John Porter Hatch (January 9, 1822 – April 12, 1901) was a career

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soldier who served as general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He received a Medal of Honor for gallantry in action at the September 1862 Battle of South Mountain during the Maryland Campaign.

Early life and career

Hatch was born in Oswego, N. Y., a son of Moses Porter and Hannah (Reed) Hatch. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1845, ranking 17th in his class. He experienced his first active field service as a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

in the

3rd U.S. Infantry The 3rd United States Infantry Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army. It currently has three active battalions, and is readily identified by its nickname, The Old Guard, as well as Escort to the President. The regimental motto is ' ...

during the Mexican War. In May 1846, he served under General Zachary Taylor at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. He was transferred later to serve under Winfield Scott in the Mounted Rifles. He was brevetted as a first lieutenant for gallant service in the subsequent battles of

Contreras Contreras is a Spanish surname of toponymic origin, for "from the surrounding area". It is a common family name in the Hispanic-speaking world. People *Adán Amezcua Contreras (born c. 1969), Mexican co-leader (with his two younger brothers) of t ...

and

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, and

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

for bravery at Chapultepec. When the war ended, Hatch was assigned to various posts on the

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of the Old West, as well as in Oregon. He married Adelaide Goldsmith Burckle in 1851; the couple raised two children. In the next decade, Hatch participated in several expeditions against Native American tribes. He was promoted to the full rank of captain in October 1860 and served as the Chief of Commissary for the army's Department of New Mexico.

Civil War

Following the outbreak of the Civil War, Hatch was ordered to the East and assigned to the

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

of George B. McClellan. He was made a brigadier general of volunteers on September 28, 1861. In December, he was assigned command of a brigade of

stationed at

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, serving under General

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. Hatch's brigade made a series of daring raids on enemy positions near the Rapidan and

Rappahannock Rappahannock may refer to: Education *Rappahannock Academy & Military Institute (1813–1873), a school in Caroline County, Virginia *Rappahannock Community College, a two-year college located in Glenns and Warsaw, Virginia *Rappahannock County ...

rivers. These raids gained his brigade the Nickname Iron Brigade, which followed that brigade up until January 1863, long after Hatch had moved on. In March 1862, Hatch assumed command of the cavalry of the V Corps under Major General Nathaniel P. Banks. He served in the Valley Campaign and fought at the First Battle of Winchester. In August of that year, after incurring the wrath of army commander John Pope for two failed cavalry raids, he was reassigned to the infantry. He commanded a brigade in the I Corps, assuming division command after Brig. Gen

fell ill with epilepsy the evening before Second Bull Run. Hatch led the division there and at the Battle of South Mountain, where he got shot in the leg. He was brevetted as a major general of volunteers and subsequently received the Medal of Honor for his gallantry under severe enemy fire. Hatch was disabled until February 1863, when he returned to light administrative duties, serving as a judge on courts-martial and commanding the draft rendezvous at Philadelphia in July. He then commanded the cavalry depot at St. Louis during the late summer and early autumn. On October 27, 1863, he was promoted to the Regular Army rank of

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

of the

4th U.S. Cavalry The 4th Cavalry Regiment is a United States Army cavalry regiment, whose lineage is traced back to the mid-19th century. It was one of the most effective units of the Army against American Indians on the Texas frontier. Today, the regiment exi ...

. In 1864, he was assigned to the Department of the South, where he had charge of the coast division. He was in charge of operations on John's Island, South Carolina, in July and led the Federal forces at the Battle of Honey Hill in November. He subsequently operated in cooperation with Major General William T. Sherman in the Georgia-Carolinas Campaign and took part in the attack on

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. Following the city's surrender, Hatch assumed military command of it from February to August 1865. In the omnibus promotions following the war, he was brevetted from March 1865 both as a major general of volunteers dating and as a colonel in the Regular Army.

Postbellum career

Hatch stayed in the regular Army following the war, reverting to his regular rank of major. For the next twenty-six years, he again served on the frontier. Hatch was an officer too at

Fort Concho Fort Concho is a former United States Army installation and National Historic Landmark District located in San Angelo, Texas. It was established in November 1867 at the confluence of the North and South Concho Rivers, on the routes of the But ...

in San Angelo, Texas, Indian Territory, Montana Territory, and finally in Washington Territory. He retired on January 9, 1886, and moved to New York City. He received the Medal of Honor in 1893 in recognition for his service at South Mountain. Hatch was President of the

Aztec Club of 1847 The Aztec Club of 1847 is a military society founded in 1847 by United States Army officers of the Mexican–American War. It exists as a hereditary organization including members who can trace a direct lineal connection to those originally eligib ...

of New York and a member of the Oswego County Historical Society. He was also a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. John P. Hatch died in New York City in the spring of 1901. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.Burial Detail: Hatch, John P (Section 1, Grave 133-C)
– ANC Explorer He was survived by his wife, Adelaide Burckle Hatch (1825–1919) and their children, Miss Harriet Hatch (1854–1929) and Mark Burckle Hatch (1856–1914).

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