Emory Upton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Emory Upton
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Major General Emory Upton, c. 1865
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| Born | August 27, 1839 near Batavia, New York |
| Died | March 15, 1881 (aged 41) San Francisco, California |
| Place of burial |
Fort Hill Cemetery, Auburn, New York
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| Allegiance | United States of America Union |
| Service/ |
United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1881 |
| Rank |  Brigadier General Brevet Major General |
| Commands held |
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| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Emory Upton (born August 27, 1839 – died March 15, 1881) was a skilled U.S. Army general and a smart military thinker. He was well-known for leading his soldiers to successfully attack enemy positions during the American Civil War. He was especially good at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. Upton was also excellent at leading both artillery (big guns) and cavalry (soldiers on horseback). His important book, The Military Policy of the United States, looked closely at America's military history. It had a huge impact on the U.S. Army when it was published after his death in 1904.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Emory Upton was born on a farm near Batavia, New York. He was the tenth child of Daniel and Electra Randall Upton. He studied at Oberlin College for two years. In 1856, he was accepted into the United States Military Academy at West Point. While at West Point, Upton had a disagreement with another cadet that resulted in him getting a cut on his face. He graduated from West Point on May 6, 1861. This was just in time for the start of the Civil War.
Service in the Civil War
Upton began his military career as a second lieutenant in the 4th U.S. Artillery. He quickly became a first lieutenant in the 5th U.S. Artillery. He served as an aide to Brig. Gen. Daniel Tyler. In the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861, Upton was wounded in his arm and side. Even though he was hurt, he stayed on the battlefield. He then commanded his artillery battery during the 1862 Peninsula Campaign and the Seven Days Battles. In the Maryland Campaign, he led the artillery brigade for the 1st Division, VI Corps. This included battles at South Mountain and Battle of Antietam.
Leading the 121st New York Infantry
On October 23, 1862, Upton was made colonel of the 121st New York. He led this regiment at the Battle of Fredericksburg in December. He later commanded the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, of the VI Corps. This command started at the Battle of Gettysburg. His corps marched 35 miles in one night to reach Gettysburg. During the Bristoe Campaign in November 1863, Upton was praised for his brave service at Rappahannock Station. For this, he was promoted to major in the regular army.
New Tactics at Spotsylvania
During the 1864 Overland Campaign, Upton led his brigade in the Wilderness. His most important contribution was at Spotsylvania Court House. Here, he created a new way to attack the Confederate defenses. This new tactic was similar to what would be used in the trench warfare of World War I. Upton's idea was to have many soldiers attack a small part of the enemy line very quickly. They would not stop to fire their weapons. The goal was to overwhelm the defenders and break through their lines. The usual way was to advance slowly in a wide line, firing as they moved.
On May 10, 1864, Upton led twelve regiments using his new tactic against the Confederate Mule Shoe salient (a bulge in the enemy line). His plan worked, and his troops broke into the center of the Mule Shoe. However, they did not get enough support from other units. They were forced to retreat because of enemy artillery and more Confederate soldiers arriving. Upton was wounded in this attack, but not badly. He was promoted to brigadier general on May 12. On that same day, Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock used Upton's attack method for his entire II Corps to break through the Mule Shoe. In late June 1864, Upton took part in the early stages of the Siege of Petersburg.
Later War Service
Upton's brigade was sent to stop Confederate Lt. Gen. Jubal Early from threatening Washington. They fought in the Valley Campaigns of 1864. At the Third Battle of Winchester, Upton took command of the 1st Division, VI Corps, when its leader was badly wounded. Upton himself was severely wounded in the leg soon after. But he refused to leave the field until the battle was over. He was carried on a stretcher, still directing his troops. He received two special promotions for his actions at Winchester.
After recovering, Upton finished the war as a cavalry commander. This meant he had successfully led all three main types of combat units: infantry, artillery, and cavalry. He led the 4th Division of the Cavalry Corps under Maj. Gen. James H. Wilson. This division fought in Wilson's Raid and the Battle of Selma.
On April 16, 1865, Upton's division made a night attack during the Battle of Columbus, Georgia. They captured many weapons, supplies, and 1,500 prisoners. They also burned the unfinished Confederate warship, CSS Muscogee. This battle happened a week after Robert E. Lee's army surrendered. It was the last major fight of the war. A few weeks later, in May 1865, Upton was ordered to arrest Alexander Stephens, the vice president of the Confederacy. Later, Jefferson Davis was also placed in his care. Upton received more special promotions for his actions at Selma. By the end of the war, at just 25 years old, Upton had shown outstanding leadership in all parts of the army.
After the War and Death
After the Civil War, Upton commanded a cavalry brigade. He then served in Colorado until April 1866. He left volunteer service on April 30, 1866. He was part of a group at West Point that created a new system for infantry tactics. This system was approved in 1867. In July 1866, he became a lieutenant colonel in the 25th U.S. Infantry. From 1870 to 1875, he was the commandant of cadets at the United States Military Academy. There, he taught infantry, artillery, and cavalry tactics.
