John Randolph Lewis – Brigadier General, United States Army

John Randolph Lewis of Pennsylvania

• Appointed from Vermont, Sergeant, Company H, 1st Vermont Volunteer Infantry, 2 May to 15 August 1861
• Captain, 5th Vermont Volunteer Infantry, 16 September 1861
• Major, 16 July 1862
• Lieutenant Colonel, 6 October 1862
• Colonel, 5 June 1864
• Honorably mustered out, 11 September 1864
• Colonel, Veteran Reserve Corps, 8 September 1864
• Breveted Brigadier General, U. S. Volunteers, 13 March 1865 for gallant service in the Winderness, Virginia
• Honorably mustered out 31 March 1867
• Major, 44th U. S. Infantry, 22 January1867
• Unassigned, 15 March 1869
• Retired with rank of Colonel, 28 April 1870
• Breveted Lieutenant Colonel, 2 March 1867 for gallant and meritorious service in the battle of White Oak Swamp, Virginia
• Breveted Colonel, 2 Mrch 1867, for gallant and meritorious service in the battle of the Wilderness, Virginia
• Died 8 February 1900

10 February 1900

General John R. Lewis, United States Army, retired, one of the best-known men in the Grand Army of the Republic and in Army circles, died suddenly in Chicago on Thursday.  At the outbreak of the Civil War, General Lewis mustered a company of men known as the Fifth Vermont Volunteers, and was commissioned Captain.  He was sent South ans rose to the rank of Brevet Brigadier General.  He took part in the battle of the Wilderness, where he lost an arm.  In 1872 he retired from active service in the Army and went South, settling in Atlanta.  Taking up work there, he soon became identified with the public life of the city, and was appointed Postmaster.

Recently he gave up life in the South and traveled in the West in search of health.  He went to Chicago nine weeks ago.  He was at that time ill, and, owing to his condition, but few of his Army friends knew of his presence in the city.

He was born in Edinburg, Pennsyvlania in 1835.  He leaves a wife, who, with a son, is in Dawson City on the Klondike, where they have resided for two years.  The other son is detailed to West Point as an instructor.

The funeral will probably he held at Arlington Cemetery, Washington, although the exact place will not be determine until definite worl is received from Lieutenant Lewis at West Point.

NOTE: His son, Frederick Worthington Lewis, Brigadier General, United States Army, is buried nearby in Arlington National Cemetery.

LEWIS, JOHN R

• COLOENEL BR BRIG GEN USA
• DATE OF DEATH: 02/02/1900
• BURIED AT: SECTION WS  SITE 451
• ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard