The New Student's Reference Work/Lawton, Henry W.
Law'ton, Henry W., an American soldier, was born in Ohio in 1843, resided in Indiana, and in the beginning of the Civil War enlisted as a private. When honorably discharged upon expiration of enlistment he joined the 30th Indiana volunteer infantry as first lieutenant. He was repeatedly promoted for gallantry, and at the end of the war, when mustered out, was a brevet-colonel of volunteers. In July, 1866, he entered the regulars as a second lieutenant, and thence, by regular promotion, had attained the rank of lieutenant-colonel by February, 1889, and was assigned to the inspector-general's department. When the Spanish-American War came, he was made a major-general of volunteers and commanded the second division at Santiago de Cuba, distinguishing himself in the battle of El Caney on July 1-2, 1898. He was ordered to the Philippines in January, 1899. Here he rendered conspicuous service, pushing his campaigns in northern Luzon with energy and effectiveness, fighting more than 20 battles and displaying the qualities of an able strategist and brave leader. He was killed on Dec. 19, 1899.