Description
Major-general john fulton reynolds reynolds was born in lancaster, pennsylvania, one of nine surviving children of john reynolds (17871853) and lydia moore reynolds (17941843). Reynolds was nominated to the united states military academy in 1837 by senator james buchanan, a family friend, and graduated 26th of 50 cadets in the class of 1841. He was commissioned a brevet second lieutenant in the 3rd u.S. Artillery, assigned to fort mchenry. From 1842 to 1845 he was assigned to st. Augustine, florida, and fort moultrie, south carolina, before joining zachary taylor’s army at corpus christi, texas, for the mexican-american war. He was awarded two brevet promotions in mexicoto captain for gallantry at monterrey and to major for buena vista, where his section of guns prevented the mexican cavalry from outflanking the american left. During the war, he became friends with fellow officers winfield scott hancock and lewis a. Armistead. Returning from mexico, reynolds was assigned to fort preble, maine, new orleans, louisiana, and fort lafayette, new york. He marched west and was stationed at fort orford , oregon, in 1855, and participated in the rogue river wars of 1856 and the utah war with the mormons in 1857-58. He was the commandant of cadets at west point from september 1860 to june 1861, while also serving as an instructor of artillery, cavalry, and infantry tactics. During his return journey from the west, reynolds met and became engaged to katherine “kate” may hewitt. Because they came from different religionsreynolds was a protestant, hewitt a catholicthe engagement was kept a secret and hewitt’s parents did not hear about it until after reynolds’ death.His civil war appointments were; lieutenant colonel 14th infantry (14th may 1861); brigadier general u.S.V. (20th august 1861); commanding 1st brigade, mccalls division, army of the potomac (2nd october 13th march 1862); commanding 1st brigade, 2nd division, 1st corps, army of the potomac (13th march 4th april 1862); commanding 1st brigade, 2nd division, army of the rappahannock (4th april 12th june 1862); commanding1st brigade, 3rd division, 5th corps, army of the potomac (18th 27th june 1862); commanding 3rd division, 3rd corps, army of virginia (26th august 12th september 1862); commanding pennsylvania militia (13th 29th september 1862); commanding 1st corps, army of the potomac (29th september 1st july 1863). Reynolds was a competent commander, assigned exclusively to the eastern theatre; he was to turn down command of the army of the potomac after the defeat of chancellorsville . He was killed instantly by a confederate musket ball on july 1st leading his troops near mcpherson ridge, gettysburg .
