Joseph Dana Webster (August 25, 1811 – April 12, 1876) was a United States

civil engineer A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering – the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructure while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing ...

and soldier most noted for administrative services 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 ...

, where he served as

chief of staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...

to both

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...

and William T. Sherman.

Career

Webster was born in

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

in 1811. He graduated from

Dartmouth College Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native A ...

in 1832 and worked as a civil engineer. He joined the U.S. army in 1838, serving as 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Topographical Engineers. He fought in the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...

and by 1853 was

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 ...

of the U.S. Engineers. He resigned from the Army in 1854. A few years later the outbreak of the Civil War brought Webster back into the service of the army. On June 1, 1861 he was appointed

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 ...

in the U.S. Army Paymasters. In September he became chief of staff to Ulysses S. Grant. On February 1, 1862 Webster was appointed

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

of the 1st Illinois Light Artillery Regiment, but remained as Grant's chief of staff through the battles of

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, Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, and Shiloh. On the eve of the first day's fighting at Shiloh, Webster was instrumental in massing the artillery in support of Grant's last line of defense near

Pittsburg Landing Pittsburg Landing is a river landing on the west bank of the Tennessee River in Hardin County, Tennessee. It was named for "Pitts" Tucker who operated a tavern at the site in the years preceding the Civil War. It is located at latitude 35.15222 ...

. On April 4, 1863,

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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 Webster to the grade of

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of U.S. volunteers, to rank from November 29, 1862.Eicher, 2001, p. 730. In early November 1862, Webster was assigned as the superintendent of railroads in the

Department of the Tennessee Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

. He next served as the Chief of Transportation for the Army of the Tennessee, during the siege of Vicksburg, and later for the entire Military Division of Mississippi.*Eicher, John H., & Eicher, David J., ''Civil War High Commands'', Stanford University Press, 2001; , p. 558. When William T. Sherman became commander of the Military Division of Mississippi he selected General Webster as his chief of staff. Webster served Sherman in this capacity through the Atlanta Campaign, March to the Sea and the Carolinas Campaign. On March 13, 1865, Webster was brevetted to

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 ...

of U.S. volunteers Webster resigned from the volunteers on November 6, 1865. On January 13, 1866,

Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. He assumed the presidency as he was vice president at the time of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a Dem ...

nominated Webster for appointment to the grade of

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 ...

of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

confirmed the appointment on March 12, 1866.Eicher, 2001, p. 715. After the war he worked as a collector for the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Webster died at Chicago, Illinois on March 12, 1876 and was buried as Rosehill Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Webster, Joseph Dana 1811 births 1876 deaths People from Hampton, New Hampshire Burials at Rosehill Cemetery People of Illinois in the American Civil War People of New Hampshire in the American Civil War Union Army generals