Christopher C. Augur

Christopher Colon Augur (1821-1898) - Born 10 Jul 1821, Kendall, New York. A career U.S. Army Infantry officer and West Point graduate who served in the Mexican War and the U.S. Civil War. Died 16 Jan 1898, Washington, D.C.

Christoper C. Augur was born 10 Jul 1821 in New York but moved at an early age to Michigan with his widowed mother. In 1839 he was appointed to West Point from Michigan. He graduated from West Point in the class of 1843, 16th in a class of 39. His class furnished ten general officers to the North including General Ulysses S. Grant and three to the South during the U.S. Civil War.

He performed routine garrison duty for some years and fought creditably in the Mexican War, serving as aide-de-camp to General Hopping and General Caleb Cushing.

During the 1850s he saw service on the frontier. He was promoted Captain 1 August 1852, and served with distinction in a campaign against the Indians in Oregon in 1856. He is credited with building Fort Hoskins in 1856 and served as its first commanding officer from 1856 to 1861.

U.S. Civil War
On 14 May 1861, he was appointed Major in the 13th U.S. Infantry, and was, for the first few months of the war, commandant of cadets at West Point. On 12 November 1861 he was commissioned a Brigadier General of volunteers. He first saw action at the Rappahannock during the Peninsular Campaign. In July 1862, he was assigned to a division under General Banks, and in the battle of Cedar Mountain, 9 Aug 1862, was severely wounded. He sat on the military court that investigated the surrender of Harper's Ferry.

He was promoted Major General 9 Aug 1862, and in November took part in the Louisiana campaign. At the siege of Port Hudson he commanded the left wing of the army. He was brevetted Brigadier General in the United States Army, 13 March 1865, receiving on the same date the brevet of Major-General.

From 13 Oct 1865, to 13 Aug 1866, he was commandant of the Department of Washington.

Post War
He was the officer in charge of the escort of President Lincoln's body from the Peterson House to the White House after the President's assassination on the evening of 14 Apr 1865 and he appeared in Lincoln's death bed sketch.

In March 1866 he was appointed Colonel, 12th U.S. Infantry and Brigadier General, U.S. Army, in 1869. He commanded the Department of the Platte from 15 Jan 1867, to 13 Nov 1871; the Department of Texas until March 1875; the Department of the Gulf until 1 July 1878, and the Department of the South and the Department of the Missouri. He retired from the Army in 1885.

On 15 Aug 1886, he was shot and dangerously wounded by a Negro whom he attempted to chastise for using coarse language in front of his house in Washington. He died the next day, 16 Jan 1898, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Section 1 Site 63WS. His wife, Jane Augur, and his sons, Colonel Jacob A. Augur and Colon Augur are buried with him.

Camp Augur in Wyoming was named after him.

Father: Ammon Augur (1788-1830) born 14 Dec 1788, Richmond, VT. Died 6 May 1830, Kendall, NY

Mother: Annis Wellman (1795-1872) born 2 Feb 1795, Jamaica, NY. Died 26 Sep 1872, Ann Arbor, MI

Marriage: Jane Elizabeth Arnold (1827-1806) - Born 3 Jan 1827, New York. Died 24 Jul 1906. Married 20 Aug 1844, Syracuse, NY.

Children:
 * Colon Augur (1847-????) born 10 Jun 1847 in Syracuse, Onondaga, NY
 * Jacob Arnold Augur (1849-????) born 21 Aug 1849 in Fort Niagara, Niagara, NY
 * Jane Elizabeth Augur (1850-????) born 26 Nov 1850 in Fort Niagara, Niagara, NY
 * John Preston Augur (1852-????) born 31 Mar 1852 in Fort Niagara, Niagara, NY
 * Maria Ford Augur (1856-????) born 5 Feb 1856 in Fort Vancouver, Clark, WA
 * Walter Wheaton Augur (1858-????) born 5 Feb 1858 in Fort Hoskins, Benton, OR
 * Ford Spencer Augur (1860-????) born 24 Apr 1860 in Fort Hoskins, Benton, OR
 * Sally Murray Augur (1861-????) born 18 Dec 1861 in Ogdensburg, Saint Lawrence, NY
 * Annis Augur (1864-????) born 16 Nov 1864 in Georgetown,
 * Ellen Adair Augur (1866-????) born 10 Jun 1866 in Georgetown,
 * Murray Blachly Augur (1870-????) born 24 Jun 1870 in Omaha, Douglas, NE

