunset Key...
, in February 1873; resigned on account of ill health; died in Pine Creek Township, Clinton County, Pa.; interment in Jersey Shore Cemetery.
Further reading
- "More Courage than Discretion': Charles M. Hamilton in Reconstruction-Era Florida," Florida Historical Quarterly 84 (Spring 2006).