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Class of 1869

Vol. III
p137 2297

(Born O.)

Charles Mortona

(Ap'd Mo.)

Born Chagrin Falls, OH.b

Military History. — Cadet1 at the Military Academy, July 1, 1865, to June 15, 1869, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Second Lieut., 3d Cavalry, June 15, 1869.

Served: on frontier duty at Ft. Union, N. M., Sep. 28 to Dec. 2, 1869, — conducting recruits from Sheridan, Kan., to Ft. Union, Dec. 5‑25, 1869, — Camp at Cinnamon, Ute Agency, N. M., Dec. 25, 1869, to Feb. 18, 1870, — March to and at Camp Rawlins, Ara., Feb. 20 to Aug. 10, 1870, — Camp Verde, Ara., Aug. 16, 1870, to Dec. 11, 1871, being engaged in several Actions with Apaches, June, 1871, — march to and at Ft. D. A. Russell, Wy., to Apr. 25, 1872 (leave of absence, to May 25, 1872), — Sidney Barracks, Neb., and Scouting, to Apr. 5, 1875 (leave of absence, Apr. 1‑30, 1873), — Ft. Laramie, Wy., and Scouting, to May 25, 1875, — on Escort and Engineer duty, in Expedition to Black Hills, to Oct. 19, 1875, — Ft. D. A. Russell, Wy., and Big Horn Expedition, to May 18, 1876, being engaged with Cheyennes in the Action of Mar. 5, and Combat of Mar. 17, 1876, on Powder River, Wy., — Big Horn and Yellowstone Expedition, to Oct. 24, 1876, being engaged in a Fight on Tongue River, Mon., June 9, in the Battle of Rosebud River, Mon., June 17, and Action of Slim Buttes, Dak., Sep. 9‑10, 1876, — Ft. Laramie, Wy.,

(First Lieut., 3d Cavalry, Sep. 25, 1876)

Nov. 1, 1876, to July 5, 1877 (leave of absence, to Oct. 26, 1877), — Ft. Laramie, Wy., to Dec. 13, 1877, — Scouting, to Jan. 28, 1878, — Ft. Laramie, Wy., Jan. 28 to June, 1878, — and Camp Devin, Wy., to Sep. 10, 1878; on duty at Depot, Jefferson Barracks, Mo., Oct. 1, 1878, to Feb. 1, 1881; on delay to May 11, 1881; on frontier duty at Ft. McKinney, Wy., to May 2, 1882, — Ft. Thomas, Ara., and Scouting, May 24, 1882, to Oct. 4, 1884, being engaged against Apaches, July 17, 1882, at Chevelon's

(Captain, 3d Cavalry, Nov. 17, 1883)

Fork, Ara., — Ft. Apache, Ara., Oct. 12, 1884, to Mar. 24, 1885, — Ft. Concho, Tex., June 1, 1885, to Apr. 1, 1886 (leave of absence, Apr. 16 to May 16, 1886), — Ft. Clark, Tex., to May 9, 1888, — and in command of Ft. Duncan, Tex. (leave of absence, Apr. 3 to May 3, 1889), to –––––.

Vol. IV
p191 [Supplement, Vol. IV: 1890‑1900]

Military History. —

(Brevet 1st Lieutenant, Feb. 27, 1890, for gallant services in action against Indians in the Tonto Country, Ariz., June 5, 1871 — Declined)

[In the Register, 3d edition, strike out "in command atº Fort Duncan, Tex.," and make it read] — in command of camp at Eagle Pass, Tex.,

to Sept. 10, 1891. — Garrison duty at Fort Sam Houston, Tex., to Feb., 1892, and at Fort Ringgold, Tex., to March 12, 1892; on recruiting service at Milwaukee, Wis., April 11, 1892 to Oct. 5, 1894; on leave to Jan. 25, 1895; garrison duty at Fort Sill, Okla., to April 13, 1895; Professor Military Science and Tactics at the La Salle Institute, New York City, May 4, 1895 to May 15, 1898. — Commanding squadron of regiment in Fla., to June 14, 1898; in the campaign against Santiago de Cuba, to Aug., 1898; en route to and at Fort Ethan Allen, Vt., to Oct. 28, 1898.

(Major of Cavalry, 4th Cavalry, Sept. 23, 1898)

— He joined the 4th Cavalry Dec. 6, 1898, and served at Fort Walla Walla, Wash., to Mar. 24, 1899; sailed for Manila, from San Francisco, Cal., June 28, and arrived at Manila July 30, 1899; on duty as Assistant Provost Marshal at Manila, P. I., Aug. 13, 1899 to –––––

Vol. V
p161 [Supplement, Vol. V: 1900‑1910]

Military History. — Detached service to Fort Vancouver, Washington, on Board Examining Officers for Promotion, April 8‑20 and 25‑30, 1899. — Commanded forces Coeur d'Alene mining troubles May 2‑17, 1899. — En route with troops Fort Walla Walla to Presidio of San Francisco, May 25‑28, 1899. — Commanded 4th Cavalry, June 17 to Aug. 13, 1899. — Commanded troops on chartered transport Valencia from San Francisco to Manila, June 28 to July 30, 1899. — In charge Safety and Security of Manila, Aug. 10 to Oct. 26, 1899. — Commanded Squadron 4th Cavalry, Oct. 29, 1899 to Jan. 6, 1900, on General Lawton's expedition. — In engagements near San Miguel and Sibul, Luzon, Dec. 10, 11 and 12. — Commanded volunteers of 4th Cavalry that penetrated stronghold, Biac na‑Bato, Dec. 13, 1899. — Scouting till Jan. 6, near Norzagaray. — Commanding camp and serving with regiment at Pasay Barracks, and on Military Commissions, Courts Martial and Boards Examining Officers for Promotion, Jan. 7, 1900 to March 6, 1901. — On sick leave, Nov. 15, 1900 to Jan. 15, 1901. — Detached service on traveling board, examining officers at many stations in Southern Islands, Jan. 30 to Feb. 24, 1900. — Commanded Squadron 4th Cavalry on march from Pasay to Taal, March 6‑12, 1901. — Commanded western part Batangas Province, March 12 to April 29, 1901.

