Lewis Golding Arnold
Encyclopedia
Lewis Golding Arnold was a career U.S. Army
officer and a brigadier general
in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
, primarily noted for his service in Florida.
and graduated from West Point in 1837, placing tenth in his class. He fought in the Second Seminole War
and the Mexican-American War, where he was severely wounded at Chuburusco
. After the war, he once again commanded troops in Florida
, and led a detachment against the Seminole
Indians in the April 1856 Battle of Big Cypress.
of the 2nd United States Artillery and was assigned to Fort Jefferson at Dry Tortugas, FL, in January 1861, leaving his command at Fort Independence, MA. In October 1861, he helped repulse a Confederate
attack on Santa Rosa Island
, and defiantly refused to surrender the outpost during three different Confederate artillery
bombardments. He remained there until May 1862, having rendered invaluable service in defending the fort, which remained in Union hands through the war. In January 1862, he was promoted to brigadier general, and in October 1862 was transferred to command the city of New Orleans
after it fell to Union forces.
On November 10 of that year, he was struck down by a stroke while reviewing troops, and was places on sick leave for over a year while army officials hoped his condition would improve. When it became obvious he would be permanently disabled, he was retired from the Army in February 1864.
Arnold died 8 years later in Boston, Massachusetts and is buried in St. Mary's Episcopal Church Cemetery in Newton Lower Falls
.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
officer and a brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, primarily noted for his service in Florida.
Birth and early years
Lewis G. Arnold was born in Perth Amboy, New JerseyPerth Amboy, New Jersey
Perth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The City of Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 50,814. Perth Amboy is known as the "City by the Bay", referring to Raritan Bay.-Name:The Lenape...
and graduated from West Point in 1837, placing tenth in his class. He fought in the Second Seminole War
Second Seminole War
The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between various groups of Native Americans collectively known as Seminoles and the United States, part of a series of conflicts called the Seminole Wars...
and the Mexican-American War, where he was severely wounded at Chuburusco
Battle of Churubusco
The Battle of Churubusco took place on August 20, 1847, in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Contreras during the Mexican-American War. After defeating the Mexican army at Churubusco, the U.S. Army was only 5 miles away from Mexico City, the capital of the nation...
. After the war, he once again commanded troops in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and led a detachment against the Seminole
Seminole
The Seminole are a Native American people originally of Florida, who now reside primarily in that state and Oklahoma. The Seminole nation emerged in a process of ethnogenesis out of groups of Native Americans, most significantly Creeks from what is now Georgia and Alabama, who settled in Florida in...
Indians in the April 1856 Battle of Big Cypress.
Civil War service
After the outbreak of the Civil War, he was promoted to Major (United States)Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
of the 2nd United States Artillery and was assigned to Fort Jefferson at Dry Tortugas, FL, in January 1861, leaving his command at Fort Independence, MA. In October 1861, he helped repulse a Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
attack on Santa Rosa Island
Battle of Santa Rosa Island
The Battle of Santa Rosa Island was an unsuccessful Confederate attempt to take Union-held Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island, Florida.- Background :...
, and defiantly refused to surrender the outpost during three different Confederate artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
bombardments. He remained there until May 1862, having rendered invaluable service in defending the fort, which remained in Union hands through the war. In January 1862, he was promoted to brigadier general, and in October 1862 was transferred to command the city of New Orleans
New Orleans in the Civil War
New Orleans, in Louisiana, was the largest city in the Southern States during the American Civil War. It provided thousands of troops for the Confederate States Army, as well as several leading officers and generals...
after it fell to Union forces.
On November 10 of that year, he was struck down by a stroke while reviewing troops, and was places on sick leave for over a year while army officials hoped his condition would improve. When it became obvious he would be permanently disabled, he was retired from the Army in February 1864.
Arnold died 8 years later in Boston, Massachusetts and is buried in St. Mary's Episcopal Church Cemetery in Newton Lower Falls
Newton Lower Falls, Massachusetts
Newton Lower Falls, Massachusetts is a village of Newton, Massachusetts, on the Charles River. The commercial area extends across the river into Wellesley, Massachusetts, where it is known as Wellesley Lower Falls, where a majority of the retail businesses are.The Charles River drops 18 feet over...
.