John Parker Hawkins (September 29, 1830 – February 7, 1914) was a career officer of the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

who served as

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, in which he served as a commissary officer and as a commander of colored troops. After the war he remained in the

army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

and rose to the position of Commissary General of Subsistence of the United States Army.

Early life

Hawkins was born in

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...

, the son of John Hawkins and Elizabeth (née Waller); his elder sister was Louisa Hawkins Canby (who married

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Edward Canby Edward Richard Sprigg Canby (November 9, 1817 – April 11, 1873) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. In 1861–1862, Canby commanded the Department of New Mexico, defeating the Confederate Gene ...

). He graduated from

West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...

in 1852 as 40th out of 43 cadets, and joined the 2nd US Infantry. When the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

began in 1861 he was a First Lieutenant and Regimental

Quartermaster Quartermaster is a military term, the meaning of which depends on the country and service. In land armies, a quartermaster is generally a relatively senior soldier who supervises stores or barracks and distributes supplies and provisions. In m ...

of the 6th US Infantry.Eicher, p. 288

Civil War

Parker was promoted to captain on August 3, 1861, and was posted to Missouri to serve as a Commissary of Subsistence. He was sent to western Tennessee in 1862, and was promoted to lieutenant colonel on November 1 that year. The following month he became the Commissary General for Gen. Grant´s

Army of the Tennessee An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

. On April 25, 1863,

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

appointed Hawkins

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

in the U.S. Volunteers, with effect from April 13, 1863.Eicher, p. 722 However, the U.S. Senate returned the nomination to the President on April 1, 1864. The following day Lincoln renominated Hawkins and the Senate subsequently confirmed the appointment on April 18, 1864. Hawkins was assigned to command a brigade of the

United States Colored Troops The United States Colored Troops (USCT) were regiments in the United States Army composed primarily of African-American (colored) soldiers, although members of other minority groups also served within the units. They were first recruited during ...

(USCT) and the District of Northeastern Louisiana. In April 1864 he assumed command of the 1st Division of the USCT. He and his division distinguished themselves in the assault at the

Battle of Fort Blakely The Battle of Fort Blakeley took place from April 2 to April 9, 1865, in Baldwin County, Alabama, about north of Spanish Fort, Alabama, as part of the Mobile Campaign of the American Civil War. At the time, Blakeley, Alabama, had been the count ...

on April 9, 1865, which resulted in the capture of

Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 cens ...

. Hawkins was mustered out of the Union Army volunteer service on February 1, 1866. In the wave of the mass promotions at the end of the war Hawkins was promoted to the

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

grade of

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

in both the U.S. Volunteers and the regular army.Warner, pp. 218

Later life

Hawkins stayed in the army and reverted to his regular rank of captain in the Subsistence Department. He married Jane Bethuxe Craig, daughter of former Chief of Ordnance Colonel

Henry Knox Craig Henry Knox Craig (March 7, 1791 – December 7, 1869) was a career officer in the United States Army and served as colonel and the 4th Chief of Ordnance of the U.S. Army from July 10, 1851 to April 23, 1861. After being relieved of command o ...

, on October 10, 1867. He served in a number of postings and received a series of promotions: to major on June 23, 1874; to lieutenant colonel on September 3, 1889; and colonel on March 12, 1892. He was appointed Commissary General of Subsistence of the U.S. Army with the rank of brigadier general on December 2, 1892, and remained in this position till he resigned on September 29, 1894, aged 64. He died on February 7, 1914, in

, outlived by his daughter, and was buried at the local

Crown Hill Cemetery Crown Hill Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery located at 700 West 38th Street in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana. The privately owned cemetery was established in 1863 at Strawberry Hill, whose summit was renamed "The Crown", a high poi ...

. His wife had predeceased him on April 13, 1913.

Released works

* ''Memoranda concerning some branches of the Hawkins family and connections'' (1913)

Notes

References

* Eicher, John H., and

David J. Eicher David John Eicher (born August 7, 1961) is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of ''Astronomy'' magazine since 2002. He is author, coauthor, or editor of 23 books on science and American ...

, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . * Warner, Ezra J. ''Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders''. Baton Rouge, Louisiana: LSU Press. 1964. . Additional source listed by alleylaw.net: *''The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans'': Volume V H Hawkins, Micajah Thomas page 146

External links

* *
John Parker HAWKINS
Who's Who Within the Waller Family * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hawkins, John Parker 1830 births 1914 deaths Burials at Crown Hill Cemetery People from Indianapolis People of Indiana in the American Civil War Union Army generals United States Military Academy alumni Commissary General of Subsistence (United States Army)