Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Mott, Gershom

MOTT, Gershom, soldier, b. near Trenton, N. J., 7 April, 1822 ; d. in New York city, 29 May, 1884. He was the grandson of Capt. John Mott, of the Continental line, who guided the army of Gen. Washington down the Delaware river to the victory at Trenton. After leaving Trenton academy at the age of fourteen he entered upon commercial life in New York city. At the beginning of the Mexican war he was commissioned as 2d lieutenant in the 10th U. S. infantry. After the war he was collector of the port of Lamberton, N. J., and in 1855 became an officer of the Bordentown bank. On 4 Aug., 1861, he was commissioned as lieutenant-colonel of the 5th New Jersey volunteers, and afterward was made colonel of the 6th regiment, and received a severe wound in the second battle of Bull Run. He was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers on 7 Sept., 1862, and again badly wounded at Chancellorsville. On 1 Aug., 1864, he was brevetted major-general for distinguished services during the war. On 6 April, 1865, he was severely wounded in the fight at Amelia Springs, Va. After the army was disbanded he commanded for some time a provisional corps. He served on the Wirz commission, was made a full major-general on 26 May, 1865, and resigned on 20 Feb., 1866. When he returned to civil life he was made paymaster of the Camden and Amboy railroad. On 27 Feb., 1873, he was appointed major-general commanding the National guard of New Jersey. On 1 Sept., 1875, he became treasurer of the state, and in 1876-'81 was keeper of the state prison.