John J. Peck
Encyclopedia
John James Peck was a United States soldier who fought in the Mexican-American War and American Civil War
.
. His father, John W. Peck, who had served in the War of 1812
, was among the earliest and most active settlers of Onondaga County. The family home was at 312 Seneca Street, Manlius and is one of the oldest residences in Manlius village, having been built by Finley McLaren prior to 1807. Today the home is marked by a New York State Education Department historic marker commemorating it as the birthplace of Gen. John J. Peck. His mother was Phebe Peck.
Peck entered the United States Military Academy
at age 18 and graduated eighth from a class of 39 on July 1, 1843 along with Ulysses S. Grant
and many other soon to be famous military officers. He served in the artillery as a second lieutenant and was stationed in New York until 1845.
's Army of Occupation
during the battles of Palo Alto
, Resaca de la Palma
and Monterrey
. He then joined Winfield Scott
's army and landed at Vera Cruz and fought in all the battles of Scott's campaign culminating in the fall of Mexico City
. He was brevetted captain for gallantry and meritorious conduct in the battles of Contreras
and Churubusco
and again brevetted to major for his services at the battle of Molino del Rey
and received the praise of his division commander, William J. Worth
. Prior to the outbreak of the Civil War he was said to have been an intimate friend of Generals Lee
, Johnston
and Beauregard
.
Returning to the U.S. after the war he served in the quartermasters department and against the Apache
Indians on the frontier. Peck resigned from the army on March 1, 1853 and became the treasurer of a railroad project from New York to Syracuse, New York
. In 1856 he stood as the Democratic candidate for Congress in the Onondaga
district. At the time of Peck's reenlistment and appointment as Brigadier General
he held the position of cashier at the Burnett Bank of Syracuse of which he was one of the founding members. Peck also served as president of the Syracuse board of education, which position he continued to hold while on active service and only resigned in 1862.
brought Peck back into the army. He accepted a commission as brigadier general of volunteers on August 9, 1861. He was given command of a brigade defending Chain Bridge and the Northern defenses of Washington at Tennallytown
and soon after joined George B. McClellan
's Army of the Potomac
in Virginia
. He commanded the 3rd Brigade, (55th NY, 62d NY, 93d Pa, 98th Pa & 102Pa) Couch's
1st Division, Keyes
' IV Corps
during the Peninsula Campaign
. He served in the siege of Yorktown
, and distinguished himself in the battles of Williamsburg
and Fair Oaks. He was placed in command of the 2nd Division, IV Corps during the Seven Days Battles
where he again distinguished himself. On July 4, 1862 he was promoted to major general
of volunteers for his services in the Battle of Malvern Hill
.
. In 1863 during James Longstreet
's Tidewater Campaign the attention of both armies in southern Virginia turned to the city of Suffolk
. Suffolk guarded the western land approaches to the naval yards at Portsmouth
and Norfolk
which were in Union control. Peck took command of a force designated the Suffolk Detachment, VII Corps
. This force would eventually amount to three divisions commanded by Michael Corcoran
, George W. Getty
and George H. Gordon. Peck received a captured message informing him of the Confederate intentions against Suffolk with enough time to take appropriate measures. Longstreet's besiegers gained some initial advantages during the siege of Suffolk
at the battle of Norfleet House
cutting off the Union supply route. Yet Peck mounted a counter offensive and retook the lost positions in the battle of Hill's Point
. The Confederates lifted the siege, and Longstreet's corps returned to northern Virginia for the upcoming Gettysburg campaign. Peck received the praise of his superior, General John A. Dix
for his competent defense of Suffolk.
In the summer following the siege of Suffolk, Peck was transferred to command the District of North Carolina where he was involved in little action. Due to health reasons he went on sick leave. At the request of General Dix, he returned to command the Canadian frontier for the remainder of the war. His Chief of Staff was Colonel John Watts de Peyster Jr., son of a prominent New York family.
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...
.
Early life
Peck was born on January 4, 1821 in Manlius, New YorkManlius, New York
Manlius, New York may refer to the following places Onondaga County, New York:*Manlius , New York*Manlius , New York...
. His father, John W. Peck, who had served in the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, was among the earliest and most active settlers of Onondaga County. The family home was at 312 Seneca Street, Manlius and is one of the oldest residences in Manlius village, having been built by Finley McLaren prior to 1807. Today the home is marked by a New York State Education Department historic marker commemorating it as the birthplace of Gen. John J. Peck. His mother was Phebe Peck.
Peck entered 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 age 18 and graduated eighth from a class of 39 on July 1, 1843 along with Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
and many other soon to be famous military officers. He served in the artillery as a second lieutenant and was stationed in New York until 1845.
