Lafayette E. Campbell – Colonel, United States Army

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Lafayette E. Campbell of Ohio

  • Appointed from Ohio, Private, Troop F, 3rd Iowa Volunteer Cavalry, 20 July 1862 to 22 February 1865
  • First Lieutenant, U. S. Volunteer Infantry, 22 February 1865
  • Honorably mustered out 29 November 1865
  • Second Lieutenant, 15th U. S. Infantry, 11 May 1866
  • Transferred to 33rd U. S. Infantry, 21 September 1866
  • First Lieutenant, 11 October 1868
  • Unassigned 3 May 1869
  • Assigned to 22nd U. S. Cavalry, 23 July 1869
  • Captain, Assistant Quartermaster, 29 May 1876
  • Retired with the rank of Major, 11 December 1892

Dear Sirs: I was looking with interest at your fine website of Army personnel buried in Arlington, only to realize “mine” aren’t on the list. The first is Colonel Lafayette E. Campbell, Union Civil War, Nebraska and Dakota Territories, who laid out Fort Logan, Colorado, and who married the daughter of General Frederick Dent, the niece of President Grant.  The second is Colonel John B. Nixon, Union Civil War, Indian Territories, Indian wars against Chief Victoria, and the third is Colonel. Courtland Nixon, Spanish American War, WWI. Could we have them included, please.

Thank you, Margaret Lewis

Lafayette E. Campbell
Still working on his biographical information…….still a bit sketchy: Earliest “sighting”: Born at Ohio, 9 May 1845.

He joined the Union Army, 3rd Iowa Volunteer Calvary, Company F, in 1862.  He was discharged for promotion as First Lieutenant of Company B, Third United States Infantry June 20, 1865.  He appears in the 1870 Census in Nebraska/Dakota Territories.  He was married 5 October 1875 in Washington D.C., to Margaret Lynde Dent, daughter of General Frederick Tracy Dent, brother in law of Ulysses Grant.  The 1880 Census finds him at Fortress Monroe, Elizabeth City, Virginia.

Fort Logan History:

Lieutenant General Philip H. Sheridan selected the location of the fort, and with contributions from local citizens and businesses purchased 640 acres of Arapahoe County land nine miles south of Denver’s Union (train) Station. The first soldiers to arrive were members of the 18th United States Infantry, formerly of Forts Hays and Leavenworth, Kansas. After camping on a nearby ranch for several days, the troops officially occupied the military reservation on October 31 1887. The soldiers completed temporary barracks and a guardhouse in December of that year. In 1888 the first quartermaster, Captain Lafayette E. Campbell, laid out plans for the grounds. A civilian architect, Frank J. Grodavent, designed permanent buildings including officers’ quarters lining the south and west sides of a 32-acre parade ground, headquarters building, hospital, enlisted men’s barracks, stables and warehouses. Construction began on these permanent facilities in July, 1888.

Campbell reached rank of Lieutenant Colonel or Colonel. I have the pension papers somewhere, but can’t find them today. He was buried 9 May 1919 on his 74th birthday at Arlington Cemetery.

Margaret (Madge) Lynd Dent married Major Lafayette E. Campbell.The children of Margaret Dent and Lafayette Campbell are:
Julia Grant Campbell
Helen Dent Campbell

CAMPBELL, LAFAYETTE E

  • LT COL USA
  • VETERAN SERVICE DATES: Unknown
  • DATE OF DEATH: 05/03/1919
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: Unknown
  • BURIED AT: SECTION E DIV  SITE LOT 3841
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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