Emory Upton was born on August 27, 1839, near Batavia, New York, to Daniel and Electra Upton. His father was a farmer who owned $7,590 of real estate by 1850. He grew up and attended school in Batavia before enrolling at Oberlin College. After spending two years at Oberlin, he was admitted to the United States Military Academy in 1856.

 

He graduated in May 1861, and he received a commission as a 2^nd lieutenant in the 4^th United States Artillery. Army officials transferred him to the 5^th United States Artillery soon afterward and promoted him to 1^st lieutenant. He took part in the First Battle of Bull Run, the Peninsula campaign, the Seven Days’ Battles, and the Battle of Antietam. He was wounded in the arm in July 1861 in the First Battle of Bull Run.

 

In October 1862, he became colonel of the 121^st New York Infantry. He took part in the Battle of Fredericksburg, the Battle of Gettysburg, the Overland Campaign, the siege of Petersburg, and the Shenandoah Valley campaign. He was promoted to brigadier general in May 1864 and to major general in October 1864. He was wounded again in the Third Battle of Winchester in September 1864. He eventually recovered, and Union officials placed him in command of the 4^th Division of the Cavalry Corps of the Military Division of the Mississippi.

 

He remained in the army after the war. In July 1866, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the 25^th United States Infantry. Army officials transferred him to the 18^th United States Infantry in March 1869. Between 1870 and 1875, he served as commandant of cadets at West Point. He was promoted to colonel in 1880. His health, however, began to deteriorate, and he suffered from debilitating headaches. He committed suicide on March 15, 1881, in San Francisco, California.

 

Image: Emory Upton (courtesy Wikicommons)

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