Mexican-American War
In 1846 he was promoted second lieutenant and fought in Zachary TaylorZachary 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...
's Army of Occupation
Army of Occupation
Army of Occupation is a term for an army occupying conquered territory, and has been used for many armies in many eras including:*The Army of Occupation of the U.S...
during the battles of Palo Alto
Battle of Palo Alto
The Battle of Palo Alto was the first major battle of the Mexican-American War and was fought on May 8, 1846, on disputed ground five miles from the modern-day city of Brownsville, Texas...
, Resaca de la Palma
Battle of Resaca de la Palma
At the Battle of Resaca de la Palma, one of the early engagements of the Mexican-American War,United States General Zachary Taylor engaged the retreating forces of the Mexican Ejército del Norte under General Mariano Arista on May 9, 1846.-Background:During the night of May 8, following...
and Monterrey
Battle of Monterrey
In the Battle of Monterrey during the Mexican-American War, General Pedro de Ampudia and the Mexican Army of the North was defeated by U.S...
. He then joined Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
's army and landed at Vera Cruz and fought in all the battles of Scott's campaign culminating in 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...
. He was brevetted captain for gallantry and meritorious conduct in the battles of 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 Churubusco
Battle of Churubusco
The Battle of Churubusco took place on August 20, 1847, in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Contreras during the Mexican-American War. After defeating the Mexican army at Churubusco, the U.S. Army was only 5 miles away from Mexico City, the capital of the nation...
and again brevetted to major for his services at the battle of Molino del Rey
Battle of Molino del Rey
The Battle of Molino del Rey was one of the bloodiest engagements of the Mexican-American War. It was fought in September 1847 between Mexican forces under General Antonio Léon against an American force under General Winfield Scott at a hill called El Molino del Rey near Mexico City.-Background:On...
and received the praise of his division commander, William J. Worth
William J. Worth
William Jenkins Worth was a United States general during the Mexican-American War.-Early life:Worth was born in 1794 in Hudson, New York, to Thomas Worth and Abigail Jenkins. Both of his parents were Quakers, but he rejected the pacifism of their faith...
. Prior to the outbreak of the Civil War he was said to have been an intimate friend of Generals Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
, Johnston
Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph Eggleston Johnston was a career U.S. Army officer, serving with distinction in the Mexican-American War and Seminole Wars, and was also one of the most senior general officers in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
and Beauregard
P. G. T. Beauregard
Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard was a Louisiana-born American military officer, politician, inventor, writer, civil servant, and the first prominent general of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Today he is commonly referred to as P. G. T. Beauregard, but he rarely used...
.
Returning to the U.S. after the war he served in the quartermasters department and against the Apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
Indians on the frontier. Peck resigned from the army on March 1, 1853 and became the treasurer of a railroad project from New York to Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. In 1856 he stood as the Democratic candidate for Congress in the Onondaga
Onondaga County, New York
Onondaga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 467,026. The county seat is Syracuse.Onondaga County is part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
district. At the time of Peck's reenlistment and appointment as 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 held the position of cashier at the Burnett Bank of Syracuse of which he was one of the founding members. Peck also served as president of the Syracuse board of education, which position he continued to hold while on active service and only resigned in 1862.
Civil War
The Peninsula Campaign
The outbreak of the Civil WarAmerican 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...
brought Peck back into the army. He accepted a commission as brigadier general of volunteers on August 9, 1861. He was given command of a brigade defending Chain Bridge and the Northern defenses of Washington at Tennallytown
Tenleytown
Tenleytown is a historic neighborhood in Northwest, Washington, DC.-History:In 1790, Washington locals began calling the neighborhood "Tennally's Town" after area tavern owner John Tennally...
and soon after joined George B. McClellan
George B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
's 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...
in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. He commanded the 3rd Brigade, (55th NY, 62d NY, 93d Pa, 98th Pa & 102Pa) Couch's
Darius N. Couch
Darius Nash Couch was an American soldier, businessman, and naturalist. He served as a career U.S. Army officer during the Mexican-American War, the Second Seminole War, and as a general officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War.During the Civil War, Couch fought notably in the...
1st Division, Keyes
Erasmus D. Keyes
Erasmus Darwin Keyes was a businessman, banker, and military general, noted for leading the IV Corps of the Union Army of the Potomac during the first half of the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
' IV Corps
IV Corps (ACW)
There were two corps of the Union Army called IV Corps during the American Civil War. They were separate units, one serving with the Army of the Potomac and the Department of Virginia in the Eastern Theater, 1862–63, the other with the Army of the Cumberland in the Western Theater,...
during the Peninsula Campaign
Peninsula Campaign
The Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The operation, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B...
. He served in the siege of Yorktown
Battle of Yorktown (1862)
The Battle of Yorktown or Siege of Yorktown was fought from April 5 to May 4, 1862, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. Marching from Fort Monroe, Union Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac encountered Maj. Gen. John B. Magruder's small Confederate force...
, and distinguished himself in the battles of Williamsburg
Battle of Williamsburg
The Battle of Williamsburg, also known as the Battle of Fort Magruder, took place on May 5, 1862, in York County, James City County, and Williamsburg, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War...
and Fair Oaks. He was placed in command of the 2nd Division, IV Corps during the Seven Days Battles
Seven Days Battles
The Seven Days Battles was a series of six major battles over the seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, away from...
where he again distinguished himself. On July 4, 1862 he was promoted to 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...
of volunteers for his services in the Battle of Malvern Hill
Battle of Malvern Hill
The Battle of Malvern Hill, also known as the Battle of Poindexter's Farm, took place on July 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, on the seventh and last day of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War. Gen. Robert E. Lee launched a series of disjointed assaults on the nearly impregnable...
.
Suffolk
When McClellan's forces began evacuating the peninsula, Peck was left in command of a Union garrison stationed at Yorktown. In September he was given command of all Union troops in Virginia south of the James RiverJames River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
. In 1863 during James Longstreet
James Longstreet
James Longstreet was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse." He served under Lee as a corps commander for many of the famous battles fought by the Army of Northern Virginia in the...
's Tidewater Campaign the attention of both armies in southern Virginia turned to the city of Suffolk
Suffolk, Virginia
Suffolk is the largest city by area in Virginia, United States, and is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 84,585. Its median household income was $57,546.-History:...
. Suffolk guarded the western land approaches to the naval yards at Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
and Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
which were in Union control. Peck took command of a force designated the Suffolk Detachment, VII Corps
VII Corps (ACW)
Two corps of the Union Army were called VII Corps during the American Civil War.-VII Corps :This corps was established 22 July 1862 from various Union troops stationed in southeastern Virginia. The corps' main combat action occurred in the spring of 1863, when it faced Confederate troops of James...
. This force would eventually amount to three divisions commanded by Michael Corcoran
Michael Corcoran
Michael Corcoran was an Irish American general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a close confidant of President Abraham Lincoln. As its colonel, he led the 69th New York regiment to Washington, D.C. and was one of the first to serve in the defense of Washington by building Fort...
, George W. Getty
George W. Getty
George Washington Getty was a career military officer in the United States Army, most noted for his role as a division commander in the Army of the Potomac during the final full year of the American Civil War....
and George H. Gordon. Peck received a captured message informing him of the Confederate intentions against Suffolk with enough time to take appropriate measures. Longstreet's besiegers gained some initial advantages during the siege of Suffolk
Siege of Suffolk
The Siege of Suffolk was fought around Suffolk, Virginia, from April 11 to May 4, 1863, during the American Civil War.-Background:In 1863 Lt. Gen. James Longstreet was placed in command of the Confederate Department of Virginia and North Carolina. Longstreet was given four objectives: 1) to...
at the battle of Norfleet House
Battle of Suffolk (Norfleet House)
The Battle of Suffolk at the Norfleet House Battery took place from April 13 to April 15, 1863, in Suffolk, Virginia, as part of Confederate Lieutenant General James Longstreet's Tidewater operations during the American Civil War....
cutting off the Union supply route. Yet Peck mounted a counter offensive and retook the lost positions in the battle of Hill's Point
Battle of Suffolk (Hill's Point)
The Battle of Suffolk at Hill's Point, also known as the Battle of Fort Huger, took place from April 11 to May 4, 1863, in Suffolk, Virginia, as part of Confederate Lt. Gen...
. The Confederates lifted the siege, and Longstreet's corps returned to northern Virginia for the upcoming Gettysburg campaign. Peck received the praise of his superior, General John A. Dix
John Adams Dix
John Adams Dix was an American politician from New York. He served as Secretary of the Treasury, U.S. Senator, and the 24th Governor of New York. He was also a Union major general during the Civil War.-Early life and career:...
for his competent defense of Suffolk.
In the summer following the siege of Suffolk, Peck was transferred to command the District of North Carolina where he was involved in little action. Due to health reasons he went on sick leave. At the request of General Dix, he returned to command the Canadian frontier for the remainder of the war. His Chief of Staff was Colonel John Watts de Peyster Jr., son of a prominent New York family.
Post War Career
After the close of the war, Peck returned to Syracuse where he became president of the New York State Life Insurance Company. His health deteriorating, he died on April 21, 1878 at his home in Syracuse.See also
- List of American Civil War generals