300. Maj.-Gen. Truman Seymour

300. MAJ.-GEN. TRUMAN⁸ SEYMOUR (Truman⁷, Truman⁶, Timothy⁵, Timothy⁴, John³, John², Richard¹), born at Burlington, Vt, 25 Sept. 1824, died at Florence, Italy, 31 Oct. 1891; married 11 Aug. 1852, LOUISE WEIR, born at New York City, 11 Nov. 1832, daughter of Prof. Robert Walter and Louisa (Ferguson).

He was graduated from the U. S. Military Academy at West Point, as 2d Lieutenant, 1st Artillery, 1 July 1846. He served in the War with Mexico, and was present at the Battles of Cerro Gordo, 17-18 Apr. 1847, La Hoya, 20 June 1847, Contreras, 19-20 Aug. 1847, Churubusco, 20 Aug. 1847, assault and capture of City of Mexico, 13-14 Sept. 1847. He was commissioned 1st Lieutenant, 1st Artillery, 26 Aug. 1847. From 1850 to 1853 he was assistant professor of drawing at West Point. He served in Florida against the Seminoles, 1856-58, and was in Europe, 1859-60; commissioned Captain, 1st Artillery, 22 Nov. 1860.

He served throughout the Civil War, being stationed at Fort Sumter from 26 Dec. 1860 to 14 Apr. 1861. He was transferred to the 5th Artillery, 14 May 1861, and was made Brigadier-General of U. S. Volunteers, 28 Apr. 1862, serving in the various campaigns in Virginia and Maryland. He commanded the left wing at Mechanics-ville, 26 June, leading a division at Malvern Hill, 1 July. He participated at Bull Run, 29-30 Aug., South Mountain, 14 Sept., and Antietam, 17 Sept.

After 18 Nov. 1862, he was in the Department of the South, serving as Chief of Staff and Artillery. In 1863 he took part in the attack on Morris Island, 10 July; and commanded the assault on Fort Wagner, 18 July, where he was wounded. He commanded the expedition to Florida, Feb. 1864; commanded a division of the 6th Corps, Army of the Potomac, in the Battle of the Wilderness, 5-6 May, where he was captured “under fire.” Exchanged 9 Aug. 1864, he commanded the 3d Division, 6th Corps, in Shenandoah Valley that autumn, and before Petersburg, 1864-65, and took part in the attack of 26 Mar. and the general assault of 2 Apr. He was present at the capitulation of Lee, Appomattox, 9 Apr. 1865. Mustered out of volunteer service, 24 Aug. 1865, he was commissioned Major of the 5th Artillery, 13 Aug. 1866, and commanded forts in Florida, Fort Warren, Mass., in 1869-70, and Fort Preble, Me., in 1870-75. He was retired from active service, 1 Nov. 1876.

Brevet 1st Lieut., 18 Apr. 1847, “for gallant and meritorious conduct in the Battle of Cerro Gordo, Mexico.” Brevet Captain, 20 Aug. 1847, “for gallant and meritorious conduct in the battles of Contreras and Churubusco, Mexico.” Brevet Major, 14 Apr. 1861, “for gallant and meritorious services in the defence of Fort Sumter, S. C.” Brevet Lieut. Colonel, 14 Sept. 1862, “for gallant and meritorious services in the battle of South Mountain, Md.” Brevet Colonel, 17 Sept. 1862, “for gallant and meritorious services in the battle of Antietam, Md.” Brevet Brigadier-General, 13 Mar. 1865, “for gallant and meritorious services in the capture of Petersburg, Md.” Brevet Major General, 13 Mar. 1865, “for gallant and meritorious services in the field during the War.” Brevet Major General, U. S. Volunteers, 13 Mar. 1865, “for ability and energy in handling his Division, and for gallantry and valuable services in action.”

Gen. Seymour was an artist of ability, and after his retirement from the Army went abroad and settled in Florence. He received the degree of A.M. from Williams College, Mass., 1865. He was proficient in painting in water color, and in Europe devoted himself to this, to sketching, and to the study of art collections. A nephew states: “He was a good flute player, and wrote the bugle calls used in our army. He was slender and of good height and very grizzled as I knew him. He spoke with decision and was no pussy-foot.” He also states that after the General's capture in the Civil War, when being taken to Richmond by train, he made a speech to the assembled mob from the rear platform, telling them that if they attempted an invasion of the North, the women would come out with their brooms and sweep them into the sea.

Gen. Truman Seymour felt a great interest in the family history, and deserves recognition as one of its earliest historians. He wrote in 1880: “In 1857 or ‘58 Prof. N. P. Seymour very kindly supplied me with the foundation for my labors and I then intended to obtain only the history of my own branch; ill health in 1859 compelled me to be abroad for one year: on my return in 1860 the war interfered with my progress, and after the war my duties demanded all my attention. I found that it would be the work of a lifetime to embrace the whole family.” He nevertheless collected and compiled a very complete record of his branch, which he afterwards turned over to Miss Mary Kingsbury Talcott, among whose papers it has been found.

The Dictionary of American Biography contains a comprehensive account of General Seymour and sums up his character as follows: “Brave and steady as a leader, he was modest and unaggressive in the promotion of his own ambitions. He won the regard of his subordinates by uniform courtesy and unfailing care for their welfare. He was, however, a man of strong prejudices with a tendency to impulsive action which retarded the advancement his training, experience and devotion would otherwise have merited.”

The tablet to his memory in the Memorial Hall at West Point bears a very fine bas-relief of him by Launt Thompson, which was incorporated in the design of the tablet by his wife's nephew, Edward P. Casey. The portrait of him in the present volume was painted by his father-in-law, Prof. Robert Weir of West Point, now at the “Bishop's House,” Providence, R. I., owned by Prof. Weir's granddaughter, wife of the Rt. Rev. James DeWolfe Perry, Bishop of Rhode Island.

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