Catharinus P. Buckingham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Catharinus P. Buckingham
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Catharinus P. Buckingham
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| Born | March 14, 1808 Zanesville, Ohio |
| Died | August 30, 1888 (aged 80) Chicago, Illinois |
| Place of burial |
Woodlawn Cemetery,
Zanesville, Ohio |
| Allegiance | United States of America Union |
| Service/ |
United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1829–1831; 1861–1863 |
| Rank |  Brigadier General |
| Unit | 3rd U.S. Artillery Regiment U.S. War Department |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
| Relations | Grandson of Rufus Putnam |
Catharinus Putnam Buckingham (born March 14, 1808 – died August 30, 1888) was a very busy American. He was a soldier, a college teacher, a writer, and even ran factories. During the American Civil War, he served as a general in the Union Army. He also worked closely with Edwin M. Stanton, who was the Secretary of War for President Abraham Lincoln.
Growing Up and Early Career
Catharinus Buckingham was born and grew up in Zanesville, Ohio. He was the only child of Ebenezer and Catharine Putnam Buckingham. His grandfather was Rufus Putnam, a famous person from the American Revolutionary War.
Catharinus was a very smart student. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1829. He was the sixth best student in his class! After West Point, he became a second lieutenant in the 3rd U.S. Artillery. He worked on mapping out land.
In 1830, he married Mary Gird. He also taught at West Point for about a year. In 1831, he decided to leave the Army.
From 1833 to 1836, he taught math and science at Kenyon College. During this time, he married again to Mary P. Turner in 1835. Later, he owned an iron factory in Ohio called the Kokosing Iron Works.
In 1845, he married for a third time to Marion A. Hawkes.
Serving During the Civil War
When the Civil War began, Catharinus Buckingham joined the Union Army. In May 1861, he became an assistant adjutant general for Ohio. An adjutant general helps manage the army's paperwork and organization. He was promoted to adjutant general in July.
A year later, in July 1862, he became a brigadier general. This is a high-ranking officer in the army. He was given a special job helping the Secretary of War in Washington, D.C. He worked there until he resigned in February 1863.
General Buckingham is well-known for one important task. On November 7, 1862, he delivered the orders that removed General George B. McClellan from leading the Army of the Potomac. This was a very big deal at the time.
After the War
After the Civil War, Buckingham continued to be busy. He wrote a math textbook called New Arithmetic on the Unit System in 1869. He also wrote another book, Principles of Arithmetic, in 1871.
In 1873, he became the president of the Chicago Steel Works. This was a large company that made steel. He also returned to West Point as a professor. He taught about experimental philosophy until he retired in 1881. In 1879, he was part of the Board of Visitors for the academy. This group helps oversee how the academy is run.
Catharinus Buckingham passed away in Chicago, Illinois, when he was 80 years old. He was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Zanesville, Ohio. He is one of six Civil War generals buried in that city.
