Aaron Daggett

Aaron Simon Daggett (June 14, 1837 – May 14, 1938) was a career United States Army officer. He was the last surviving brevet Union general of the American Civil War, and the last surviving general of any grade from the war, when he died one month shy of his 101st birthday in 1938.[1][2] Daggett was nominated for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general, to rank from March 13, 1865, by President Andrew Johnson on February 21, 1866 and was confirmed by the United States Senate on April 10, 1866.[3] During the war, Daggett fought at West Point, Gaines' Mill, Golding's Farm, White Oak Swamp, Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Rappahannock Station, Fredericksburg, Battle of Gettysburg, Battle of Mine Run, Battle of the Wilderness and Battle of Cold Harbor. Daggett was a brigadier general of volunteers in the Spanish–American War.[1] He was appointed to the brigadier general grade to rank from September 1, 1898 and was mustered out of the volunteers on November 30, 1898.[1] He was promoted to brigadier general in the Regular Army (United States) ten days before his retirement from the army on March 2, 1901.[1]

Aaron Daggett
Daggett's official portrait by Mathew Brady
Personal details
Born
Aaron Simon Daggett

(1837-06-14)June 14, 1837
Greene, Maine
DiedMay 14, 1938(1938-05-14) (aged 100)
West Roxbury, Massachusetts
Political partyRepublican
ResidenceAuburn, Maine
Alma materBates College
ProfessionUnited States Army officer
Military service
Nickname(s)"Danger Daggett"
Allegiance United States of America
Union
Branch/service United States Army
Union Army
Years of service1861 - 1901
Rank Colonel
Brevet Brigadier General
Unit 16th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Commands16th Maine Infantry
Battles/wars
American Civil War

Spanish–American War

Early life and education

Daggett was born in Greene, Maine, on June 14, 1837.[1] He was the son of Yankee parents, whose Puritan ancestors came to New England as part of the Puritan migration from England in 1630. Both of Daggett's grandfathers served in the Revolutionary War.

Daggett attended Bates College (then called the Maine State Seminary) in Lewiston, Maine, in 1860.[4] He also attended the Monmouth Academy and Maine Wesleyan Academy.[5]

Military career

Civil War

Daggett enlisted as a private in the 5th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment in April 1861, and became a second lieutenant in May 1861. He was appointed first lieutenant, June 24, 1861.[1] He fought at the First Battle of Bull Run. He was appointed a captain, August 15, 1861.[1][5]

Daggett became a major of the 5th Maine Infantry Regiment to rank from April 14, 1863.[1] He fought at Second Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Mine Run, the Wilderness, and Cold Harbor where he was wounded on May 30, 1864.[1]

Daggett was mustered out of the volunteers on July 24, 1864.[1] On January 23, 1865, he was appointed lieutenant colonel of the 5th United States Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment.[1] He was appointed brevet colonel, March 3, 1865.[1] He had brevet appointments as a major in the Regular Army for gallant and meritorious services at Rappahannock Station and as lieutenant colonel for services at the Wilderness, both to rank from March 3, 1865.[5] He was again mustered out of the volunteers, May 10, 1865.[1]

On February 21, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Daggett for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the United States Senate confirmed the appointment on April 10, 1866.[3]

Daggett believed in the abolition of slavery and fought alongside African-American soldiers during the Civil War while serving with the 5th Maine Infantry Regiment. He was also a strong supporter of the temperance movement and gave public lectures on the topic.[6] Daggett was a member of the Presbyterian church.[5]

Subsequent military career

On July 28, 1866, Daggett became a captain in the 16th U.S. Infantry Regiment.[1] He was transferred to the 2nd U.S. Infantry Regiment on April 17, 1869.[1] He was appointed major in the 13th U.S. Infantry Regiment on February 2, 1892. He was appointed lieutenant colonel in the 25th U.S. Infantry Regiment on October 1, 1895.[1]

In his military career after the Civil War, Aaron Daggett went on to fight in the Indian Wars, in which he received a purple heart,[5] the Spanish–American War in China, and the Philippines and received another Purple Heart and the Gold Star. (These quoted ref. do not state awarding of the a-fore referenced Medals. Data needs to be sourced from National Military Archives.)

During the Spanish–American War, Daggett was temporarily appointed to the brigadier general grade to rank from September 1, 1898 and was mustered out of the volunteers on November 30, 1898.[1] He was present at the Battle of San Juan Hill.

On February 21, 1900 Daggett became a brigadier general of the regular U.S. Army before retiring on March 2, 1901 to Auburn, Maine.[1][5]

Death and legacy

Aaron S. Daggett died at the age of 100 at his home in West Roxbury, Massachusetts on May 14, 1938, making him the last surviving brevet or full, substantive rank Union general of the Civil War.[1][5] He was buried at Old Valley Cemetery, Greene Corner, Maine.[1]

Daggett Terrace (Veterans Village Subdivision) in New Port Richey Florida is named after Aaron Daggett.

See also
  • Henry R. Gibson (1837–1938), Union veteran and Tennessee Governor (1895–1905). Born 6 months after Daggett and died 11 days later at 100

Notes
  1. Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, Civil War High Commands. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 978-0-8047-3641-1. p. 197.
  2. Adelbert Ames was the last surviving full-rank Union general. He died on April 13, 1933.
  3. Eicher, 2001, p. 743.
  4. Maine State Seminary Catalog, 1856–1863; Seminary Advocate, "Seminary Roll of Honor," July 1863 (list of school's Civil War soldiers) (Bates College archives)
  5. Men of the Century, an Historical Work: Giving Portraits and Sketches of Eminent Citizens of the United States, edited by Charles Morris, (I. R. Hamersly & co., 1896), pg. 165 https://books.google.com/books?id=VtY-AAAAYAAJ
  6. "Church Notes," The Christian Work and the Evangelist, Volume 83, Nov. 2, 1907, pg. 576

References
  • Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, Civil War High Commands. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 978-0-8047-3641-1.

Further reading
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