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Harvey Brown (officer)
Encyclopedia
Harvey Brown was an American military officer who fought in the Black Hawk
and Seminole Wars
, the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War
. He was also in command of military forces in New York City
and later assisted in putting down the New York Draft Riots
in 1863. His son Harvey E. Brown, Jr.
also had a prominent military career as a surgeon and later historian of the U.S. Army Medical Department
.
). He graduated from the United States Military Academy
at West Point, New York
on July 24, 1818, as a second lieutenant of light artillery. He spent the first years of his military career on garrison duty
in Boston, Massachusetts and New London, Connecticut as well as commissary
duty in St. Augustine, Florida. Upon the reorganization of the U.S. Army in 1821, Brown was assigned to the 1st United States Artillery and was officially promoted to first lieutenant on August 28, 1821. From 1824 to 1825, he served as an aide-de-camp
to Major General Jacob Brown
, then commanding general of the U.S. Army
, and was assigned to quartermaster
duty for three years. In 1831, Brown was made a captain and participated in the Black Hawk War
the following year. Brown also took part in the Second Seminole War
as a lieutenant colonel
, participating in the Battle of Wahoo Swamp
, and was brevetted a major
for "gallant conduct" on November 21, 1836. Between 1839 and 1841, he suppressed a series of disputes on the United States-Canadian border.
During the Mexican-American War, Brown served as a major under Generals Zachary Taylor
and Winfield Scott
. He won distinction at the battles of Monterey
, Cerro Gordo
, Contreras
, and the Gate of Belén during the fall of Mexico City
, brevetted a lieutenant colonel and colonel
in the last two engagements respectively. Involved with in military recruitment from 1848 to 1852, he fought in the Third Seminole War and remained in Florida until 1857. Brown served in various duties and was Inspector of Artillery prior to the American Civil War
.
, and Fort McHenry
and remained in this capacity until war broke out four months later. He was initially assigned to the 4th United States Artillery but, declining promotion to brigadier general
, he was appointed commanding officer of the 5th United States Artillery on May 14, 1861. Placed in command of the expedition to hold Fort Pickens
in Confederate held Florida, he successfully defended Santa Rosa Island
on October 9 and repulsed an attempt by the enemy to capture the fortress during November 22–23, 1861. He was brevetted a brigadier general for "gallantry and good conduct during the engagement of November 22 and 23, 1861 between Fort Pickens and the rebel batteries" and later appointed commander of New York Harbor
in April 1862 and full military commander in January 1863. He remained in New York for over a year and, during the New York Draft Riots
, Brown oversaw military operations against the rioters and was especially involved in the final suppression of the rioters. He retired from active duty on August 1, 1863, but was brevetted a major general
on August 2, 1866, for his efforts during the riot.
, and is buried in Hazelwood Cemetery, Rahway, New Jersey.
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a brief conflict fought in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans headed by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted soon after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos known as the "British Band" crossed the Mississippi River into the U.S....
and Seminole Wars
Seminole Wars
The Seminole Wars, also known as the Florida Wars, were three conflicts in Florida between the Seminole — the collective name given to the amalgamation of various groups of native Americans and Black people who settled in Florida in the early 18th century — and the United States Army...
, the Mexican-American War and 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...
. He was also in command of military forces in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and later assisted in putting down the New York Draft Riots
New York Draft Riots
The New York City draft riots were violent disturbances in New York City that were the culmination of discontent with new laws passed by Congress to draft men to fight in the ongoing American Civil War. The riots were the largest civil insurrection in American history apart from the Civil War itself...
in 1863. His son Harvey E. Brown, Jr.
Harvey E. Brown, Jr.
Dr. Harvey E. Brown, Jr. was an American military officer and army surgeon. The son of Major General Harvey Brown, he entered the U.S...
also had a prominent military career as a surgeon and later historian of the U.S. Army Medical Department
Army Medical Department (United States)
The Army Medical Department of the U.S. Army – known as the AMEDD – comprises the Army's six medical Special Branches of officers and medical enlisted soldiers. It was established as the "Army Hospital" in July 1775 to coordinate the medical care required by the Continental Army during the...
.
Early life and career
Brown was born in Bridgetown (part of present-day Rahway, New JerseyRahway, New Jersey
Rahway is a city in southern Union County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the New York metropolitan area, being 15 miles southwest of Manhattan and five miles west of Staten Island...
). He graduated from the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
at West Point, New York
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
on July 24, 1818, as a second lieutenant of light artillery. He spent the first years of his military career on garrison duty
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
in Boston, Massachusetts and New London, Connecticut as well as commissary
Commissary
A commissary is someone delegated by a superior to execute a duty or an office; in a formal, legal context, one who has received power from a legitimate superior authority to pass judgment in a certain cause or to take information concerning it.-Word history:...
duty in St. Augustine, Florida. Upon the reorganization of the U.S. Army in 1821, Brown was assigned to the 1st United States Artillery and was officially promoted to first lieutenant on August 28, 1821. From 1824 to 1825, he served as an aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to Major General Jacob Brown
Jacob Brown
Jacob Jennings Brown was an American army officer in the War of 1812. His successes on the northern border during that war made him a hero. In 1821 he was appointed commanding general of the U.S. Army and held that post until his death.-Early life:Born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Jacob Jennings...
