John Newton – Major, United States Army

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MAJOR NEWTON LAID TO REST

Remains of the Officer of Sixteenth Infantry Interred at Washington

WASHINGTON, November 27, 1903 – With the highest honors the body of the late Major Newton of the Sixteenth Infantry was laid to rest in the historic National Cemetery at Arlington this afternoon.  The funeral party left Washington Barracks at 1 o’clock.

The casket, places upon a caisson, was draped in the flag of his country, which Major Newton has served so faithfully for nearly a quarter of a century.  A battalion of engineers, headed by the Engineers Band, acted as the escort to the aqueduct bridge, and there was joined by a squadron of the Second Cavalry with its mounted cavalry band from Fort Myer, which relieved the foot soldiers at that point and performed escort ditty for the remainder of the way to Arlington.

Religious services were conducted at the cemetery by Chaplain C. C. Pierce of the Cavalry Post, at the conclusion of which a firing party discharged a volley of musketry over the open grave and a bugler sounded “Taps.”

The honorary pallbearers were Lieutenant Colonel James S. Pettit, Major John F. Gulifoyle, Major Samuel W. Dunning and Major William P. Evans, all of the Adjutant General’s Department; Major James A. Irons of the Inspector General’s Department and Captain Frank McIntyre, Nineteenth Infantry, of the General Staff.

Major Newton joined the Sixteenth United States Infantry in 1879 and was associated with the regiment ever since, serving in every capacity from Second Lieutenant to Major.  His service was almost entirely on the Western frontier until the outbreak of the Spanish War in 1898, when he joined the Santiago campaign at Tampa.  During the engagement before Santiago, he served as aide to General Hawkins, whose brigade bore the brunt of the hardest fighting before the capture of the city.  After the capture of Santiago, Major Newton became ill of fever.  He returned to Montauk with his regiment.  After a short sick leave he was place on recruiting service to enable him to recover his health. As soon as he became able he joined his command in the Philippines where he remained with it, sharing all the vicissitudes of the campaign, returning with the regiment to the United States after three years of foreign service.  He had many warm friends in the Army.

The funeral was attended by a large number of Army people.  Many beautiful floral tributes were received.

NEWTON, JOHN

  • MAJOR 16TH REGT US INF
  • DATE OF DEATH: 11/24/1903
  • BURIED AT: SECTION S DIV  SITE 1419
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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