General William Tecumseh Sherman, who was impressed by the Franco-Prussian War, sent Upton on a trip. Upton traveled through Europe and Asia to study different military organizations. He paid special attention to the German Army. When he returned, Upton wrote The Armies of Europe and Asia. In this book, he warned that European armies were more advanced in soldiering than the U.S. Army. Upton suggested 54 changes for the Army. These included creating advanced military schools, a general staff (a group of officers who help plan and manage the army), and promoting officers based on tests.
In 1881, Upton was a colonel commanding the 4th U.S. Artillery at the Presidio of San Francisco. He suffered from severe headaches, possibly from a brain tumor. He died on March 15, 1881. He is buried in Fort Hill Cemetery, Auburn, New York.
Ideas for Army Reform
Upton is seen as one of the most important young reformers of the U.S. Army in the 1800s. Some even compare him to Navy reformer Alfred Thayer Mahan. While his books on tactics and foreign armies were important, his biggest impact came from his unfinished work, The Military Policy of the United States from 1775. He worked on this book for years, but it was not finished when he died in 1881.
Military Policy was a debated book. In it, Upton described U.S. military history. He argued that the armed forces were not strong enough. He believed that the main problem was too much control by civilians over the military. He thought that professional officers should make all military decisions in the field. He also argued for a strong, permanent regular army. This army would be supported by volunteers or draftees during wartime. He also suggested a general staff system like the Prussian model. He wanted promotions to be based on examinations. He also believed officers should retire at a certain age. Upton's ideas greatly influenced military discussions for many years. All of Upton's suggested changes were put into action in the late 1800s and early 1900s. These changes helped the U.S. Army become very effective in World War I.
After Upton's death, his friend Henry A. DuPont got a copy of the unfinished book. It was shared widely among Army officers and started many discussions. After the Spanish–American War, Secretary of War Elihu Root read the book. He ordered the War Department to publish it as The Military Policy of the United States. Many of the Army's reforms in the early 1900s were inspired by Upton's ideas.
Remembering Emory Upton
In 1895, Maj. Gen. James H. Wilson wrote an introduction for a book about Upton. Wilson's words show how important Emory Upton's achievements were:
... Upton was as good an artillery officer as could be found in any country, the equal of any cavalry commander of his day, and, all things considered, was the best commander of a division of infantry in either the Union or the rebel army. ... He was incontestably the best tactician of either army, and this is true whether tested by battle or by the evolutions of the drill field and parade. In view of his success of all arms of the service, it is not too much to add that he could scarcely have failed as a corps or army commander had it been his good fortune to be called to such rank. ... No one can read the story of his brilliant career without concluding that he had a real genius for war, together with all the theoretical and practical knowledge which any one could acquire in regard to it. Up to the time when he was disabled by the disease which caused his death he was, all things considered, the most accomplished soldier in our service. His life was pure and upright, his bearing chivalric and commanding, his conduct modest and unassuming, and his character absolutely without blemish. History cannot furnish a brighter example of unselfish patriotism, or ambition unsullied by an ignoble thought or an unworthy deed. He was a credit to the State and family which gave him birth, to the military academy which educated him, and to the army in which he served. So long as the Union has such soldiers as he to defend it, it will be perpetual.
– Maj. Gen. James H. Wilson, 'The Life and Letters of Emory Upton'
Upton was honored at a place in central Suffolk County, New York. This site is now home to Brookhaven National Laboratory. The U.S. Army's Camp Upton was active from 1917 to 1920, and again from 1940 to 1946. During World War II, the camp was rebuilt to process new soldiers. The Army later used the site as a hospital for wounded soldiers.
A statue of Upton stands in front of the Genesee County Courthouse in his hometown of Batavia. Also, a street in Washington, D.C. is named Upton Street, NW, after him. Many streets in new areas of the capital were named after Civil War generals.
Military Ranks Held
| Insignia | Rank | Component | Date |
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| No insignia | Cadet | USMA | 1 July 1856 |
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Second Lieutenant | 4th Artillery | 6 May 1861 |
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First Lieutenant | 5th Artillery | 14 May 1861 |
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Colonel | 121st New York Infantry | 23 October 1862 |
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Brevet Major | Regular Army | 8 November 1863 |
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Brevet Lieutenant Colonel | Regular Army | 10 May 1864 |
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Brigadier General | Volunteers | 12 May 1864 |
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Brevet Major General | Volunteers | 19 October 1864 |
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Captain | 5th Artillery | 22 February 1865 |
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Brevet Major General | Regular Army | 13 March 1865 |
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Lieutenant Colonel | 25th Infantry | 28 July 1866 |
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Colonel | 4th Artillery, Regular Army | 1 July 1880 |
Published Works
- A New System of Infantry Tactics, Double and Single Rank, Adapted to American Topography and Improved Fire-Arms (published in 1867)
- Tactics for Non-Military Bodies (1870)
- The Armies of Asia and Europe. Embracing Official Reports On the Armies of Japan, China, India, Persia, Italy, Russia, Austria, Germany, France, and England. Accompanied by Letters Descriptive of A Journey from Japan to the Caucasus. New York: D. Appleton & Co. (1878)
- Infantry Tactics in Use at the N.Y.S. Reformatory (published after his death, 1889)
- The Military Policy of the United States (published after his death, 1904)
