june soldier union_army american_civil_war later member new_york son wealthy old family joined union_army age eighteen saw service eastern theater best remembered raising union flag confederate capitol richmond virginia fall war served overseas returned united_states ran office elected father disagreed political positions eventually stopped speaking family feud culminated race office mayor native town father running son defeating father owned town hall forced mayor office new building died survived daughters early career born new_york family estate member wealthy family new_york son major general brother brigadier general second cousin great great great grandfather early mayor new_york_city father wealthy merchant start war years old attending new_york remained school left raise company regiment organized new_york father paid dollar men signed muster roll company able assume command age family felt young service winter threatened travel washington stand examination colored regiment age eighteen family allowed join union_army second lieutenant assigned 13th new york heavy artillery regiment assigned division army james commanded brig division disastrous engaged left bermuda second divisions traveled join lieutenant general cold harbor divisions stationed fort located norfolk virginia contracted fever sent home months missing unit heaviest engagements siege second battle illness contracted plague eighteen years richmond return joined staff commanding military district norfolk general assigned chief staff commanded aide eventually chief staff unit originally joined 13th new_york assigned credited raising union flag confederate capitol richmond virginia fall flag raised city new_orleans louisiana fall military governor new_orleans later state louisiana flew initially selected lead assault outside city night assault noticed city signal tower informed general men corps entered city admiral later claimed credit received actually taken city carried intent dispute raised flag capitol richmond learned raised hours hoisted national flag eventually declared receive credit flag despite father military critic highly writing grant achievements young lieutenant reflected incident letter mother headquarters army april mother morning clock got hour retired information going richmond started gone road munitions war richmond reached south flames shells terrific arriving capitol sprang horse stars stripes large flag saddle captain chief artillery rushed roof hoisted large flag richmond peak roof drank success capitol found flags rebel presented general fulfilled bet large flag richmond found small took returned belonged write jeff davis private room remain affection son act received promotion lieutenant colonel volunteers conduct real american flag richmond capture union forces april zeal fidelity courage maintained honor efforts enforce laws united_states supremacy constitution republican form government shortly received promotion colonel order mention flag raising incident opted general texas instead resigned june associated unofficial capacity later life war returned new_york active joined united_states general appointed minister spain president grant married daughters elected county reelected second term served mayor native village hudson terms president new_york society library active philanthropy numerous donations libraries historical societies shared interests philanthropy military affairs father eventually falling served state opposed father vote world fair bill feud heated mayor father owned building town government met barred son entering building village government forced building remained finally returned building incident occurred reported press mother fell ill visited family home violently assaulted father father went far run son mayor defeated general election died father siblings
Johnston de Peyster