, then commanding general of the U.S. Army
Commanding General of the United States Army
Prior to the institution of the Chief of Staff of the United States Army in 1903, there was generally a single senior-most officer in the army. From 1783, he was known simply as the Senior Officer of the United States Army, but in 1821, the title was changed to Commanding General of the United...
, and was assigned to quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
duty for three years. In 1831, Brown was made a captain and participated in the Black Hawk War
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a brief conflict fought in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans headed by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted soon after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos known as the "British Band" crossed the Mississippi River into the U.S....
the following year. Brown also took part in the Second Seminole War
Second Seminole War
The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between various groups of Native Americans collectively known as Seminoles and the United States, part of a series of conflicts called the Seminole Wars...
as a lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
, participating in the Battle of Wahoo Swamp
Battle of Wahoo Swamp
The Battle of Wahoo Swamp was fought during the Second Seminole War. An army of militia, Tennessee volunteers, Creek mercenaries and United States marines and soldiers led by Florida Governor, General Richard K...
, and was brevetted a major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
for "gallant conduct" on November 21, 1836. Between 1839 and 1841, he suppressed a series of disputes on the United States-Canadian border.
During the Mexican-American War, Brown served as a major under Generals Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...
and Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
. He won distinction at the battles of Monterey
Battle of Monterey
-Preliminaries:Prior to the Mexican-American War the Californio forces had already driven the Mexican appointed Governor Manuel Micheltorena and most of his soldiers from Alta California...
, Cerro Gordo
Battle of Cerro Gordo
The Battle of Cerro Gordo, or Battle of Sierra Gordo, in the Mexican-American War saw Winfield Scott's United States troops flank and drive Santa Anna's larger Mexican army from a strong defensive position.-Battle:...
, Contreras
Battle of Contreras
The Battle of Contreras, also known as the Battle of Padierna, took place during August 19–20, 1847, in the final encounters of the Mexican-American War. In the Battle of Churubusco, fighting continued the following day.-Background:...
, and the Gate of Belén during the fall of Mexico City
Battle for Mexico City
The Battle for Mexico City refers to the series of engagements from September 8 to September 15, 1847, in the general vicinity of Mexico City during the Mexican-American War...
, brevetted a lieutenant colonel and colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
in the last two engagements respectively. Involved with in military recruitment from 1848 to 1852, he fought in the Third Seminole War and remained in Florida until 1857. Brown served in various duties and was Inspector of Artillery prior to 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...
.
Civil War
In January 1861, Brown was appointed military commander 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....
, and Fort McHenry
Fort McHenry
Fort McHenry, in Baltimore, Maryland, is a star-shaped fort best known for its role in the War of 1812, when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack by the British navy in Chesapeake Bay...
and remained in this capacity until war broke out four months later. He was initially assigned to the 4th United States Artillery but, declining promotion to brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
, he was appointed commanding officer of the 5th United States Artillery on May 14, 1861. Placed in command of the expedition to hold Fort Pickens
Fort Pickens
Fort Pickens is a pentagonal historic United States military fort on Santa Rosa Island in the Pensacola, Florida, area. It is named after American Revolutionary War hero Andrew Pickens. The fort was completed in 1834 and remained in use until 1947...
in Confederate held Florida, he successfully defended Santa Rosa Island
Battle of Santa Rosa Island
The Battle of Santa Rosa Island was an unsuccessful Confederate attempt to take Union-held Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island, Florida.- Background :...
on October 9 and repulsed an attempt by the enemy to capture the fortress during November 22–23, 1861. He was brevetted a brigadier general for "gallantry and good conduct during the engagement of November 22 and 23, 1861 between Fort Pickens and the rebel batteries" and later appointed commander of New York Harbor
New York Harbor
New York Harbor refers to the waterways of the estuary near the mouth of the Hudson River that empty into New York Bay. It is one of the largest natural harbors in the world. Although the U.S. Board of Geographic Names does not use the term, New York Harbor has important historical, governmental,...
in April 1862 and full military commander in January 1863. He remained in New York for over a year and, during the New York Draft Riots
New York Draft Riots
The New York City draft riots were violent disturbances in New York City that were the culmination of discontent with new laws passed by Congress to draft men to fight in the ongoing American Civil War. The riots were the largest civil insurrection in American history apart from the Civil War itself...
, Brown oversaw military operations against the rioters and was especially involved in the final suppression of the rioters. He retired from active duty on August 1, 1863, but was brevetted a major general
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
on August 2, 1866, for his efforts during the riot.
Postbellum life
Brown was awaiting orders from June 29, 1864, to November 9, 1866, then served as superintendent of the Army recruiting service until April 5, 1867. He died at Clifton, New YorkClifton, Staten Island
Clifton or Park Hill is a neighborhood in northeastern Staten Island in New York City in the United States. It is an older waterfront neighborhood, facing Upper New York Bay on the east...
, and is buried in Hazelwood Cemetery, Rahway, New Jersey.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals