Timothy Upham
Encyclopedia
Timothy Upham American soldier in the war of 1812
. At the Siege of Fort Erie
while he was in command of his regiment, he did gallant service with his regiment, in going to the rescue, by special order of Gen. Jacob Brown
, of General Miller
.
He was the son of Rev. Timothy Upham, of Deertield, New Hampshire. His mother was Hannah, the daughter of Rev. Nathaniel Gookin, of North Hampton. Timothy Upham moved to Portsmouth, New Hampshire
in 1807, and opened a store in Market street.
In June, 1811, he was appointed, by Governor John Langdon
, one of his aids, with rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He continued in business as a merchant until 1812, when, in anticipation of a war with Great Britain, he was commissioned as Major of the 11th U.S. Infantry on March 12, of that year. In June following he was appointed to command the detachment of troops from New Hampshire ordered to garrison Fort McClary
in Portsmouth Harbor, by Governor William Plumer
.
In September he joined his regiment at Plattsburgh, New York, January 15, 1813, he was ordered to Portland as superintendent of the recruiting district of Maine. In the spring he joined his regiment, and was detailed to command a battalion which was to join Gen. Hampton
's army preparing to attack Montreal. On this futile expedition, Major (now Lieutenant-Colonel) Upham fought his battalion with credit at the Battle of Crysler's Farm
. Just before this expedition he had been promoted to the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the 21st Regiment
on March 12, 1813. On September 14, 1814, he was in command of his regiment, at the "sortie of Fort Erie
," and did gallant service with his regiment, in going to the rescue, by special order of Gen. Jacob Brown
, of its former gallant commander, General Miller
. At the close of this campaign, with impaired health, Col. Upham was ordered upon recruiting service.
At the close of the war he resigned his commission and was honorably discharged on June 15, 1815. In 1816 was appointed Collector of Customs at Portsmouth, and continued in that office for thirteen years. On May 15, 1819, he was appointed Brigadier General of the 1st Brigade, 1st Division New Hampshire Militia, and was promoted to Major General of the Division May 19, 1820, upon the resignation of General Clement Storer
. This office he resigned May 13, 1823.
After leaving the Custom-House in 1829, he again entered upon commercial pursuits. In 1830 he made an unsuccessful bid for the office of Governor of the State of New Hampshire, running on the Republican Party ticket and losing to Matthew Harvey
. In 1841 he was appointed Navy Agent at Portsmouth by President Harrison
. He soon resigned this office, and in 1845 removed to Charlestown, Massachusetts
, following his business of a merchant in Boston. Here his success did not meet his anticipations, and, impaired in health, he retired from active business.
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...
. At the Siege of Fort Erie
Siege of Fort Erie
The Siege of Fort Erie was one of the last and most protracted engagements between British and American forces during the Niagara campaign of the American War of 1812...
while he was in command of his regiment, he did gallant service with his regiment, in going to the rescue, by special order of Gen. 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...
, of General Miller
James Miller (general)
James Miller was a member of the United States House of Representatives from New Hampshire, the first Governor of Arkansas Territory, and a Brigadier General in the United States Army during the War of 1812....
.
He was the son of Rev. Timothy Upham, of Deertield, New Hampshire. His mother was Hannah, the daughter of Rev. Nathaniel Gookin, of North Hampton. Timothy Upham moved to Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
in 1807, and opened a store in Market street.
In June, 1811, he was appointed, by Governor John Langdon
John Langdon
John Langdon was a politician from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and one of the first two United States senators from that state. Langdon was an early supporter of the Revolutionary War and later served in the Continental Congress...
, one of his aids, with rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He continued in business as a merchant until 1812, when, in anticipation of a war with Great Britain, he was commissioned as Major of the 11th U.S. Infantry on March 12, of that year. In June following he was appointed to command the detachment of troops from New Hampshire ordered to garrison Fort McClary
Fort McClary
Fort McClary is a former defensive fortification of the United States military located along the southern coast of Maine at Kittery Point, the seaside district of Kittery. Used primarily throughout the 19th century, it was built to protect approaches to the nearby Piscataqua River...
in Portsmouth Harbor, by Governor William Plumer
William Plumer
William Plumer was an American lawyer and Baptist lay preacher from Epping, New Hampshire. Born in 1759 in Newburyport, Massachusetts, he represented New Hampshire as a Federalist in the United States Senate from June 17, 1802 to March 4, 1807...
.
In September he joined his regiment at Plattsburgh, New York, January 15, 1813, he was ordered to Portland as superintendent of the recruiting district of Maine. In the spring he joined his regiment, and was detailed to command a battalion which was to join Gen. Hampton
Wade Hampton I
Wade Hampton was a South Carolina soldier, politician, two-term U.S. Congressman, and wealthy plantation owner. He was the scion of the politically important Hampton family, which was influential in state politics almost into the 20th century...
's army preparing to attack Montreal. On this futile expedition, Major (now Lieutenant-Colonel) Upham fought his battalion with credit at the Battle of Crysler's Farm
Battle of Crysler's Farm
The Battle of Crysler's Farm, also known as the Battle of Crysler's Field, was fought on 11 November 1813, during the Anglo-American War of 1812. A British and Canadian force won a victory over an American force which greatly outnumbered them...
. Just before this expedition he had been promoted to the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the 21st Regiment
21st Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 21st Infantry Regiment is a United States Army infantry regiment.-Lineage:*Constituted 3 May 1861 in the Regular Army as the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry*Organized 20 May 1862 at Fort Hamilton, New York...
on March 12, 1813. On September 14, 1814, he was in command of his regiment, at the "sortie of Fort Erie
Siege of Fort Erie
The Siege of Fort Erie was one of the last and most protracted engagements between British and American forces during the Niagara campaign of the American War of 1812...
," and did gallant service with his regiment, in going to the rescue, by special order of Gen. 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...
, of its former gallant commander, General Miller
James Miller (general)
James Miller was a member of the United States House of Representatives from New Hampshire, the first Governor of Arkansas Territory, and a Brigadier General in the United States Army during the War of 1812....
. At the close of this campaign, with impaired health, Col. Upham was ordered upon recruiting service.
At the close of the war he resigned his commission and was honorably discharged on June 15, 1815. In 1816 was appointed Collector of Customs at Portsmouth, and continued in that office for thirteen years. On May 15, 1819, he was appointed Brigadier General of the 1st Brigade, 1st Division New Hampshire Militia, and was promoted to Major General of the Division May 19, 1820, upon the resignation of General Clement Storer
Clement Storer
Clement Storer was a United States Representative and Senator from New Hampshire. Born in Kennebunk, Maine, he completed preparatory studies, studied medicine in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and in Europe, engaged in the practice of medicine in Portsmouth, and was captain of militia and held...
. This office he resigned May 13, 1823.
After leaving the Custom-House in 1829, he again entered upon commercial pursuits. In 1830 he made an unsuccessful bid for the office of Governor of the State of New Hampshire, running on the Republican Party ticket and losing to Matthew Harvey
Matthew Harvey
Matthew Harvey was a was a lawyer, politician, and long-serving United States federal judge from Hopkinton, New Hampshire....
. In 1841 he was appointed Navy Agent at Portsmouth by President Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
. He soon resigned this office, and in 1845 removed to Charlestown, Massachusetts
Charlestown, Massachusetts
Charlestown is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and is located on a peninsula north of downtown Boston. Charlestown was originally a separate town and the first capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; it became a city in 1847 and was annexed by Boston on January 5, 1874...
, following his business of a merchant in Boston. Here his success did not meet his anticipations, and, impaired in health, he retired from active business.