General Henry Ware Lawton collection, 1899-1939

Resource Information

The work General Henry Ware Lawton collection, 1899-1939 represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Indiana State Library. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, http://bibfra.me/vocab/marc/Collection, Multimedia, Mixed Materials.

Label

General Henry Ware Lawton collection, 1899-1939

Inclusive dates

1899-1939

Creator

• Lawton, Henry Ware, 1843-1899

Contributor

• Rivers, Fred G.

Creator

• Lawton, Henry Ware, 1843-1899
• Rivers, Fred G.

Subject

• Philippines -- History -- Revolution, 1896-1898
• Spanish-American War, 1898
• United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
• Geronimo, 1829-1909

Language

• eng
• eng

Summary

This collection includes a typewritten document containing three resolutions regarding actions the State of Indiana would take in response to the death of General Henry Ware Lawton during the Philippine Insurrection. The resolutions were drafted and signed on December 20, 1899 by a committee comprised of Governor James Mount, William Hart, and John B. Conner.The collection also includes a February 7, 1939 handwritten letter sent to Indiana Governor M. Clifford Townsend by Ex Sgt. Fred G. Rivers of New York City regarding General Lawton. Rivers served with Lawton in the Philippines and relates the general's heroic service from the Civil War until his death at San Mateo. He mentions that he hopes the "people of Indiana will not forget this great soldier" who "gave his all to the U.S.A."

Biographical or historical data

General Henry Ware Lawton was born on March 17, 1843 at Manhattan, Ohio to George W. and Catherine Daley Lawton. His mother died in 1854 and he and his father later settled in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1858. He attended the Fort Wayne Methodist Episcopal College until the outbreak of the Civil War. On April 24, 1861, he enlisted in Company E 9th Indiana Volunteer Infantry with the rank of sergeant. After completing his three months' service in July, 1861, he was promoted to 1st lieutenant and mustered into Company A 30th Indiana Volunteer Infantry on September 24, 1861. He was then promoted to full captain on May 17, 1862 and to lieutenant colonel on February 10, 1865. Lawton was awarded the Medal of Honor for his leadership at Atlanta and at the close of the war had attained the rank of colonel of volunteers. After the war, he rejoined the army and was commissioned second lieutenant on July 28, 1866. He served in many Indian campaigns and captured the Apache chief, Geronimo, and his band of warriors in 1886. When there was a declaration of war against Spain, Lawton was appointed Brigadier General of Volunteers on March 4, 1898 and then promoted to Major General on July 8th. In January, 1899 he was ordered to the Philippines to combat Filipino insurgents and arrived in Manila on March 10, 1899. He lead successful operations against the insurgents and captured a number of towns before being killed during the Battle of San Mateo on December 19, 1899.Sources:Information within collection.Ancestry.com. "Henry Ware Lawton." U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865. Accessed March 7, 2017. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County. Major General Henry W. Lawton of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Fort Wayne, IN: Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County, 1954.

Cataloging source

ISL