Assignments: Personal Description:
 * (1839-1843) Cadet (1 Jul 1839), United States Military Academy, (1 Jul 1839 to 1 Jul 1843)
 * (1843-1845) Bvt. 2nd Lt. (1 Jul 1843), 2nd U.S. Infantry, Fort Ontario New York, (30 Sep 1843 to 2 Oct 1845)
 * (1845-1846) 2nd Lt. (12 Sep 1845), 4th U.S. Infantry, occupation of Texas and Mexican War, (Oct 1845 to Jul 1846)
 * (1846-1847) 2nd Lt., Recruiting service in New York, (Jul 1846 to Mar 1847)
 * (1847-1848) 1st Lt. (16 Feb 1847), aid-de-camp to General Hopping and General Cushing, Mexico, (8 Apr 1847 to 1 Sep 1847), (18 Sep 1847 to 30 May 1848)
 * (1848-1848) 1st Lt., 4th U.S. Infantry, Mississippi, (20 Aug 1848 to 3 Oct 1848)
 * (1848-1852) 1st Lt., 4th U.S. Infantry, Fort Niagara, New York, (3 Oct 1848 to 4 May 1852)
 * (1852-1852) 1st Lt., 4th U.S. Infantry, Recruiting Service and Leave, (5 May 1852 to 5 Jul 1852)
 * (1852-1852) Capt. (1 Aug 1852), 4th U.S. Infantry, enroute to Pacific Coast, (5 Jul 1852- to 19 Aug 1852)
 * (1852-1852) Capt., 4th U.S. Infantry, Benicia Barracks, California, (20 Aug 1852 to Oct 1852)
 * (1852-1856) Capt., 4th U.S. Infantry, Fort Vancouver and leave, Washington, (Oct 1852 to 1 Jan 1855), (2 Jan 1855 to Mar 1855)
 * (1855-1855) Capt., 4th U.S. Infantry, Conducting recruits to the Pacific Coast, (Mar 1855 to 1 Jun 1855)
 * (1855-1855) Capt., 4th U.S. Infantry, Fort Dalles, Oregon, (2 Jun 1855- Sep 1955)
 * (1855-1855) Capt., 4th U.S. Infantry, Fort Yakima and chasing Indians, Washington, (Sep 1855 to 24 Nov 1855)
 * (1855-1856) Capt., 4th U.S. Infantry, Fort Vancouver, Washington, (25 Nov 1855 to 4 Mar 1856)
 * (1856-1856) Capt., 4th U.S. Infantry, Fort Orford, Oregon, (5 Mar 1856 to 5 May 1856)
 * (1856-1856) Capt., 4th U.S. Infantry, Rogue River Indian War in the field, Oregon, (6 May 1856 to Aug 1856)
 * (1856-1861) Capt., 4th U.S. Infantry, Company G, Commander, Fort Hoskins, Oregon, (25 Jul 1856 to 2 Jul 1961)
 * (1861-1865) Union U.S. Civil War
 * (1861-1861) Major (14 May 1861), 13th U.S. Infantry, Commandant of Cadets at West Point (26 Aug 1861-5 Dec 1861)
 * (1861-1862) Brig. General (12 Nov 1861), U.S. Volunteers
 * (1862-1865) Maj. General (9 Aug 1862), U.S. Volunteers, Louisiana campaign
 * (1865-1866) Bvt. Brig. General and Bvt. Maj. General (13 March 1865), commandant of the Department of Washington
 * (1866) Mustered out of the Volunteer Service, 1 Sep 1866
 * (1866-????) Col. (Mar 1866) Colonel, 12th U.S. Infantry
 * (1867-1871) (1869), Brig. General, U.S. Army, commanded the Department of the Platte
 * (1871-1875) Brig. General, U.S. Army, commanded the Department of Texas
 * (1875-1878) Brig. General, U.S. Army, commanded the Department of the Gulf
 * (1878-????) Brig. General, U.S. Army, commanded the Department of the South
 * (????-1885) Brig. General, U.S. Army, commanded the Department of the Missouri
 * (1885) Brig. General, U.S. Army, retired from the Army
 * Height:
 * Build:
 * Hair Color:
 * Eye Color:

Links:

Sources:
 * Cullum Register - Christopher C. Augur
 * Arlington Cemetery Site