Born: 08/25/1822 in Norfolk, VA
Died: 05/01/1895 in New York, NY
USMA: 1842, class rank: 02/56

 Newton, John, (Aug. 24, 1823 - May 1, 1895), soldier and engineer, was born in Norfolk, Va., the son of Thomas Newton, 1768-1847 [q.v.], and his second wife, Margaret (Jordan) Pool.  His father was a representative in Congress for twenty-nine years.  John Newton was graduated second in his class at the United States Military Academy, July 1, 1842, and was commissioned second lieutenant of engineers.  Prior to the Civil War, he served as assistant to the Board of Engineers, as instructor at West Point, and on fortification, lighthouse, and river and harbor work.  His name is identified with the construction of Fort Warren, Mass., Fort Trumbull, Conn., Forts Porter, Niagara, and Ontario, New York, Fort Wayne, Mich., and Forts Pulaski and Jackson, Ga.  He became first lieutenant, Oct. 16, 1852, and captain, July 1, 1856.  He was chief engineer of the Utah Expedition of 1858.  In 1848, he was married to Anna M. Starr, daughter of Jonathan Starr, a leading banker of New London, Conn.  They had five sons and one daughter.  The outbreak of the Civil War found him engaged in fortification work on Delaware Bay.  He was successively chief engineer of the Departments of Pennsylvania and of the Shenandoah, was in action at Falling Waters, Va., June 30, 1861, and did much field reconnaissance.  Promoted to major Aug. 6, 1861, and made brigadier-general of volunteers Sept. 23, he was on duty as engineer in constructing the defenses of Washington from Aug. 28 of that year to March 1862.  He constructed Fort Lyon, one of the larger works of the Washington defenses.  Subsequently he commanded a brigade at West Point, Va., May 7, 1862, and at Gaines's Mill, Glendale, South Mountain, and Antietam.  He selected the Union position at West Point, and showed good judgment and skill in handling troops.  At South Mountain he ordered his men to advance with the bayonet, without firing, until the enemy should begin to retreat.  He accompanied them and carried the enemy's position with a rush.  His corps commander recommended him for promotion to major general for conspicuous gallantry and important services at Antietam.  He commanded a division at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg.  In the Chancellorsville campaign, he was ordered to attack Marye's Heights, which had defied attack in the memorable battle of Fredericksburg.  He carried the position with the bayonet in three minutes, with the loss of 1,000 out of 3,500.  On the first day at Gettysburg, General Meade selected him to command the I Corps, upon the death of Gen. John F.  Reynolds.  When the I Corps was broken up in March 1864, he was ordered to report to General Sherman and was assigned to the 2nd Division, IV Corps, Sheridan's old division.  At the beginning of the Atlanta campaign, he carried Rocky-face Ridge.  He was in the operations around Dalton and Adairsville, and the battles of Dallas, Kennesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, Jonesborough, and Lovejoy's Station.  Never did his soldier ship show to better advantage than at Peach Tree Creek.  His division prevented the penetration of Sherman's forces.  "The blow was sudden and somewhat unexpected," said Sherman in his report, "but General Newton had hastily covered his front by a line of rail piles, which enabled him to meet and repulse the attack on him" (Official Records, 1 ser. XXXVIII, pt. 1, p. 71).  After the fall of Atlanta, he commanded the District of West Florida, where he showed great activity.  He was brevetted lieutenant colonel, colonel, brigadier-general, major general of volunteers, and major general, United States Army, and held the rank of major general of volunteers from Mar. 30, 1863, to Apr. 18, 1864.  After the close of the war, he became lieutenant-colonel of engineers, Dec. 28, 1865, was mustered out of the volunteer service, Jan. 15, 1866, and returned to fortification and river and harbor work.  His most notable achievements were the removal of obstructions in the East River, New York, with the aid of ex-confederate general, Mansfield Lovell.  He blasted away Pot Rock, a large, submerged stone that had caused many wrecks and had baffled previous efforts to remove it.  He mined a reef, three acres in area, projecting at Hallet's Point into Hell Gate, and placed in it 50,000 pounds of high explosives.  To allay public excitement, he let it be known that he and his family would be at the electric batteries, near the shaft, and that his daughter Mary, two years old, would touch the electric button.  The mines were exploded Sept. 24, 1876, with complete success.  He blew up, with 200,000 pounds of dynamite, Flood Rock, or Middle Reef, nine acres in area, in Hell Gate, Oct. 10, 1885.  Earth tremors were recorded 183 miles away.  He had been promoted to the rank of  colonel, June 30, 1879, and on Mar. 6, 1884, he became brigadier-general and chief of engineers, but he retained personal charge of the Hell Gate operations until Dec. 31, 1885.  He was retired at his own request, Aug. 27, 1886, and on the following day accepted the office of commissioner of public works of New York City.  He declined a reappointment two years later and accepted the presidency of the Panama Railroad Company, a position that he held until his death in New York City, May 1, 1895.  He was buried in Post Cemetery, West Point, New York.  Newton was a handsome man of commanding presence and pleasing personality.  From early manhood he was a devout member of the Roman Catholic Church.  He was awarded the degree of LL.D. by St. Francis Xavier College in 1886, and was a member of the National Academy of Sciences and an honorary member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.