(Lieut.‑Colonel, 8th Cavalry, March 24, 1901)

— Attached to 4th Cavalry and duty with it till Aug. 31, 1901. — En route from Manila to San Francisco, Aug. 4‑29; to Fort Walla Walla till Sept. 9, 1901. — At Fort Walla Walla, Sept. 10 to Oct. 10, 1901. — Leave of absence till Jan. 25, 1902. — Joined and commanded 8th Cavalry at Camp R. S. Mackenzie, Puerto Principe, Cuba, Feb. 7. — En route to Ft. Reno, Okla., Feb. 25 to March 6. — Changed station to Jefferson Barracks, April 7, serving till October 26, 1902. — Detached service to Key West, Fla., April 24 to May 4. — To Fort Yellowstone, Sept. 2‑9. — On leave June 9‑16, 1902. — Commanded Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Oct. 29, 1902 till April 18, 1903. — On leave Dec. 9‑15, 1902.

p162 (Colonel, 11th Cavalry, Feb. 25, 1903)

— Transferred to 7th Cavalry, April 21, 1903. — On leave April 19 to May 2, 1903. — Commanded Camp George H. Thomas, Chickamauga Park, May 7, 1903 till Sept. 21, 1904, and 7th Cavalry till April 19, 1907. — Detached service to Maneuver Camp, West Point, Kentucky, commanding Cavalry Brigade, Sept. 25 to Oct. 27, 1903; and Maneuver Camp, Manassas, Va., commanding Cavalry Brigade Aug. 26 to Sept. 17, 1904. — On leaves: July 18‑22, 1903; Dec. 27, 1903 to Jan. 11, 1904; April 30 to May 7, 1904; Sept. 22‑28, 1904. — Commanded Cavalry Camp at Fort Myer, Va., Oct. 1 to Nov. 19, 1904, and post, Nov. 20, 1904 to May 20, 1905. — Detached service to Governor's Island, Nov. 13‑15, 1904. — En route to Philippines, May 20 to July 30, 1905. — Leave of absence, May 22‑30, 1905. — Commanded troops on Transport Logan, San Francisco to Manila, June 30 to July 25, 1905. — Commanded Camp McGrath, Batangas, P. I., July 30, 1905 till April 19, 1907. — Detached service to Manila, July 25‑29, 1906, and to Fort William McKinley, on examining board, Oct. 21 to Dec. 21, 1906. — On leave Feb. 27 to March 9, 1907.

(Brigadier-General, U. S. A., April 19, 1907)

— En route to United States, via Siberian Railway, May 14 to Aug. 12, 1907. — Leave of absence to Sept. 30. — Command of Fort D. A. Russell, Wyo., Oct. 1‑9, 1907. — Command Department of the Missouri, Oct. 9, 1907 till Dec. 12, 1908. — Detached service commanding Maneuver Camp at Crow Creek Timber Reserve, Wyo., July 28 to Aug. 31, 1902; Provisional Division on march from Fort Riley, Kas., to St. Joseph, Mo., and Military Tournament at St. Joseph, Sept. 8‑27, 1908. — To Fort D. A. Russell, to locate street railway sidings, Oct. 16‑18; to Fort Wayne, Mich., on general court martial duty, Oct. 23 to Nov. 4; Nov. 25 to Dec. 10, 1908; to Washington, D. C., accompanying remains of late Captain Emmet Crawford, for re‑interment at Arlington Cemetery.c — Relieved of command Department of the Missouri, Dec. 12, 1908. — Detached service at Omaha, closing up business, Dec. 13 to March 18, 1910.

Brigadier-General, U. S. A., Retired March 18, 1910,
by operation of law.

Vol. VI
p142 [Supplement, Vol. VI: 1910‑1920]

(Born March 18, 1846.)

Military History. —

Brigadier-General, U. S. A., April 19, 1907.

Brigadier-General, U. S. A., Retired, March 18, 1910,
By Operation of Law.

After retirement, resided in Washington, D. C.

Died, Dec. 20, 1914, at Washington, D. C.: Aged 68.

Obituary in Annual Report, Association of Graduates, for 1915.

Buried, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.

The Author's Note:

1 Charles Morton, before becoming a Cadet, volunteered Apr., 1861, in a Home Guard Company, for the protection of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railway; enlisted, July 27, 1861, in the 13th Missouri Infantry, subsequently reorganized as the 25th, and then as 1st Missouri Volunteer Engineers, being engaged in the Battle of Shiloh, Sieges of Corinth and Atlanta, Action of Lovejoy's Station, Battle of Jonesborough, etc.; and Sep. 13, 1864, was discharged, with a certificate of having participated, with his regiment, in all its marches, campaigns, skirmishes, and battles, and distinguished himself for bravery in action.

Thayer's Notes:

a He was the father of Gen. Indicates a West Point graduate and gives his Class. Charles G. Morton.

b Gen. Morton's birthplace is from a brief obituary article in The New York Times, Dec. 21, 1914.

c Capt. Crawford's story, part of the larger history of relations between Mexico and the United States, is told in detail at his page at the Arlington Memorial Cemetery site; it explains why the remains of a Captain was given a Brigadier General as an escort, and why Gen. Morton in particular.

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