Seth Maxwell Barton (September 8, 1829 – April 11, 1900) was a United States Army officer and, then, a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He later became noted as a chemist.

Early life and career

Barton was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, on September 8, 1829, to Thomas Bowerbank Barton (1792-1871) and Susan Catherine Stone Barton ( 1796-1875).from www.bartondatabase.com At the age of 15, he was accepted into the United States Military Academy, graduating in 1849. Following his graduation, Barton served in various frontier posts in New Mexico Territory and Texas, where he participated in campaigns against the Comanche Indians. By 1861, Barton had become a Captain in the United States Army.

Civil War Service

With the outbreak of the Civil War, he resigned his commission and joined the

3rd Arkansas The 3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment (also known as "Third Arkansas"; July 5, 1861 – April 12, 1865) was a regiment of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, and the most celebrated unit from the state. Formed and initially c ...

Infantry as a

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

in the Confederate army. Serving under Gen.

Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, towards the end of which he was appointed the overall commander of the Confederate States Army. He led the Army of Nort ...

, Barton saw action at the battles of Cheat Mountain and Greenbrier River, and later with Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson as chief engineer during the Valley Campaign in 1862. Promoted to brigadier general in March 1862, Barton was assigned to Gen. E. Kirby Smith in the

Department of East 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, ...

, where for a short time during the June 1862 Cumberland Gap Campaign, Barton led the 4th Brigade, consisting of Anderson's Virginia battery as well as Alabama and Georgia regiments. Later transferred with Maj. Gen. Carter L. Stevenson's division to Vicksburg, Mississippi, Barton was captured following the Siege of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863. Released following a prisoner exchange, Barton was assigned command of the Virginia brigade once led by Lewis Armistead, serving under Maj. Gen. George Pickett. Stationed at Kinston, North Carolina, for the remainder of the year. Barton was commanding one of the forward columns marching on New Bern, in February 1864, when he was censured after Pickett had issued a formal complaint against him for lack of cooperation. He was transferred to Gen. Robert Ransom's command at Drewry's Bluff. However, Barton was again relieved of command following the

Battle of Drewry's Bluff The Battle of Drewry's Bluff, also known as the Battle of Fort Darling, or Fort Drewry, took place on May 15, 1862, in Chesterfield County, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. Four Union Navy warships, inclu ...

when Ransom issued a similar charge, despite accounts of Barton's gallantry during the battle as well as his unit being the first to reach the Union guns. Barton's brigade was assigned to Col.

Birkett D. Fry Birkett Davenport Fry (June 24, 1822 – January 21, 1891) was an adventurer, soldier, lawyer, cotton manufacturer, and a Confederate brigadier general in the American Civil War. A survivor of four battle wounds, he commanded one of the lead br ...

. Barton was later returned to command due to the intervention of other officers on his behalf and assigned to a brigade defending

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

, under Lt. Gen. Richard S. Ewell. He remained at Chaffin's Farm until the eventual evacuation of Richmond and joined the retreating forces under Maj. Gen. Custis Lee. Barton was captured on April 6, 1865 at the Battle of Sayler's Creek along with eight other Confederate Generals. Imprisoned for three months at Fort Warren in Boston, Massachusetts, he was released after signing a loyalty oath to the Union

Dates of Rank

* Captain, June 15, 1861 * Lieutenant Colonel, June 29, 1861 * Brigadier General, March 11, 1862

Post-War Life

After the war, Barton returned to Fredericksburg, where he began practicing

chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

, eventually becoming one of the most prominent chemists in the United States. In 1900, while visiting his son in Washington, D.C., he died suddenly. He was buried in the City Cemetery in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Notes

References

* Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . * Linedecker, Clifford L., ed. ''Civil War A-Z: The Complete Handbook of America's Bloodiest Conflict''. New York: Ballantine Books, 2002. * Sifakis, Stewart. ''Who Was Who in the Civil War.'' New York: Facts On File, 1988. . * Warner, Ezra J. ''Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders.'' Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. .

External links

Monument at Vicksburg
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barton, Seth 1829 births 1900 deaths 19th-century American chemists 3d Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Confederate States) American Civil War prisoners of war Confederate States Army brigadier generals Military personnel from Fredericksburg, Virginia People of Virginia in the American Civil War Scientists from Virginia United States Army officers United States Military Academy alumni